Housing Wire

FEBRUARY 13, 2025

Loan locks for refinances rose more than 20% year over year while purchase lock counts saw a 6% decrease, according to Optimal Blue ‘s January 2025 Market Advantage mortgage data report released Thursday. of all locked loans in January. The average loan amount there was $576,385. It was followed by Dallas (3.4%

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VA loan FHA loan Mortgages Loans 321

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 21, 2023

Unfortunately, too many misconceptions persist among real estate and even mortgage industry professionals about the VA home loan, and those misconceptions have big (and negative) impacts. Earlier in my life, I was directed away from using a VA loan when I purchased my first home. Who is eligible?

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VA loan Loans Mortgages Lending 468

Housing Wire

MARCH 25, 2021

If you’re a first-time homebuyer (or you already own a home), you’ve heard of mortgage loans. You have your conventional loans, FHA loans, VA loans, USDA loans and so on. But there’s another type of loan, not too many people are familiar with that can make the home buying process much easier.

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Loans VA loan FHA loan Finance 542

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 11, 2023

The country’s top lender, United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), raised agency conforming loan limits to $750,000 following other firms’ moves ahead of the Federal Housing Finance Agency ’s (FHFA) decision expected next month. UWM will honor expected limits for conventional and VA loans locked starting Oct.

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Loans VA loan Finance Mortgages 468

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 4, 2024

But for first-time and other cash-strapped buyers—those who are not relying on the proceeds of a home sale, who may be using a 100% financed VA loan, whose agents may be layering forms of assistance to put together enough cash for closing—knowing in advance about the seller’s contribution to their agent costs may be essential.

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Debt-to-income ratio Agents VA loan MLS 321

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 4, 2023

In an environment where 30-year fixed mortgage rates are racing towards 8%, loan officer pipelines are thinning dramatically. But LOs who cater to first-time homebuyers’ needs – offering FHA loans and down payment assistance loans — are faring better, Michael Ullmann, producing branch leader at Movement Mortgage , explained. “So

FHA loan 468

FHA loan Loans Loan Officer Mortgages 468

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

In the aftermath, one of the most contentious issues in the minds of mortgage professionals is how the ruling might affect FHA and VA mortgage borrowers. FHA loans are a popular option for first-time homebuyers or those who don’t have a lot of cash saved for a down payment, because the loans require a minimum of 3.5%

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VA loan Agents Seller concession FHA loan 482

Housing Wire

MARCH 26, 2025

United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) announced Wednesday that it is extending its removal of Loan Level Pricing Adjustments (LLPAs) on government loans for borrowers with a FICO score of 600 and above. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans. billion in government purchase loans.

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Loans Mortgages Finance VA loan 208

Housing Wire

MAY 24, 2024

Nearly 1 in 5 millennials (19%) think their credit card debt will be a stumbling block when applying for a mortgage, while 1 in 7 (14%) think the same about their student loans. How student loans impact your ability to buy a home Adding a mortgage on top of monthly student loan payments can create a significant financial strain.

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Debt-to-income ratio Loans Pre-approval VA loan 468

Housing Wire

MAY 21, 2024

VA policy states that while a veteran is allowed to use a buyer broker to purchase a home using their VA loan benefit, they “may not under any circumstances, be charged a brokerage fee or commission in connection with the services of such individuals.”

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VA loan Agents Loans MLS 523

Housing Wire

APRIL 5, 2022

Rocket Pro TPO has launched a program that will guarantee financing to close in 15 days, a move to entice mortgage brokers and their real estate agent partners in a scorching-hot housing market. Government, FHA, and VA loans do not apply and the program is not available in 16 states, including New York, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

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Closing Loans VA loan Mortgages 397

Housing Wire

AUGUST 1, 2024

That’s according to survey results released Thursday by Veterans United Home Loans, which show that 60% of prospective buyers are taking the election into account. When asked if they feel better about their finances compared to one year ago, 63% of veterans and 59% of civilians said yes. According to data from the U.S.

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VA loan Loans Finance Mortgages 508

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 8, 2021

After completing countless Veterans Administration (VA) mortgage loan transactions over the years, Chris Pascoe, a Marine veteran turned RE/MAX agent, has developed something of a system. There remains a belief among listing agents and their clients that the VA appraisal and closing process will be a hassle.

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VA loan Agents Pre-approval Debt-to-income ratio 418

Housing Wire

JUNE 11, 2024

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Tuesday issued a temporary fix that will allow homebuyers using VA loans to pay for their real estate agent’s commission — i.e., the buyer-broker fee. Behr, program analyst at the department’s Loan Guaranty Service and Veterans Benefits Administration, said in a statement.

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VA loan Loans Brokerage MLS 523

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 10, 2023

Redfin classified purchases as all-cash when transactions had no mortgage loan information on the deed. FHA loan usage increases in September As sellers field fewer offers, buyers with FHA loans may have greater luck to close on a home. In September, government-insured FHA loans represented a little over 15% of U.S.

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FHA loan VA loan Mortgages Loans 468

Housing Wire

MAY 25, 2021

New legislation would extend a benefit similar to Veterans Affairs loans to first responders and teachers who buy homes. The bill would allow borrowers to finance up to 100% of the acquisition price. Mortgages would be subject to FHA loan limits. Loan officers, too, sometimes have reservations about government-financed loans.

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FHA loan VA loan Loans Loan Officer 493

Housing Wire

MARCH 27, 2024

But the VA’s current policies place veterans at a “significant disadvantage” compared to other buyers, NAR President Kevin Sears said in a letter submitted Wednesday to John Bell, executive director of VA’s Loan Guaranty Service. The VA didn’t immediately respond to HousingWire’s request for comment.

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VA loan Loans Principal Mortgages 476

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 11, 2023

Refinance applications also continue to be limited, and the average loan size has fallen to its lowest level since 2017.” of all loan applications, the highest share since November 2022. The share of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan activity inched down to 14.4% As a result, ARM applications represented 9.2% from 14.5%

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Loans VA loan FHA loan Mortgages 430

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 15, 2021

The trade group estimates that the average contract 30-year fixed-rate mortgage for conforming loans ($548,250 or less) remained unchanged at 3.30%. For jumbo mortgage loans (greater than $548,250), rates decreased to 3.32% from 3.33% the week prior. decline in applications for government loans. Refinances represented 63.3%

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VA loan FHA loan Fixed-rate mortgage Loans 435

Housing Wire

JUNE 5, 2024

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan applications. And the VA share of total applications increased from 12% to 12.1% The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances ($766,550 or less) increased from 7.05% to 7.07%, with points increasing from 0.63 the previous week.

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VA loan Mortgages Fixed-rate mortgage Loans 480

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2024

With NAR’s settlement requiring agents to have a signed buyer agency agreement with every buyer that spells out how much the agent will be paid in a transaction, many believed that buyers using a loan from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) would be disadvantaged. The temporary guidance went into effect on Aug.

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VA loan Purchase and sale agreement Loans Agents 448

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 9, 2023

For this reason, many programs now allow funds to be used for buydowns and other popular financing strategies that take the edge off of monthly mortgage payments,” Rob Chrane, founder and CEO of DPR, said in a statement. Buydowns have become a preferred financing strategy for borrowers as mortgage rates have surged.

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FHA loan VA loan Finance Loans 482

Housing Wire

APRIL 15, 2024

Based on the selling guides in use by the GSEs, property sellers are allowed to make financing concessions toward the borrower’s closing costs at a maximum amount of 2% to 9% of the property value. Department of Veterans Affairs seeking similar guidance on VA loans, but Sears said that letter remains unanswered.

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Agents Seller concession VA loan Finance 532

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 3, 2023

Loans in active foreclosure inched up to 217,000, but remained more than 25% below pre-pandemic levels. About 70% of loans currently three or more payments past due are protected from foreclosure by ongoing loss mitigation efforts. In 2024, roughly 75% of originations expected to come from purchase loans. for VA loans.

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Equity VA loan FHA loan Mortgages 468

Housing Wire

MARCH 1, 2021

After all, in January 2021, 30-year loans accounted for a whopping three-quarters of all mortgage originations in the country. Want to make sure you’re getting the best deal and making the right choice for your finances? USDA loans. Streamline refinances (if you have an FHA or VA loan). It doesn’t stop there.

Mortgages 459

Mortgages VA loan Loans Loan Officer 459

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 9, 2024

decline in purchase loan demand. Conventional loan refinances, which tend to have larger balances than government loans and hence are more responsive for a given change in mortgage rates, fell to a greater extent over the week.” 4, Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans decreased by 40 bps and represented 16.2%

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VA loan Mortgages FHA loan Loans 458

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 25, 2023

The share of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan activity inched up to 15.2% The share of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan activity was 10.5%, down from 10.7% the week prior while the share of Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan activity decreased to 0.4% from 14.8% for the week ending Oct.

Mortgages 476

Mortgages VA loan FHA loan Loans 476

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 14, 2020

The option to finance a home via Opendoor Home Loans has also been expanded, according to the blog post. Financing options are now available in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Colorado and Tennessee.

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VA loan Loans Finance Technology 448

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 12, 2023

Total loan volume fell 33% over the same period compared to a year ago. ““The While conforming loans still made up the majority of production at 57% in September, conforming volumes trended well below pandemic levels, according to the report. FHA and VA loan production both gained in activity share to 20.6% of the total.

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VA loan Mortgages FHA loan Loans 470

Housing Wire

JANUARY 10, 2024

The increase in purchase and refinance applications for both conventional and government loans is promising to start the year but was likely due to some catch-up in activity after the holiday season and year-end rate declines,” Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist, said in a statement. from 14.5% the week prior.

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Mortgages VA loan FHA loan Loans 511

Housing Wire

JULY 26, 2024

Giving the company the “staff the agency needs to fulfill its responsibilities” will allow it to “focus on its core mission, including marketing Ginnie Mae securities to global investors and conducting oversight of the 300-plus companies that issue Ginnie Mae securities backed by FHA, RHS, and VA loans,” the letter explained.

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VA loan Loans Mortgages Banks 476

Housing Wire

MARCH 26, 2024

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac completed 43,903 foreclosure prevention actions in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to a new report published by the Federal Housing Finance Agency ( FHFA ). Loan modifications dropped from 14,363 in Q3 to 12,758 in Q4, an 11.2% The rate for U.S.

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VA loan FHA loan Short sale Loans 488

Housing Wire

OCTOBER 6, 2023

Then, we have all the traditional financing options, including jumbo.” ” PRMG offers a comprehensive range of mortgage products, including conventional, FHA, VA, USDA and jumbo loans. The lender, based in South Dakota, offers conventional, FHA and VA loan products, as well as bridge loans.

Mortgages 493

Mortgages VA loan Finance Renovation 493

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 6, 2023

Total home loan applications increased 2.8% The share of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan activity increased to 15%, down from 13.5% The share of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan activity was 12.8%, up from 12.6% Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan activity remained unchanged at 0.5%.

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VA loan Mortgages FHA loan Fixed-rate mortgage 521

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 20, 2023

Total home loan applications decreased by 1.5% The share of Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan activity decreased to 15.5%, down from 16.1% The share of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan activity was 15.6%, up from 14.2% Department of Agriculture (USDA) loan activity remained unchanged at 0.4%.

Mortgages 480

Mortgages VA loan FHA loan Loans 480

Housing Wire

DECEMBER 14, 2023

The letter states that the CHLA believes this shift could have “profound negative impact on the ability of home buyers to pay for or finance those commissions and on loan appraisal loan to value (LTV) calculations and requirements.” Under current regulations, VA buyers are not allowed to pay for buyer’s representation.

Lending 448

Lending Mortgages VA loan Finance 448

Housing Wire

NOVEMBER 22, 2023

Total home loan applications increased 3% for the week ending Nov. Mortgage rates for the 30-year fixed loan averaged 7.44%, falling 6 basis points in one week, according to Freddie Mac ‘s Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The average loan size on a purchase application was $403,600, the lowest since January 2023. the week prior.

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VA loan FHA loan Mortgages Loans 488