Demand Surging for Re-Fis Under Gov’t Help Program

Since the government altered the federal Home Affordable Refinance Program to reach more borrowers, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo have added staff to handle increasing demand. The Mortgage Bankers Association reports a surge in HARP loans to more than 20 percent of refinance applications during the week ended Feb. 24 from 10 percent the previous month. An estimated 1.6 million HARP refis will be completed through the end of next year, predicts Moody’s Analytics, with borrowers achieving monthly savings of $250 on average. | Read More