Eric Ellman, president of the National Consumer Reporting Association (NCRA) said we learned from the 2008 housing crisis that more data is better than less data, especially when the financial stakes are so high. He added, The cost of being right for spending an extra $100 is so much stronger a case to make than the downside risk for a consumer who might lose thousands over the lifetime of a loan.
The move comes as credit report costs are expected to rise by about 50% in 2026, marking the fourth consecutive year of increases, according to resellers who spoke with HousingWire. The rising costs are tied to reports that originate with FICO data and flow through the three major credit bureaus Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Pennymac said the fee waiver applies only to credit reports issued by the lender on new loans with application dates between Dec. 1 and Dec. 31.