Recent economic forecasts point to an expanding economy and increased business for lenders, loan servicers and signing agents. Freddie Mac’s outlook for 2013 projects that long-term mortgage rates will remain near record lows for the first half of the year, before rising slightly in the second half.
The low rates, plus the growing number of new households that are forming, will be the leading causes for loan originations. The report predicts that the refinancing boom will continue in the first few months, with a gradual reduction seen as the year advances. Although single-family loan refinancing may decline overall, an increase in multi-family lending is expected to rise approximately 5 percent.
A financial forecast by the Mortgage Bankers Association also forecasts that housing starts will increase, growing by about 500,000 from 2012.
These studies indicate that more loan originations are expected this year, even as mortgage companies work to meet new, government-mandated servicing and origination standards.