Credit unions that are big in real estate fared better than smaller ones in generating originations last year as first mortgages dwindled.

NCUA data shows the nation's 5,689 credit unions originated $174.4 billion in real estate loans in the 12 months that ended Dec. 31, 2017, up 1.9% from 2016. First liens fell 1.3% to $140.7 billion, while home equity lines of credit and other second mortgages rose 17.5% to $33.8 billion.

For the three months that ended Dec. 31, 2017, total real estate loans originations by all credit unions were $44.3 billion, down 6.1% from 2016's fourth quarter. That followed a 22.1% for increase in fourth-quarter originations from 2015 to 2016.

Fourth-quarter originations for non-real estate loans grew 7.5% to $75 billion in 2017's fourth quarter, and followed a 9.9% increase from 2015 to 2016.

The 10 credit unions generating the most real estate loans had $39.7 billion in originations last year, up 7.9% from 2016. The $2.9 billion increase accounted for 91% of the movement's total 12-month gain, according to a Credit Union Times analysis.

The nation's other 5,679 credit unions generated $134.7 billion in real estate loans, up a bare 0.2%.

First mortgages accounted for most of the difference. The Top 10's first-liens were $33.6 billion in 2017, up 5.5%, while they fell 3.2% to $107.1 billion at other credit unions.

Second liens rose 23.1% to $6.2 billion in 2017, and 16.3% to $27.6 billion for the others.

The NCUA data shows that the Top 10 grew about twice as fast as other credit unions in most categories for the 12 months ending Dec. 31, 2017:

First mortgages rose 5.5% to $33.6 billion among the Top 10, while falling 3.2% to $107.1 billion among the others.
Second mortgages rose 23.1% to $6.2 billion among the Top 10, and 16.3% to $27.6 billion among the others.
Non-real estate originations rose 14.7% to $61.9 billion among the Top 10 and 7.5% to $249.2 billion among the others.
Total originations rose 11.9% to $101.6 billion among the Top 10, and 4.8% to $383.9 billion among the others.

The Top 10 accounted for $219.8 billion of the nation's $1.4 trillion in credit union assets, and 15.4 million of its 112.7 million members as of December. The Top 10 credit unions based on total real estate originations for the 12 months ending Dec. 31, 2017 were:

Navy FCU, Vienna, Va. ($90.6 billion in assets, 7.5 million members) had $15.7 billion in total originations, +14.5%. First-liens were $14.8 billion, +14.1%; second liens were $926.9 million, +21.3%.
Pentagon FCU, Tysons, Va. ($22.9 billion in assets, 1.6 million members) had $4 billion in total originations, +2.9%. First-liens were $3.1 billion, -0.7%; second liens were $875.2 million, +18.2%.
BECU, Seattle ($17.9 billion in assets, 1.1 million members) had $3.9 billion in total originations, +16.8%. First-liens were $2.2 billion, +10.2%; second liens were $1.7 billion, +26.3%.
State Employees' CU, Raleigh, N.C. ($37.3 billion in assets, 2.3 million members) had $3.6 billion in total originations, +3.6%. First-liens were $3.1 billion, +0.5%; second liens were $447 million, +32.7%.
First Technology FCU, Mountain View, Calif. ($11.4 billion in assets, 506,442 members) had $3.2 billion in total originations, +0.2%. First-liens were $2.6 billion, -2.1%; second liens were $577.7 million, +12.1%.
Bethpage FCU, Bethpage, N.Y. ($7.9 billion in assets, 348,415 members) had $2.5 billion in total originations, -2.3%. First-liens were $1.9 billion, -8.8%; second liens were $588.5 million, +27.6%.
Lake Michigan CU, Grand Rapids, Mich. ($5.2 billion in assets, 320,504 members) had $2.5 billion in total originations, -4.5%. First-liens were $2.3 billion, -4.4%; second liens were $141.7 million, -6.1%.
Logix FCU, Burbank, Calif. ($5.4 billion in assets, 185,745 members) had $1.5 billion in total originations, -3.9%. First-liens were $1.3 billion, -7.4%; second liens were $188.1 million, +30.9%.
Mountain America FCU, Salt Lake City, Utah ($7.1 billion in assets, 722,100 members) had $1.5 billion in total originations, +31.8%. First-liens were $1.1 billion, +28.1%; second liens were $407 million, +42.6%.
SchoolsFirst, Santa Ana, Calif. ($14.1 billion in assets, 793,592 members) had $1.4 billion in total originations, +0.2%. First-liens were $1.1 billion, -4%; second liens were $315.5 million, +18.9%.

Instant Insights /

First Mortgages Fall, Second-Liens Rise

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