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Home-equity lending blossomed in 2023

Housing Wire

Home-equity lending overall found its wings in 2023 as a number of independent mortgage banks ramped up product lines over the course of the year — despite a bump in the road in the third quarter when mortgage rates surged past 7%. Market indicators so far appear tentatively promising.

Equity 438
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Hot home-equity market fueling securitization deals

Housing Wire

New York-based Unlock Technologies , a fintech operating in the shared-equity market, and real estate investment firm Saluda Grade , have closed a $180 million private-label securitization (PLS) backed entirely by Unlock-originated residential home-equity agreements (HEAs). 21, according to Mortgage News Daily.

Equity 370
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Mortgage rates continue a downward trend in the twilight of 2023

Housing Wire

As we prepare to bid adieu to 2023, mortgage rates this week again stayed below seven percent. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.61% as of Dec. 28, a slight decrease from the 6.67% rate recorded on Dec. 21 according to Freddie Mac ‘s Primary Mortgage Market Survey released on Thursday.

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Home equity is the bright gem of the housing market

Housing Wire

Stubborn inflation and high interest rates continue to wreak havoc on the mortgage-origination market, but there is one asset class in the housing market that is arguably flourishing in these hard times – home equity. Unlike fixed-rate, lump-sum second-lien home-equity loans — HELOCs normally carry variable interest rates.

Equity 362
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Home-equity niche will benefit from a private-label lift

Housing Wire

The demand for home-equity loans, particularly home-equity lines of credit (HELOCs) as well as shared-equity investment products, is now stronger than at any time since before the global financial crisis some 15 years ago. Those 17 deals were backed by home-equity collateral valued in total at $3.9

Equity 351
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Many homeowners don’t understand how their escrow account works

Housing Wire

Escrow accounts also frequently handle mortgage insurance payments as conventional loan borrowers with less than 20% equity in their homes are required to have mortgage insurance. Federal Housing Administration (FHA) borrowers must pay mortgage insurance for the life of their loan regardless of equity levels.

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What agents need to know about the impact of interest rates on the real estate market

Housing Wire

Homeowners : Depending on the type of mortgage they have and their financial goals, rising or falling interest rates will affect homeowners differently. Refinancing into a fixed-rate mortgage may provide stability and consistency, although homeowners should be prepared for tighter lending restrictions.