MBA: Mortgage Application Activity Soared in October – NMP Skip to main content

MBA: Mortgage Application Activity Soared in October

Nov 14, 2017
October witnessed the financial equivalent of a fall harvest for mortgage applications, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) latest Builder Application Survey

October witnessed the financial equivalent of a fall harvest for mortgage applications, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) latest Builder Application Survey.
 
Mortgage applications for new home purchases increased in October by 23 percent from September and by 16.1 percent compared to October 2016. The MBA estimated new single-family home sales were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 659,000 units in October, up 15.4 percent from the September pace of 571,000 units. On an unadjusted basis, the MBA estimated there were 53,000 new home sales in October, up 26.2 percent from 42,000 new home sales in September.
 
The average loan size of new homes increased from $334,722 in September to $339,534 in October, while conventional loans composed 71.8 percent of loan applications and FHA loans composed 15.1 percent.
 
“October registered the strongest growth rate in applications so far this year, following September’s hurricane related decrease,” said Lynn Fisher, MBA’s Vice President of Research and Economics. “Overall, applications reached near August levels. Texas mirrored the national pattern, and Florida fell just four percent short of its August total. The Builder Application Survey does not measure activity in Puerto Rico.”

 
About the author
Published
Nov 14, 2017
President Trump Cancels 21st Century ROAD To Housing Act

Trump cancels signing the bipartisan housing bill, leaving affordability package in limbo

Jun 24, 2026
Commercial, Multifamily Mortgage Debt Tops $5 Trillion In Q1

MBA says outstanding debt grew by $26.3 billion in the first quarter, led by multifamily lending and increased holdings from banks, agencies, and life insurers

Jun 18, 2026
Fed Holds Rates Steady, But Outlook Dims For Mortgage Rate Relief

The Federal Reserve left rates unchanged but updated projections show more policymakers expecting additional hikes

Jun 18, 2026
Congress Nears Final Vote On 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

Senate voted 87-8 to advance House-amended package, with final votes expected in coming days

Jun 17, 2026
Florida Pending Sales Signal Strong Summer Housing Market

Closed sales rise for a ninth straight month as inventory gives buyers more negotiating power

Jun 16, 2026
Trump Taps Former CFPB Deputy Brian Johnson To Lead Bureau

MBA backs the nomination as lenders await clarity on the future direction of consumer finance regulation under the Trump administration

Jun 12, 2026