Forward Builder Commitment
Forward builder commitment is very similar to our float down lock offering, but instead of providing spot commitments for the options required to lock a long rate on a single home, we allow a builder to provide rate lock assurance for an entire development.
This is an offering we pioneered and have been offering the industry since the 1980s. It was developed when our principal was working for a family real estate development business in Southern California. Interest rates were on the rise and homes were becoming less affordable by the time the construction was complete.
The innovation came in the form of the Float Down Lock for a one-time close on new construction. The offering provides assurance to the buyer that they’ll be able to afford the financing when the home is complete. Our Forward Builder Commitment makes this product available for a group of homes under construction.
Here is an example of how this product is used: A developer breaks ground on a $300 million project and expects about half of the homes to be financed through its own captive mortgage company while the other half will be financed by large, national lenders. The developer has the ability to buy an option to hold rates to a certain level for the homes it plans to finance.
This is a much better option than just paying to buy down the rate because some investors, including the GSEs, have limitations on the resulting loan to value for the loans they buy. It’s far better to use a forward builder commitment to purchase an option and then hedge against it to mitigate any risk caused by rate volatility.
Like our popular float down locks, if the rates fall or don’t rise to the cap, the lower rate can be offered to the home buyer. Even if the rate goes higher, the borrower will pay only to the cap rate.
From a marketing perspective, this is a fantastic tool for construction lending as it offers buyers in a volatile market the assurance that they can afford the home under construction. We often refer to it as the builder’s rate protection plan. MCM helps lenders price the commitments and then hedge them appropriately during the timeframe in question.
In a market where mortgage interest rates are rising, offering new home buyers the security that comes with knowing what their financing will cost will save deals and help builders grow.
While builders see great value in this offering, it’s not something most companies can offer. MCM’s experience allows us to price the commitments properly and then hedge them correctly. One mistake we often see is a lender attempting to hedge the risk in $10 million worth of float down locks on a development by selling an equal amount for the DBA. If the market sells off, the lender will be successful, but if it rallies the lender will have too much TBA coverage. The loans will fall out.
When lenders see this happening, they will correct their hedging strategy, but in a volatile market they end up getting whipsawed back and forth, losing money on every trade. It’s far better to just buy an option to hedge based on good market intelligence, which MCM provides.
This service is often purchased as a stand-alone offering, but MCM also provides this service to clients working with us through either type of standard relationship:
Partnership Account
MCM advises clients, who then execute trades, best execution based pooling and delivery. MCM is always available for conference calls to discuss trading strategies and to provide consulting and market analysis.
Guardian Account
MCM does it all, executing MBS trades, providing best execution based pooling and delivery, monitoring pricing and leading a daily client conference call to coordinate secondary marketing activities.
Under either type of business relationship, MCM’s systems, reporting and analysis tools are all available online providing instant accessibility to comprehensive analysis and reports, eliminating the need for the client to load, maintain and manage the software.
Ease of access, ease of use, quick report generation and real‑time “what‑if” scenarios all provide the client with the necessary tools to succeed in the world of risk management. Combined with MCM’s experienced advisors, Hedge Commander allows clients to grow and prosper in any market environment.
Since 1994, Mortgage Capital Management has helped mortgage bankers of every size become more profitable through the use of best-in-class pipeline risk management tools and strategiesy. Our pipeline risk management services, secondary marketing consulting, and hedging/trading services enable clients to prosper in any market environment.
For nearly 30 years, the U.S. mortgage industry has called upon Mortgage Capital Management for expert advice and proven technologies all designed to deliver best execution in service to a more profitable enterprise. Our customer list includes some of the most successful firms in the business.
Viewing the online demo costs you nothing and will shed light on a unique approach to secondary marketing success that you won’t find anywhere else. Don’t settle for mediocre when excellence is achievable.
Get the MCM Competitive Advantage! Call us to today to learn more or schedule an online demo: 858.483.4404 x220
Call us to today to learn more or schedule an online demo
Project & Services
September 22nd Market Commentary
MBS prices are up about 8/32 this morning while the DOW is up about 55 points but poised for a weekly loss having sold off after the Federal Reserve signaled that interest rates will stay higher for longer. Markets turned wary as they assessed the impact on consumer
September 21st Market Commentary
MBS prices are down about 10/32 this morning while the DOW is down about 215 points as Wall Street fretted about the hawkish message sent out by the Federal Reserve alongside its decision to hold interest rates steady. After combing through the central bank's forecast, investors believe its
September 20th Market Commentary
MBS prices are up about 3/32 this morning while the DOW is up about 200 points as Wall Street waits to find out whether the Federal Reserve will hold interest rates steady as expected at the wrap-up of its meeting later. Traders overwhelmingly believe the Fed won't hike
September 19th Market Commentary
MBS prices are down about 3/32 this morning while the DOW is down about 250 points as the Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting began this morning as the path forward for interest rates remains in focus amid the Fed's fight against inflation. With investor bets now pricing in
September 18th Market Commentary
MBS prices are up about 2/32 this morning while the DOW is up about 80 points as Wall Street fixed its focus on an upcoming Federal Reserve meeting where the central bank will issue its next interest rate decision. The meeting follows new economic data that showed easing
September 15th Market Commentary
MBS prices are down about 5/32 this morning while the DOW is down about 190. In the US, the United Auto Workers union officially launched a historic strike at select Big Three automaker plants. New economic data painted a better picture for the Fed, with the University of Michigan’s
September 15th Market Commentary
MBS prices are down about 5/32 this morning while the DOW is down about 190. In the US, the United Auto Workers union officially launched a historic strike at select Big Three automaker plants. New economic data painted a better picture for the Fed, with the
September 14th Market Commentary
MBS prices are down about 3/32 this morning while the DOW is up about 340 points as investors weighed hotter-than-expected retail sales and wholesale price inflation data for a steer on what path the Federal Reserve will take on rates policy. The August Producer Price Index for final
September 13th Market Commentary
MBS prices are up about 5/32 this morning while the DOW is up about 70 points with the focus firmly on consumer inflation data that could sway the Federal Reserve's next policy decision. August's Consumer Price Index report showed a bigger-than-expected jump in inflation last month, with headline
September 12th Market Commentary
MBS prices are up about 1/32 this morning while the DOW is up about 80 points as investors wait for Apple's highly anticipated fall event to kick off and count down to tomorrow's key inflation data report. This week's clutch of economic data will be weighed for its potential