In our Hot Topic segment this week we’ve got Michael Fratantoni on the program to give us his update and outlook for the mortgage industry this year! You won’t want to miss this program!

Michael Fratantoni
Chief Economist, Senior Vice President, Research and Industry Technology
Mortgage Bankers Association.

Michael Fratantoni is MBA’s Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of Research and Industry Technology. In this role, he is responsible for overseeing MBA’s industry surveys, benchmarking studies, economic and mortgage originations forecasts, industry technology efforts, and policy development research for both single-family and commercial/multifamily markets. Additionally, Fratantoni is president and member of the Board of Directors of MISMO and serves on the CSP’s Industry Advisory Group and the membership committee of MERS.

Prior to joining MBA, Fratantoni worked in the industry in risk management and senior economist roles at Washington Mutual and Fannie Mae. He received a Ph.D. in economics from Johns Hopkins University and a B.A. in economics from The College of William and Mary, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Washington, and Johns Hopkins, George Washington, and Georgetown Universities.

Topics Covered in this Episode:

1. Origination Trends
2. Mortgage Rate Outlook
3. Latest stats on lender profitability

Excerpts from this Episode:

Listen: Thoughts on mortgage technology from the MBA’s technology profile survey… now seeing productivity enhancing tools…
Listen: Overview of economic forecast for 2020… global activity has slowed…
Listen: The job market has been as strong as it’s been in 50 years…
Listen: A look at mortgage rates for 2020 and what is likely with the Federal Reserve…
Listen: Housing starts has really picked up quite a bit… fundamentally very very positive for lenders to support more home sales this year…
Listen: A look at profitability and originations for mortgage lenders in 2020…
Listen: We’re in a place now where 55% of home purchases are by first-time home-buyers… there are 4.7 million 28 year olds in the country powering demand…
Listen: Trying to keep a lid on costs… using mortgage technology or through process redesign to lower origination costs…