There's a big Movement in mortgage marketshare
Many of you saw the big announcement we made on social media this week: Movement was the seventh-largest purchase lender nationwide in the second quarter.
That's big news folks and a real head-turner considering we were just a four-person startup eight years ago. That kind of growth is a testament to the vision Casey and Toby cast and how well it has been executed.
It's also one of the biggest examples of a nationwide trend in mortgage lending. Nonbank lenders quick to adapt to changes are taking a large chunk of the mortgage market share once dominated by the country's biggest banks. In the face of tighter regulations and mounting scrutiny, big banks are shying away from mortgages, creating a vacuum nonbank lenders have moved to fill.
Helping clinch this status for Movement is our aim to become a leader in the industry matched by our reputation for pairing innovation and technology to enhance service to borrowers.
Overall, the nonbank share of mortgage originations grew from 23.4 percent in 2008 to 48.3 percent this year, according to leading mortgage trade publication Inside Mortgage Finance. It very likely will surpass 50 percent in 2017, especially as Movement continues to gain market share.
Why the seachange?
Massive legal settlements with the federal Justice Department have rattled big banks, which continue to downsize to avoid allegations of mortgage fraud. Traditional banks have also backed away from loans to borrowers whose credit scores may be less than perfect. Instead, they're investing more of their mortgage business in jumbo loans to affluent customers.
Nonbank lenders like Movement, however, are more willing to lend to adapt and work with borrowers to deliver a better experience. Something else in our favor: We're working hard to be responsive to the needs and wants of a generation of consumers who demand more transparency and accessibility from financial institutions.
Investors view us as one of the strongest nonbank lenders because of our high quality processing and underwriting, focus on the purchase market and reputation for integrity. This is a prime opportunity for us to keep growing and take advantage of this shift in the mortgage market.
Jobs report shows more of the same
The financial markets were mostly content with Friday morning's nonfarm payrolls report that shows the U.S. economy created net 161,000 new jobs and the unemployment rate came in at a healthy 4.9 percent.
The results are slightly below expectations and continue the narrative that the U.S. economy is growing and creating jobs, but at a slow pace.
One major highlight from the jobs report is wages. Average hourly earnings in the private sector increased 2.8 percent in October. That's the highest wage growth we've seen since June 2009. This is great news for mortgage lenders because it shows American households are bringing home more pay at a time when home affordability is a mild concern.
None of this jobs news should sway the Federal Reserve from its likely course. I still expect a small interest rate increase in December.
The next major event we're all watching is the election on Tuesday. It's a little too close to make any calls right now. As I've said before, a Hillary Clinton win will be seen as a status quo move by financial markets. A Donald Trump win will introduce more uncertainty since he's running on a platform of making major changes in Washington.
Do your research and soul-searching this weekend and make sure you vote on Tuesday.
