Guy Cecala

Mortgage originations broke the $2 trillion mark in 2016 for only the second time in the past 9 years. A big year for mortgage lenders.

Nonbanks set a market share record in 3Q16 - accounting for 51.4% of new mortgage originations - according to Inside Mortgage Finance.

The conforming loan limits are going up in 2017, but not much. Inside Mortgage Finance is predicting the base will go to $422k from $417k.

Home equity lending hit a post-financial crisis high of $53.5 billion in 2Q16, Inside Mortgage Finance will report tomorrow.

New mortgage insurance written hit a record high in 2Q16, Inside Mortgage Finance will report tomorrow. Private MIs beat out FHA in volume.

Mortgage originations hit a three-year high of $510 billion in 2Q16, according to new numbers from Inside Mortgage Finance.

Despite a 15% drop in 4Q15, mortgage originations for all of 2015 came in at $1.74 trillion - a big 34% increase over 2014's $1.3 trillion.

Are folks at Fannie and Freddie high-fiving over the NYT article about MBA's lobbying on GSE reform? And will it change the debate?

Mark Fleming at First American is challenging Inside Mortgage Finance's analysis that there won't be any hike in the loan limits in 2015.

Although mortgage originations fell 7% between 2Q15 and 3Q15, volume for the first 9 months ($1.35t) has already beat all of last year.

It's official - the CFPB confirmed today that Director Cordray got it wrong when he said "most" jumbo mortgages are non-QM loans.

CFPB Director Cordray this week said most jumbo mortgages are non-QM loans. Really? He might want to check his facts on that.

New HEL originations hit a 7-year high in 2Q15. But despite the growth, the volume of HELs outstanding are continuing to slip this year.

New mortgage originations jumped 24% in 2Q15 to reach $445b, according to numbers IMF will release tomorrow. Could now see $1.6t for 2015.

Credit unions now account for close to 10% of all new mortgages made. That's more than double the share they held pre-financial crisis.

The jumbo share of mortgage originations hit a 13-year high of 19% in 2014. Private capital in the mortgage market is alive and well.

2014 mortgage originations are in, and last year was the worst year since 2000 with $1.24 trillion in volume. But it could have been worse.

The modest drop in the FHA insurance premium is good PR for the White House, but far from any mortgage market game changer. It's too small.

A .5% drop in its annual MIP won't produce a lot more FHA loans. That is still higher than it used to be and the upfront MIP remains 1.75%.

Make that $6 billion in net income for Fannie and Freddie in 3Q14.