Regardless of lengthy being the #1 mortgage lender within the nation, Wells Fargo has introduced plans to shrink its mortgage enterprise.
The San Francisco-based financial institution mentioned it should exit its correspondent lending enterprise, whereas focusing extra on financial institution prospects and minority communities.
Moreover, the corporate will cut back the dimensions of its mortgage servicing portfolio, by which it collects month-to-month funds from owners.
In consequence, the corporate will considerably cut back its mortgage footprint, which had been the most important previous to the rise of Rocket Mortgage.
Within the fourth quarter of 2017, Quicken Loans unseated Wells Fargo and principally by no means seemed again. They modified their title to Rocket Mortgage in Might 2021.
Wells Fargo Exits Correspondent Lending
First issues first, Wells Fargo is exiting the correspondent mortgage lending enterprise, which is principally the resale of their mortgage merchandise by third-party corporations like credit score unions.
These smaller entities “originate, underwrite and shut mortgage loans earlier than promoting them to Wells Fargo Funding,” their web site states.
Per HMDA information from Richey Might, Wells Fargo funded roughly $228.6 billion in house loans in 2021(most up-to-date yr out there).
Of that complete, about $69 billion, or 30%, was through the correspondent lending channel.
It reveals one other $11 billion, or 5 %, originated through the wholesale lending channel, which is reserved for mortgage dealer companions.
However Wells Fargo had exited wholesale lending again in 2012, so it’s unclear if that quantity is correct.
In any case, they have been the second largest mortgage lender in the US in 2021, behind Rocket Mortgage’s $343 billion.
If we subtract the $69 billion in correspondent lending, their complete would drop to round $160 billion. We are able to ignore the wholesale numbers for now.
That will make Wells Fargo the fourth largest mortgage lender, behind Rocket, United Wholesale Mortgage, and Chase.
So nonetheless fairly giant, even with out the third-party origination quantity. However wait, there’s extra.
Wells Fargo Mortgage to Concentrate on Financial institution Clients and Minorities
Whereas a CNBC article indicated Wells Fargo would “solely make house loans to financial institution shoppers and minority debtors,” that seems to be incorrect.
Nevertheless, the corporate did say it “plans to create a extra centered Dwelling Lending enterprise geared toward serving financial institution prospects, in addition to people and households in minority communities.”
Additionally they consult with this new technique as a “smaller, much less advanced enterprise,” which could spell extra mortgage layoffs and diminished mortgage volumes.
It’s unclear how centered they plan to get and/or how a lot smaller, nevertheless it’s clear they’re going to take a extra calculated method
This contains “optimizing” their retail workforce to focus totally on present financial institution prospects and underserved communities.
To that finish, they may deploy extra house mortgage consultants in native minority communities, whereas investing $100 million “to advance racial fairness in homeownership.”
The corporate may also increase its Particular Goal Credit score Program (SPCP) that assists minority owners.
Wells Fargo famous again in April 2022 that it was the highest mortgage lender for “Black households” and the highest refinance lender for Black owners.
In actual fact, in 2020 the corporate apparently prolonged roughly the identical variety of house buy loans to Black households as the following three largest bank-lenders mixed.
Can Anybody Nonetheless Get a Mortgage from Wells Fargo?
As talked about, Wells Fargo introduced plans to considerably shrink their house lending enterprise.
On the identical time, they may focus extra on present financial institution prospects and minority communities.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t imply you’ll be able to’t get a mortgage from Wells Fargo in the event you don’t match the above classes.
It simply may imply that you simply gained’t be receiving incoming emails or telephone calls from house mortgage consultants at Wells Fargo.
It could additionally imply that those that do match the classes above could also be eligible for particular provides and pricing from the financial institution.
Lastly, in the event you’re an present mortgage servicing buyer, it’s attainable your mortgage is likely to be transferred to a brand new mortgage servicer.
So maintain an eye fixed out for any modifications to make sure future mortgage funds are routed to the suitable place.
Total, this information doesn’t come as an enormous shock given Wells Fargo’s struggles of late within the house lending house, together with alleged improper lock charges.
And given the general local weather within the mortgage house for the time being, it’s probably not a shocker to see any firm scaling again.