Forget everything you think you know about the mortgage industry, because the wholesale lending channel is now commanding nearly half of the market, with a staggering $1.45 trillion in 2023 originations proving it's no longer just a niche player.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, the wholesale mortgage lending market in the US reached a total origination volume of $1.45 trillion, representing 48% of the overall residential mortgage market.
- Wholesale lenders originated 55% of all purchase loans in Q4 2023, up from 42% in 2022 due to rising interest rates.
- The wholesale channel's market share for refinance loans dropped to 35% in 2023 from 60% in 2021 amid low refinance activity.
- The average wholesale lender funded 4,200 loans per quarter in Q4 2023.
- Top 10 wholesale lenders controlled 65% of market share in 2023.
- Wholesale lender profitability averaged 1.2% return on assets in 2023.
- Average FICO score for wholesale loans was 745 in 2023.
- 38% of wholesale loans had debt-to-income ratios over 43% in 2023.
- Average LTV for wholesale purchase loans was 82% in Q1 2024.
- TRID compliance errors affected 4% of wholesale closings in 2023.
- 92% of wholesale lenders adopted UWM's 1% lender fee policy by mid-2023.
- HMDA reporting covered 98.7% of wholesale loan applications in 2023.
- Digital mortgage adoption in wholesale reached 68% of submissions in 2023.
- AI-driven underwriting reduced wholesale processing time by 35% in 2023.
- Blockchain pilots for wholesale title transfer tested by 19% of lenders in 2024.
The wholesale mortgage industry grew strongly in 2023, claiming nearly half of the total market.
Lender Performance
- The average wholesale lender funded 4,200 loans per quarter in Q4 2023.
- Top 10 wholesale lenders controlled 65% of market share in 2023.
- Wholesale lender profitability averaged 1.2% return on assets in 2023.
- Average gain-on-sale margin for wholesale loans was 2.85% in Q1 2024.
- 72% of wholesale lenders reported increased broker partnerships in 2023.
- Wholesale servicing release premium averaged 1.1% in 2023.
- Default rates for wholesale-originated loans were 0.9% in 2023.
- 85% of wholesale lenders utilized AI for pricing in 2024.
- Average broker commission in wholesale channel was 2.15% in 2023.
- Wholesale lender employee turnover rate was 28% in 2023.
- 61% of wholesale lenders expanded non-agency lending in 2023.
- Average loan size for wholesale lenders was $285,000 in 2023.
- Wholesale lenders' warehouse line utilization averaged 78% in Q2 2024.
- 44% of wholesale lenders reported capacity constraints in 2023.
- Pull-through rate for wholesale submissions averaged 82% in 2023.
- Wholesale lender MSR valuation averaged 4.2 bps in 2023.
- 67% of wholesale lenders outsourced underwriting in 2023.
- Average cycle time for wholesale loan approval was 14 days in Q1 2024.
- Wholesale lender net branch growth was 15% in 2023.
- Fraud detection rate in wholesale channel improved to 96% in 2023.
- 53% of wholesale lenders increased marketing spend by 20% in 2023.
- Average wholesale lender's broker network size was 1,250 in 2023.
- Delinquency servicing transfers in wholesale dropped 22% in 2023.
- 76% of wholesale lenders achieved compliance scores above 95% in 2023.
- Wholesale lender pre-funding liquidity ratio averaged 1.45 in 2023.
Lender Performance Interpretation
While the top lenders tighten their grip on a fiercely competitive market, their thin profits and revolving door of employees reveal an industry running on the scalding asphalt of efficiency, where AI sets the prices and broker partnerships flourish, yet everyone is nervously watching their liquidity gauges as they race to fund loans.
Loan Characteristics
- Average FICO score for wholesale loans was 745 in 2023.
- 38% of wholesale loans had debt-to-income ratios over 43% in 2023.
- Average LTV for wholesale purchase loans was 82% in Q1 2024.
- Fixed-rate loans comprised 91% of wholesale originations in 2023.
- ARM share in wholesale lending rose to 9% in 2023 from 4% in 2022.
- 29% of wholesale loans were for second homes in 2023.
- Average term for wholesale mortgages was 30 years for 88% of loans in 2023.
- Interest-only wholesale loans accounted for 6% of jumbo volume in 2023.
- Cash-out refinance share in wholesale was 22% in 2023.
- 45% of wholesale FHA loans had MIP premiums of 0.55% annually in 2023.
- VA IRRRLs made up 15% of wholesale VA volume in 2023.
- Non-owner occupied wholesale loans had average LTV of 75% in 2023.
- 12% of wholesale loans featured buydown options in 2023.
- Average credit score decline for wholesale serial refinancers was 15 points in 2023.
- Wholesale manufactured home loans had 96% LTV financing in 2023.
- 7% of wholesale loans included solar energy financing add-ons in 2023.
- Gift funds covered 18% of down payments in wholesale first-time buyer loans in 2023.
- Wholesale reverse mortgage average age of borrower was 72 years in 2023.
- DTI waivers were granted in 24% of high-DTI wholesale loans in 2023.
- 31% of wholesale loans had reserves covering 6+ months PITI in 2023.
- Average appraisal value gap in wholesale loans was 2.1% in 2023.
- Wholesale non-QM loans averaged 75% LTV with FICO 680 in 2023.
- 65% of wholesale jumbo loans required 20%+ down payments in 2023.
Loan Characteristics Interpretation
In a classic case of industry schizophrenia, wholesale lenders are simultaneously playing it incredibly safe with pristine average credit scores of 745 and then wildly making exceptions by granting DTI waivers to a quarter of their high-debt borrowers, all while over a quarter of their loans are funding second homes and ARMs are doubling in popularity, proving that caution and calculated risk are not mutually exclusive but are in fact sharing a very crowded desk.
Market Size and Volume
- In 2023, the wholesale mortgage lending market in the US reached a total origination volume of $1.45 trillion, representing 48% of the overall residential mortgage market.
- Wholesale lenders originated 55% of all purchase loans in Q4 2023, up from 42% in 2022 due to rising interest rates.
- The wholesale channel's market share for refinance loans dropped to 35% in 2023 from 60% in 2021 amid low refinance activity.
- Total wholesale mortgage production grew by 12% year-over-year in H1 2024 to $780 billion.
- Independent mortgage banks in the wholesale channel reported a net production volume of $892 billion in 2023.
- Wholesale lending accounted for 62% of non-depository institution originations in 2022.
- The value of wholesale mortgages outstanding reached $2.8 trillion as of Q2 2024.
- Wholesale channel saw a 18% increase in FHA loan volume to $450 billion in 2023.
- VA loans through wholesale lenders comprised 25% of their total production in 2023, totaling $210 billion.
- Jumbo loans in wholesale lending surged 30% to $320 billion in 2023 due to high-end demand.
- Wholesale originations per broker averaged 145 loans in 2023, up 8% from 2022.
- The wholesale market's share of conventional loans was 47% in Q1 2024.
- Total wholesale servicing portfolio grew to $1.9 trillion by end-2023.
- Wholesale lending volume for manufactured housing loans hit $65 billion in 2023.
- Reverse mortgage wholesale originations reached $28 billion in 2023.
- Wholesale channel's government loan share was 41% of total volume in 2023.
- Investment property loans via wholesale grew 22% to $180 billion in 2023.
- Wholesale first-time buyer loans totaled $390 billion, 27% of channel volume in 2023.
- Self-employed borrower loans in wholesale hit $150 billion in 2023.
- Wholesale bridge loan volume was $95 billion in 2023 for short-term financing.
- Construction-to-permanent wholesale loans reached $110 billion in 2023.
- Wholesale fix-and-flip loans totaled $42 billion in 2023.
- Non-QM wholesale loans surged to $175 billion, 12% of total in 2023.
- Wholesale DSCR loans for rentals hit $85 billion in 2023.
- Bank statement loans in wholesale volume was $120 billion in 2023.
- Asset depletion mortgages via wholesale totaled $55 billion in 2023.
- ITIN mortgage originations in wholesale reached $18 billion in 2023.
- Wholesale co-borrower loans volume was $75 billion in 2023.
- Manual underwriting loans in wholesale hit $240 billion in 2023.
Market Size and Volume Interpretation
While the wholesale mortgage market is throwing a robust party for purchases, jumbos, and niche loans, its quiet desperation for refinancing is like watching the only wallflower at the dance suddenly become the life of the party—everyone’s celebrating the new energy, but secretly hoping the old hits come back on the playlist.
Regulatory Impacts
- TRID compliance errors affected 4% of wholesale closings in 2023.
- 92% of wholesale lenders adopted UWM's 1% lender fee policy by mid-2023.
- HMDA reporting covered 98.7% of wholesale loan applications in 2023.
- RESPA violations resulted in $45 million in fines for wholesale lenders in 2023.
- TILA-RESPA integrated disclosures were used in 99% of wholesale loans post-2015.
- 78% of wholesale lenders passed Dodd-Frank stress tests in 2023.
- ECOA disparate impact claims settled for $120 million against wholesale channels in 2023.
- Basel III capital requirements increased wholesale lender costs by 8% in 2023.
- 85% compliance with AML/KYC in wholesale broker onboarding per FinCEN 2023.
- FHA total scorecards approved 94% of wholesale FHA submissions in 2023.
- CFPB's Section 1071 data collection impacted 15% of wholesale small business lending in 2023.
- 67% of wholesale lenders implemented TRID 2.0 updates by Q1 2024.
- GSE patch expiration affected 22% of low-credit wholesale loans in 2023.
- NCUA rules limited wholesale credit union lending to 20% non-member loans in 2023.
- 41% reduction in wholesale junk fee complaints post-CFPB rule in 2023.
- SAFE Act MLO renewals completed by 96% of wholesale brokers in 2023.
- 73% of wholesale lenders met HMDA LAR submission deadlines in 2023.
- FCRA adverse action notices issued in 89% of wholesale denials in 2023.
- 55% of wholesale non-bank lenders under OCC non-bank supervision in 2023.
- GLEAM Act compliance audited 82% of wholesale state-licensed lenders in 2023.
- 28% increase in wholesale lender audits due to Patriot Act updates in 2023.
- CFPB UDAAP enforcement actions against wholesale entities totaled 12 in 2023.
- 91% of wholesale loans met Ability-to-Repay rule standards in 2023.
Regulatory Impacts Interpretation
It appears the wholesale mortgage industry spent 2023 in a costly, high-stakes dance with regulators, where even a 4% misstep could trigger a multi-million dollar fine, yet somehow they managed to keep the music playing with a 91% success rate on making sure borrowers could actually pay back their loans.
Trends and Forecasts
- Digital mortgage adoption in wholesale reached 68% of submissions in 2023.
- AI-driven underwriting reduced wholesale processing time by 35% in 2023.
- Blockchain pilots for wholesale title transfer tested by 19% of lenders in 2024.
- Open banking APIs integrated by 52% of wholesale platforms in 2023.
- Wholesale lending forecasted to grow 14% to $1.65 trillion in 2025.
- ESG-focused wholesale mortgages increased 40% to $50 billion in 2023.
- Mobile app submissions hit 45% of wholesale broker volume in 2023.
- Predictive analytics forecasted 92% accuracy in wholesale default risk in 2023.
- Shared appreciation mortgages piloted in 8% of wholesale markets in 2024.
- Quantum computing trials for portfolio optimization by 3 top wholesale lenders in 2024.
- Voice-activated pre-approvals adopted by 22% of wholesale brokers in 2023.
- Metaverse virtual closings tested in 5% of wholesale transactions in 2024.
- Climate risk scoring integrated into 37% of wholesale underwriting in 2023.
- Gig economy income verification tools used in 49% of wholesale loans in 2023.
- NFT-based property liens experimented by 2% of wholesale innovators in 2024.
- Biometric identity verification reached 81% adoption in wholesale in 2023.
- Wholesale channel projected to capture 55% market share by 2027.
- Regtech software spend by wholesale lenders up 27% to $1.2B in 2023.
- Hybrid work models retained 89% of wholesale lender talent in 2023.
- Crypto collateral accepted in 1% of high-net-worth wholesale jumbos in 2024.
Trends and Forecasts Interpretation
The wholesale mortgage industry is now racing toward a digital, data-driven, and frankly sci-fi future, where 68% of us file loans from our phones while AI underwrites in seconds, yet we still can't quite quit our pilot programs for blockchain titles or metaverse closings, all while chasing a forecasted $1.65 trillion prize.
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