Mortgage and loan news

Here’s how the corona pandemic is already changing the financial services industry

Yext hosted a number of panel discussions with managers from leading marketing and digital companies across different areas of financial services to understand the impact of the Corona pandemic on the financial sector. In these discussions, we were able to outline findings from our research on industry trends and tell executives about the impact of the Corona pandemic on their businesses. Also discussed were changes in customer behavior and best practices for dealing with these new realities.

Financial services respondents anticipate the following impact of the Corona pandemic on their businesses:

  • 43% of respondents report record levels of business activity and performance
  • 14% report a sharp increase in activity, which has since dropped off again
  • 29% report some positive, some negative impact on a variety of areas
  • 14% report a predominantly negative impact

The Corona pandemic has profoundly changed the financial services marketplace. On 22. January, the U.S. officially confirmed the first infection with the novel coronavirus. What followed was a wave of macroeconomic and legislative impacts on all industries in the financial services sector. First, regulations were introduced on domestic isolation, which particularly hurt the travel and hospitality industries. Then the crash in oil prices began. On 23. February was also followed by the crash of the S&P 500. In response, the Federal Reserve System decided to (U.S. Federal Reserve System) on 3. March an interest rate cut to stabilize national liquidity. The result was a boosted mortgage market, leading small and midsize businesses to borrow heavily under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act prompted. They can hardly process this information? This is how many of us feel, the economy was finally completely off the rails for weeks .

Mortgage and loan news

Why the us mortgage market is attractive to investors again

Tom Mansley, Investment Director at GAM

From a fundamental perspective, U.S. residential real estate markets are much more robust than they were before the crisis, says Tom Mansley, investment director at GAM.

Low volatility profile and solid yield the so-called mortgage-backed securities (MBS) have recently outperformed many other high and mid-quality securities. Since the financial crisis, during which MBS assets came under severe pressure, the mortgage market in the U.S. has undergone radical reform. "Investors looking for a well-diversified, global, fixed income strategy should take a very close look at the enhanced offering", Says Tom Mansley, investment director at GAM. "The opportunity is almost too good to pass up."

Lending standards are being closely monitored
MBS are securities backed by a pool of mortgage loans that give investors a right to the cash flows from those mortgage loans. Thus, they exhibit a low correlation to equities and traditional bonds. "Meanwhile, most MBS on the market are so-called 'agency securities' backed or recognized by the U.S. government or one of its agencies, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae", says Mansley, who works in GAM's New York office. "But there are also non-agency MBS, which are bonds issued by private issuers such as banks, and these securities have no government guarantee." Therefore, they offer a higher rate of return, but also come with a correspondingly higher risk of default, he said.

Mortgage and loan news

7 Ways to save money for an emergency fund

Life is full of unexpected surprises, and some of them can really hurt your budget. Emergency situations such as repairing a car, replacing an appliance, paying a high medical bill or an unexpected trip can deplete your savings or cause you to make unwise decisions that could affect your financial future.

Johnson tells Investopedia that answering these questions is the first step to increasing financial literacy. You need to decide how much money you need. If it's a worst-case scenario like a layoff, develop a household budget first. "Add up all your expenses: fixed, like car insurance and mortgage, and variable, like groceries and entertainment."

Once you determine how much money is needed, you are ready to evaluate ways to reach your goal.

Mortgage and loan news

Keeping an eye on downside risks with liquid alternatives

Robert Steiner, Sales Director, Franklin Templeton Switzerland

The current situation in the stock and bond markets is unsettling many investors and new approaches are being sought. Robert Steiner of Franklin Templeton Switzerland sees good reasons for investing in Liquid Alternatives resp. Multi-strategy and multi-manager approaches are talking.

Financial markets are challenging right now: the massive expansion of central bank balance sheets in developed countries since 2008 ends. The enormous liquidity glut that has caused prices to rise around the globe is gradually ebbing away. "We see increased volatility, sharp corrections and rising inflation. In addition, macroeconomic uncertainties threaten the stability of the markets", says Robert Steiner, Sales Director, Franklin Templeton Switzerland.

He thinks going forward, the biggest challenge may be that traditional diversification via bonds and equities may not prove successful in this new market phase especially as markets begin to feel the pressure of rising interest rates.

Mortgage and loan news

Don’t lose sight of the net zero energy crisis

In the long term, the energy crisis is accelerating the path to net zero emissions. (Image: Shutterstock.com/bilanol)

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has triggered an energy crisis. But that shouldn't stop countries from implementing their net-zero targets, say experts at Schroders.

More e-cars were bought in the UK in March 2022 than in all of 2019. This is despite the downturn in the small vehicle market and supply chain issues that currently make it difficult to purchase an e-vehicle. Even before the recent rise in energy prices, the switch to electric cars was in full swing. But the price increase due to high oil prices makes conventional combustion engines unattractive for consumers.

"Prices for gas and coal are now four times higher than a year ago. As a result, the economics of renewable energy sources have improved significantly in comparison", Felix Odey, Portfolio Manager of the Schroders Global Energy Transition Team, explains.

Mortgage and loan news

To pay or not to pay your mortgages

In Part I of this article, I mentioned that we were all taught by our parents, grandparents, and conventional wisdom that we should pay off our home mortgage to own our home free and clear so that the bank can never take our home from us. I explained why this way of thinking is outdated. In this article, I will present some ideas on using mortgages as a tool for wealth accumulation.

Let me say up front that I am not advising you to go out and do the things I am talking about without first educating yourself and getting advice from a trained and licensed professional. Although I firmly believe that what I'm about to tell you is a great strategy for wealth accumulation, there is also no one strategy that is right for everyone, as we all have different goals that require different action plans. Furthermore, for a dishonest or unskilled financial advisor (loan officer, accountant, financial planner, etc.), it would be.) very easy to take advantage of you or mistakenly put you into a product that will cost you time and money instead of helping you become financially independent.

Before we talk about releasing your equity and investing, make sure your finances are in order. There's no use taking equity out of your home to start investing if you're weighed down by a massive debt load and forced to use your credit cards every time an emergency arises. I recommend to my clients a three-step model that conservatively builds a solid financial foundation before using equity to increase net worth. This three-step model has the following parts, in order of priority: build cushion, get rid of "bad" debt, and create and maintain liquidity.

Mortgage and loan news

Housing affordability is improving but there is still much to do experts

With a turbulent housing market and volatile interest rate environment playing out over much of the past year, concerns about housing affordability have reached a boiling point. Recently, three housing policy experts joined HW Media COO Diego Sanchez to discuss potential changes to housing affordability in the next year.

The panel took place during HousingWire's Affordable Housing Mini-Con and featured Laurie Goodman of the Urban InstituteBelief Schwartz of Housing Finance Strategies and Jim Gray of the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy. When asked about "good news" regarding housing affordability, all three panelists described how encouraging the federal government's active work on affordability issues is.

"We have [seen] a major effort by the government, more than ever before, which makes this an absolute top priority for the administration, which is putting a lot of force and power into it HUD, Ginnie Mae, FHA, VAand the government to help the industry move forward," Schwartz said.

Mortgage and loan news

Repayment suspension loan

property finance

Anyone thinking about a real estate loan will not be able to avoid the terms annuity loan, mortgage loan and suspension amortization loan. A repayment suspension loan is also known as a TA loan. But what is this actually about?

Characteristics of a TA loan

The so-called TA loan is often selected precisely in the financing of real estate and is the opposite of the ordinary loan. Here, the repayment portion is not paid off continuously but only at the end of the loan's term. The borrower pays interest to the bank monthly or quarterly. Since the repayment portion remains the same, the interest rate is also always the same.

Features of an annuity loan

In the case of an annuity loan, the loan is repaid by the borrower throughout the agreed term. This means that with the repayment of the respective credit installment a corresponding interest as well as a corresponding repayment portion is redeemed. Thus, the entire amount of a real estate loan is paid off continuously. This is also the most common variant of a loan.

Mortgage and loan news

Real estate loan – what can i afford?

Construction financing: very few are able to finance real estate with an existing cash capital. Therefore, a real estate loan is important for the purchase or construction of property. Buyers are not always sure what they can and should afford to pay. How much equity is necessary? For which real estate purchases are offered loans? We have all the important information on the subject in the overview.

What is a real estate loan?

In the case of a real estate loan, it is a loan for a specific purpose. This means that the capital provided serves a specific purpose. In this case, the purchase or even the renovation of any type of housing. The loan can cover all or part of the costs of the upcoming project. So it is possible to combine the loan with equity or subsidies. It is advisable to handle real estate loans through independent financing specialists. Suitable offers can be discovered for example at Optifin. The portal provides access to a wide range of services related to real estate loans: www.optifin.at/real-estate-loan/

Who gets a real estate loan?

Anyone planning to buy real estate or build a home can apply for a loan. In what form this will be realized depends on various points:

Mortgage and loan news

Mortgage market affordability and inventory challenges

We are at a unique moment in the history of homebuilding. With interest rates rising rapidly, inventory at historic lows, home prices rising to unprecedented levels above income, and a purchase market that is both highly anxious and digitally dependent, mortgage and real estate professionals must be strategic to take advantage of market opportunities today.

We interviewed more than 25 mortgage industry experts to gather the best insights, strategies and recommendations to navigate and win in today's marketplace. We've teamed up with HousingWire to share some excerpts from the report. To view the full research, click here.

2022 State of the mortgage industry: affordability and inventory