The HMBS market remained in supply equilibrium again in April, with high prepayment numbers balanced out by a strong month of new issuance. Issuers created 104 pools in April totaling over $794 million. April issuance divided into 49 original pools and 55 tail pools. No seasoned original new loan pools were issued. Production of original new loan pools was a healthy $584 million, up from March’s $508 million.
Original pools are those HMBS pools backed by first participations in previously uncertificated HECM loans. Tail HMBS issuances are HMBS pools consisting of subsequent participations. In other words, tail pools are created from the Uncertificated Portions of HECMs that have already had their original HMBS issuance. April’s tail issuance was about $210 million, consistent with tail production the past 12 months.
Last month, total outstanding HMBS just avoided its second monthly shrinkage in a row, growing by a scant $18 million from March. We estimate last month’s change in HMBS balance was composed of approximately $180 million in negative amortization (a record), plus the $794 million in new issuance, minus $957 million in payoffs. Payoffs have exceeded new issuance for eight months in a row.
Payoffs continue to climb as more seasoned HECM loans liquidate or reach 98% of their Maximum Claim Amount (“MCA”). Our friends at Recursion once again crunched the numbers: payoffs from 98% MCA assignments totaled a record $565 million last month. This amount has been rising steadily. According to Recursion, the 98% MCA puts were only $92 million, or 29.8% of payoffs in September 2013. This could mean further shrinkage in HMBS float throughout 2017.
New View Advisors compiled this data from publicly available Ginnie Mae data as well as private sources.