article thumbnail

As a ‘higher-for-longer’ rate scenario unfolds, how is the mortgage industry adapting?

Housing Wire

Last week’s above-consensus inflation figures brought the mortgage market back to a sour reality: The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, an index closely watched by industry experts, may be close to or even above the 7% level for longer than previously expected. A second rate cut is expected for November.

As-is 448
article thumbnail

Industry experts are closely watching delinquency rates, insurance costs

Housing Wire

Mortgage servicers, regulators and economists are closely watching the delinquency rates for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans following a spike in the fourth quarter of 2023. But experts also say the situation is not as bad as the one experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

What’s holding the industry back from broad-scale digital closing adoption?

Housing Wire

For well over a decade, the industry has made steady progress in digitizing mortgage closings. As a result, closings today fall on a spectrum of digitization, with benefits that increase with each component that is digitized and each document that is electronically signed (eSigned).

Closing 433
article thumbnail

‘Find buyers before agents!’ Mortgage industry reacts to the NAR settlement

Housing Wire

Mortgage pros have closely monitored the commission lawsuit developments since a Kansas City, Missouri jury determined that NAR, HomeServices of America , and Keller Williams conspired to inflate or maintain high commission rates through NAR’s so-called Participation Rule.

article thumbnail

Opinion: How the title industry protects homeowners

Housing Wire

When people think about the title insurance industry , what comes to mind is often its core products – title insurance policies that protect property rights of homeowners and lenders. As an industry, our commitment to protection goes beyond title insurance policies. As an industry, we united against these unfair fee agreements.

Title 442
article thumbnail

Speed up the closing process with industry-leading solutions

Housing Wire

The mortgage industry is no stranger to disruption since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the premier provider of software, data and analytics solutions to the mortgage and capital markets industries, Black Knight further strengthened its position as a market leader with the acquisition of Optimal Blue in September 2020.

article thumbnail

Title waiver pilot program will have little impact on the industry: Fitch Ratings

Housing Wire

Despite the protests of the title insurance industry, Fitch Ratings does not believe the lender title insurance waiver pilot program for certain refinance transactions announced by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) on Thursday will have an impact on title insurer ratings. Soham Bhonsle, an analyst at BTIG, shares a similar outlook.

Title 403