Mortgage originations seen dropping by more than one-third this year

Two mortgage data analysts are predicting that 1995 will see a roughly 34% drop in mortgage originations to about $500 billion. This compares with Fannie Mae's forecast for an 18% decline to around $613 billion for the year. Some observers say the 34% figure is too drastic to be creditable, but the analysts, Nima Nattagh, of TRW Redi Property Data, and Douglas Bendt of Mortgage Risk Assessment, say their data is more accurate than that of the Dept of Housing and Urban Development.
The mortgage market will be much weaker this year than anyone expected, possibly by $100 billion, according to an analysis by two experts on mortgage data and housing prices. Their [...]