#mortgage-amortization

#mortgage-amortization

In 2025, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center logged 1,008,597 cyber-enabled crime complaints, with losses surpassing $20.8 billion, marking a 26% rise from the prior year.

Newrez originated roughly $10 million in mortgages scored with VantageScore 4.0 that Freddie Mac has now securitized. The move is part of a pilot that helped federal housing agencies greenlight wider use of modern credit scores.

Payment history is the biggest factor in your score, as lenders evaluate whether you pay bills on time. Lower credit utilization signals less risk, while a longer credit history builds trust with lenders.

Eric Ellman, president of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA) said we learned from the 2008 housing crisis that more data is better than less data, especially when the financial stakes are so high. He added, The cost of being right for spending an extra $100 is so much stronger a case to make than the downside risk for a consumer who might lose thousands over the lifetime of a loan.

JPMorgan Chase's origination volume hit $13.7 billion in the first quarter, down 14% from the prior quarter and up 46% from the same period last year. Retail channels drove most of the production, accounting for 63.5% of the total. The bank's home lending revenues reached $1.23 billion in the first quarter, up 2% year over year.

Refinance applications increased for the fourth straight week to the strongest pace since 2022, with conventional refinances up 20%. The increase in the average loan size for refinances indicates that more borrowers with larger loan sizes are seeking to lower their monthly payments.

Is it time to think about rent-to-own homes? After all, 2026 is shaping up to be a chaotic year, with an uncertain economy, political pandemonium roiling every market, and a falling dollar. And in real estate, everyone seems to be hurting. For the first time in over a decade, it's seemingly a buyer's market, with housing stock finally exceeding those looking to make a purchase.