Category Archives: HECM Originators

Our last report for 2023 is here! We already knew 2023 endorsements dropped -48.1% from 2022 as higher interest rates drove refinances to near zero and reduced the appeal of even non-refinances to new customers.

The additional context we’re adding today is that Retail/direct held up better at -43.4% for the year while Wholesale/broker dropped a […]

After a 3 month hiatus with data delays and a truncated report, HECM Originators is back just in time for the holiday season! Of course, the numbers on the report are something less than cheery, but that’s the kind of year it’s been in the world of reverse mortgage originations.

As previously reported, overall volume grew […]

June HECM endorsements bounced back from May’s rainy day, but just half of the top 8 lenders grew their own volume on the month.

• FAR led the way, rising 280.6% to 822 loans (note that we are consolidating all endorsements by AAG after their 3/31 acquisition by FAR)
• Cherry Creek set a new company record at 127 […]
  

May saw the industry creep up a touch, while just 2 of the top 8 lenders dropped volume.

• Goodlife jumped 54.3% to 54 loans
• Mutual of Omaha rose 18.3% to 589 loans and the top spot for the month
• Liberty gained 13.1% to 181 loans

May also brought encouraging signs on the case numbers issued front, with total volume […]

The industry overall gave back its AAG exit gains and then some. But just 2 of the other top 8 lenders (excluding RMF) posted declines – quite a divergence!

• Fairway jumped 70.5% to 133 loans
• FAR gained 29.2% to 274 loans
• Open Mortgage rose 24.2% to 113 loans, their highest since September

Bank turbulence and the resulting impact on […]

HECM endorsements were up a whopping 73.3% in March, as AAG pushed through a bunch of endorsements ahead of being acquired by FAR.

Beyond AAG, 5 other top 10 lenders were up on the month:

• South River jumped 141.5% to 128 loans, their highest since August
• Open Mortgage grew 51.7% to 91 loans
• Mutual of Omaha rose 14.3% to […]
  

HECM endorsements were down -12.2% in February’s short month, with both channels dropping almost identical amounts. It’s the fourth straight month of clean sweep declines, although we already know March broke that streak.

Half of the top ten lenders were up in February despite the overall decline:

• Goodlife/TMAC followed up a strong Jan by […]
  

HECM endorsements were down -10.8% in January, as Retail/direct dropped -9.4% and Wholesale/broker declined -12.8%. It’s the third straight month of clean sweep declines, with both channels losing altitude together.

Three of the top ten lenders grew their business to start the year:

• Goodlife/TMAC jumped 73.5% to 59 loans
• Fairway rose 30% to 234 loans and their strongest […]
  

HECM endorsements overall were down -14.8% in December, with Wholesale/brokers (-14.9%) and Retail/direct (-14.8%) in virtual lock-step for the second month in a row.

Four of the top ten lenders managed to grow in spite of the industry decline:

• South River increased 10% to 77 loans
• Longbridge gained 9.3% to 492 loans, approaching AAG’s total for the month […]
  

HECM endorsements overall were down -6.6% in November, with Wholesale/brokers (-7.3%) and Retail/direct (-6%) both feeling the drop.

Just 3 of the top 10 lenders were positive on the month:

• Liberty bounced 22.1% higher to 321 loans
• Longbridge gained 2% to 450 loans as they continue to gain ground on FAR in second place
• Fairway also rose 2% to […]