Mortgage Loans

3 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

SEC Schedule, 12-29, Real Estate Companies, Investment in Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Abstract]

MORTGAGE LOANS

MORTGAGE LOANS

Mortgage loans held for sale consist primarily of single-family residential loans collateralized by the underlying property. At December 31, 2020, mortgage loans held for sale had an aggregate carrying value of $1.44 billion and an aggregate outstanding principal balance of $1.37 billion. At September 30, 2020, mortgage loans held for sale had an aggregate carrying value of $1.53 billion and an aggregate outstanding principal balance of $1.46 billion. During the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, mortgage loans originated totaled $3.5 billion and $2.3 billion, respectively, and mortgage loans sold totaled $3.6 billion and $2.3 billion, respectively. The Company had gains on sales of loans and servicing rights of $138.9 million during the three months ended December 31, 2020 compared to $73.6 million in the prior year period. Net gains on sales of loans and servicing rights are included in revenues in the consolidated statements of operations. During the three months ended December 31, 2020, approximately 66% of the Company’s mortgage loans were sold directly to the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) or into securities backed by the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) and 27% were sold to two other major financial entities.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic (C-19), the U.S. government has taken various actions to support the economy and the continued functioning of the financial markets. In March 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), which included changes to current forbearance options for government-backed loans designed to keep homeowners in their homes. Due to the uncertainty surrounding these forbearance options, servicing values declined rapidly at the end of March. As a result, the Company began retaining the servicing rights on a portion of its loan originations. Servicing values have since improved, and the Company sold a portion of its retained mortgage servicing rights in the three months ended December 31, 2020. The Company expects to continue retaining some servicing rights prior to selling them to third parties, typically within six months of loan origination. At December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2020, the fair value of mortgage servicing rights was $9.8 million and $17.1 million, respectively, and is included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets.

The Company also uses hedging instruments as part of a program to offer below market interest rate financing to its homebuyers. At December 31, 2020 and September 30, 2020, the Company had mortgage-backed securities (MBS) totaling $1.4 billion and $1.1 billion, respectively, that did not yet have interest rate lock commitments or closed loans created or assigned and recorded a liability of $7.5 million and $5.3 million for the fair value of such MBS position.