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Cash-out refis reach $1.2T in 2021, highest level since 2005 Origination volume hit new record of $4.4T in 2021, according to Black Knight

Didier Malagies • Mar 07, 2022


Record home prices in recent years have pushed tappable home equity to new heights, increasing the demand for one specific product: cash-out refis.

Black Knight
 data shows that lenders originated $1.2 trillion in cash-out refis in 2021, up 20% compared to the prior year, the highest volume since 2005. Cash-out refis went from 36% to more than 60% of all refis from the beginning of 2021 to the fourth quarter.

In 2021, homeowners tapped $275 billion in 
equity. In the fourth quarter, more than 1 million homeowners tapped $80 billion. Despite the withdrawal, tappable equity available to homeowners with a mortgage grew by $446 billion in the fourth quarter.



“We’ve been discussing this shift to an equity-centric market for some time, and our Optimal Blue rate lock data showed that cash-out activity continued to increase in January of this year as well,” Ben Graboske, data and analytics president at Black Knight, said in a statement.

He added: “Now for the bad news: retention of cash-out refinance borrowers has been notoriously difficult.” Retention is still eight percentage points lower in cash-out than rate/term refis. 

The data vendor noted the underlying risk of cash-out refis remains low, with average credit scores above 740. In addition, soaring home values resulted in much lower post-withdrawal loan-to-value (LTV) ratios than during the Great Recession, when LTVs were more than ten percentage points higher. 

Overall, originations reached $4.4 trillion in 2021, up from $4.3 trillion in the previous year to post a record volume. Refinances decreased 34% last year, to $2.7 trillion — rate/term refis volumes declined even more, 60% compared to 2020. Lenders originated a record $ 1.7 trillion in purchases last year.

Graboske noted that entering 2021, the consensus opinion was that mortgage originations would likely be 20-25% lower than 2020’s record-breaking levels. Black Knight’s suggestion was a 7% decline. In the end, originations outpaced the prior record.



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By Didier Malagies 06 May, 2024
1. Regular FHA where you can put down 3.5% have lower credit scores, higher income debt ratios 2. FHA203k - Mortgage you can do with an added feature of having Home improvements where you buy a home and get things done like a new roof, air conditioning, etc ., and have it all in one. 3. I am going to catch you on this one, did you know that Reverse Mortgage is an FHA? So really 3 different types of vehicles that can get you into a home or get home improvements included in the financing or a Reverse Mortgage for the elderly that has no mortgage payment and help subsidize your retirement. The Government did an incredible job looking at the various ways to help buyers get into a home. tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog Didier Malagies nmls#212566 DDA Mortgage nmls#324329
By Didier Malagies 02 May, 2024
The Federal Reserve ’s Federal Open Markets Committee (FOMC) maintained its short-term policy interest rate steady at a range of 5.25% to 5.5% for a sixth consecutive meeting on Wednesday. “The Committee does not expect it will be appropriate to reduce the target range until it has gained greater confidence that inflation is moving sustainably toward 2%,“ the FOMC said in a statement. “In addition, the Committee will continue reducing its holdings of Treasury securities and agency debt and agency mortgage‑backed securities.“ During their last meeting in March , policymakers indicated that they still envisioned three interest rate cuts in 2024. But with inflation remaining sticky and unemployment staying below 4%, these expectations are becoming less likely. Recent economic data hasn’t given the Fed confidence that inflation will continue to decline. Strong inflation data in the first quarter, coupled with a robust labor market , have postponed expectations for the first Fed rate cut. In April, Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, speaking at the Washington Forum , made it clear that rate cuts were not imminent due to the strength of the economy. The economy has maintained surprising momentum despite the current level of short-term rates. With the unemployment rate below 4%, companies are steadily adding workers and real wage growth is observable as inflation eases. Although upward movements in inflation are noteworthy, considerable progress toward the Fed’s 2% target has been made. “It’s unlikely that the next policy rate move will be a hike,” Powell told journalists on Wednesday during the FOMC’s press conference. “In order to hike the rates, we would need to see persuasive evidence that our policy stance is not sufficiently restrictive to bring inflation sustainably down to 2% over time. That’s not what we are seeing at the moment.” While Powell emphasized the unlikelihood of future rate hikes, he also remained vague about the Fed’s future interest rate trajectory. “We didn’t see progress in the first quarter. It appears that it will take longer for us to reach that point of confidence,” Powell said. “I don’t know how long it will take. … My personal forecast is that we will begin to see progress on inflation this year. I don’t know that it will be enough to cut rates; we will have to let the data lead us on that.” In a new development, the Fed announced an easing of its quantitative tightening policy. Starting in June, the rate-setting body will lower the roll-off rate of its Treasury securities from $60 billion to $25 billion per month. This means that while the Fed will not begin selling Treasurys in June, it will allow fewer of them to mature. It will not alter its roll-off rate for mortgage-backed securities (MBS), which will remain at $35 billion per month, according to Xander Snyder, senior commercial real estate economist at First American. “The FOMC did not change the ongoing passive roll-off of its MBS holdings but did note that any prepayments beyond the continuing $35 billion cap would be reinvested in Treasuries,” Mike Fratantoni, senior vice president and chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association, said in a statement. “We expect mortgage rates to drop later this year, but not as far or as fast as we previously had predicted.” In addition, Powell reiterated the Fed’s commitment to carrying forward the Basel III endgame regulations in a way that’s faithful to Basel and also comparable to what the jurisdictions in other nations are doing. Since the March FOMC meeting, Freddie Mac’s average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has increased from 6.74% to 7.17%. Before the next FOMC meeting on June 12, two additional inflation readings are expected. “While it’s a possibility, I don’t think that we’ll see much change in mortgage rates following this Fed meeting, because the Fed has been willing to let the data lead at this stage in the cycle,” Realtor.com chief economist Danielle Hale said in a statement. “In order to see mortgage rates drop more significantly, the Fed will need to see more evidence that inflation is slowing.”  For homebuyers and sellers, this suggests that housing affordability will remain a top consideration, possibly driving home purchases in affordable markets, predominantly in the Midwest and South, according to Hale.
By Didier Malagies 29 Apr, 2024
Depending on where you live there is an opportunity in certain areas that you can get $2,500 towards the closing costs. You also get a lower rate and monthly PMI. Programs open up to you where there is down payment assistance and also the 1% down program available. The Gov't is printing 1 trillion every 100 days, and the costs of everything are out of control. The time will come when they will be printing a trillion every 30 days. Credit cards, car loans, and student loans are at unprecedented levels is it time to refinance your home to save money and then do another refinance as a rate term when the pivot happens at some point in the future the cost of everything is going up and not stopping and you will see inflation continue to gain ground once again. Time to put the house in order with a refinance to consolidate debt. A phone call or an email away to go over your present situation and see what makes sense with the present home values tune in and learn https://www.ddamortgage.com/blog didier malagies nmls#212566 dda mortgage nmls#324329
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