Waterfall Asset Management announced that it launched a residential mortgage conduit to focus on partnering with lenders to originate proprietary mortgage products under flow agreements. The conduit aims to purchase prime and near-prime mortgages with relatively high loan-to-value ratios. An affiliate of Caliber Home Loans is preparing to issue a $354.5 million nonprime mortgage-backed security, according to presale reports by DBRS and Fitch Ratings ... [Includes four briefs]