One of our soap box issues over the past year has been the lack of private lending money. Our interest was naturally piqued when we read that Institutional Risk Analytics released a report titled "The Real Role of Banks in Residential Mortgage Finance.

"The report basically expounds many of our concerns: The Federal Reserve's low-rate policies are discouraging private money from entering the mortgage-backed securities market, which means many lenders have to adhere to the strict standards of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Having the market dominated by the Federal Reserve and two government-backed entities attenuates private credit formation.

Rising mortgage lending rates would draw more private capital into the market, which means there would not only be more credit but more credit that would meet the demands of a more diverse group of borrowers.To be sure, the spike in rates we've seen over the past week has taken the wind out of the refinance boom. But as more borrowers realize that higher rates are more likely than lower rates, more borrowers will be motivated to act and more lenders will be motivated to lend.

It's also worth remembering that even if mortgage lending rates rise above 5%, the monthly payment on a median mortgage would make up only 14% of the current median income, because homes are so affordable these days. Rising rates would not disrupt the market, they would simply reset expectations to market reality.

Courtesy of Jessica Regan.

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