Homeowners nationwide are staying put as a historically low supply of existing homes for sale continues to make homeownership more difficult for buyers. New Fannie Mae research examines the factors that are keeping homeowners locked in place and leaving homebuyers in the lurch.
Read More »Black Homebuyers Still Facing Higher Mortgage Denial Rates
A new report from LendingTree reveals that Black homebuyers are still more likely to be denied a mortgage when compared to the overall population, with denial rates highest in popular metros like Miami, Detroit, and New Orleans.
Read More »Borrowers Don’t Shop Around, Still Look to Big Banks
Most mortgage borrowers don’t shop around for a lender, according to a recent survey. In fact, 36 percent of borrowers only looked at one lender when buying their home, while the remaining 64 percent only compared two. The reason for the lack of research is likely because of referrals and existing relationships. Nearly 80 percent of borrowers used their existing bank, a referral from their real estate agent, or a personal referral when choosing a mortgage lender. A mere 9 percent used an internet search.
Read More »Borrower FICO Scores Hit 8-year Low
According to a new report, the average FICO score of an American mortgage borrower has hit its lowest point since 2008. Currently, the average borrower has a FICO score of just 729. Broken down by lender type, borrowers of bank-originated loans have an average FICO score of 743, while borrowers of independent, non-bank loans have an average score of 719.
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