Nonbank lenders surging in California mortgage market

Nonbank lenders surging in California mortgage market

The number of home loans originated in California by nonbank lenders soared last year to 537,757, up 47.3 percent from 2014, according to a report issued Monday by the California Department of Business Oversight.

The principal amount of mortgages originated in the state by nonbank lenders last year grew 56.7 percent, to $179.3 billion.

Nationwide, the principal amount of nonbank mortgage originations grew only 43.9 percent between 2014 and 2015, according to Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance.

The California department regulates nonbank lenders, meaning those that do not accept insured deposits to make loans, like traditional banks do.

The department could not say how much of the growth in nonbank mortgage lending came from an increase in the underlying loan market and how much from nonbanks taking business from banks.

Nationwide, however, nonbanks have been taking big chunks of market share from banks.

In the first quarter of 2016, the nonbank share of U.S. originations was 48.3 percent.

“Banks are pulling back from certain types of mortgage lending due to settlements (with government agencies) and enforcement actions,” Cecala said.

Banks are still dominant in jumbos, but it’s only 20 percent of the market.

The other 80 percent, they are reducing, and that is giving an opening and the nonbanks are stepping in to fill that void, Cecala said.

Nonbanks typically borrow money from investors or banks to make loans, then quickly sell these loans to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, banks and other buyers, so they can repay their loans and start the process over again.

Banks also sell loans but hold onto some of them.

Many banks and nonbanks continue to service loans they sell for a fee.

Servicers collect payments, forward them to the new loan owner and take action when borrowers fall behind.

“Mortgage lending has pretty thin profit margins,” said Keith Gumbinger, a vice president with mortgage information service HSH Associates.

Nationwide, San Francisco’s Wells Fargo was still the nation’s largest mortgage lender in the first quarter of this year, with 11.4 percent of the market, but that was down from 28.2 percent in the first quarter of 2012.

Chase was number two in the first quarter, followed by Quicken Loans, the largest nonbank lender nationwide, according to Inside Mortgage Finance.

Quicken Loans was also the largest nonbank lender in California last year, according to the department.

Kathleen Pender is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist.

Top nonbank lenders

California mortgages by nonbank lenders in 2015

Quicken Loans

Pinnacle Capital Mortgage

United Shore Financial Services

California Department of Business Oversight