FHFA: Refinance Report – Second Quarter 2018

Investor Update
August 16, 2018

Source: FHFA

Second Quarter 2018 Highlights

  • Total refinance volume decreased in June 2018 as mortgage rates rose in May, continuing a trend first observed in October 2017.  Mortgage rates decreased in June: the average interest rate on a 30?year fixed rate mortgage fell to 4.57 percent from 4.59 percent in May.

In the second quarter of 2018:

  • Borrowers completed 2,973 refinances through HARP, bringing total refinances from the inception of the program to 3,491,140.
  • HARP volume represented 1 percent of total refinance volume.

Year to date through June 2018:

  • Borrowers with loan?to?value ratios greater than 105 percent accounted for 16 percent of the volume of HARP loans.
  • Thirty-two percent of HARP refinances for underwater borrowers were for shorter?term 15? and 20?year mortgages, which build equity faster than traditional 30?year mortgages.
  • HARP refinances represented 3 percent of total refinances in Illinois compared to 1 percent of total refinances nationwide over the same period.
  • In June 2018, 3 percent of the loans refinanced through HARP had a loan?to?value ratio greater than 125 percent.
    Borrowers who refinanced through HARP had a lower delinquency rate compared to borrowers eligible for HARP who did not refinance through the program.
    Ten states accounted for over 70 percent of the nation’s HARP eligible loans with a refinance incentive as of March 31, 2018.

Related News Release
 
Attachments: Refinance Report – Second Quarter 2018