Ralph DeFranco, Arch Capital Services Inc.
Good times are rolling for the housing market
Debbie Foley, CFBank
No. 9 Top Women Originators, No. 35 Top Refinance Volume (2019)
Lenders are still keen to work with foreign homebuyers
Despite a litany of business closures, job losses and economic turmoil resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. housing and mortgage markets have more than held their own this year. This is evident in data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), which reported this past October that origination volume is expected to reach a 17-year […]
The U.S. office may never be the same
Office assets have had a rough ride during the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally, commercial mortgage brokers and lenders could expect a temporary loss in office values, as well as fewer leasing, sales and origination activities, but this would be followed by a full recovery. This is what happened after the Great Recession ended in 2009. The […]
Commercial Spotlight: Atlantic Region
One of the most historic areas in the U.S., the Atlantic Region comprises the states of Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia along with the District of Columbia. This region is notable for its seaports and coastlines along the Atlantic Ocean, as well as several large and notable cities. The dominant […]
Lurking in the Shadows
Ransomware emerges as a growing threat to the mortgage industry
Steady foreclosure growth is a harbinger of housing health
Completed foreclosure auctions are steadily returning despite sweeping moratoria measures enacted days after the COVID-19 pandemic declaration this past March — measures that have been extended through the end of 2020. These moratoria prohibit foreclosures on the vast majority of single-family homes with mortgages backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and the Federal Housing […]
October pending home sales down, but remain at high level
Pending home sales fell slightly in October, dropping 1.1% month over month, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR). The decline brought the NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI) to a reading of 128.9 in October; a reading of 100 is equal to the level of pending contract activity in 2001, when the index […]