Independent mortgage bankers saw increased value in their servicing assets that helped offset slumping production volume in the third quarter, according to a quarterly survey by Richey May & Co. The accounting and business advisory firm found that overall production slid 12.4 percent from the second quarter, and refinance volume was down 42.0 percent. The survey also found that average values of indies’ servicing portfolios increased by seven basis points from the second quarter to the third ...

A civil complaint filed by W.J. Bradley Mortgage in California state court against a former top loan officer and her new employer could decide what type of contact and other information an LO can take with them when they leave a firm. Since the fall, the WJB suit filed against former company LO Shelly Logemann, her new employer RPM Mortgage, its owners and others has been the talk of mortgage-banking circles in California and elsewhere. The case is being closely watched...

The strength of the non-agency jumbo market, at a time when securitization of these loans has slowed, suggests there is plenty of investor appetite for non-agency jumbos.

In its fundraising pitch for its lawsuit against the CFPB, the NAIHP states that, “Neither Congress nor the executive branch holds any authority to curb CFPB’s behavior. Only the courts can stop them.”

Bill King joined Carrington 18 months ago, but recently departed the firm, which is owned by a hedge fund.

Is the mortgage servicing sales market beginning to slow? Not in the least. Nationstar and Walter are active buyers.

Ellie Mae has annualized revenues of roughly $130 million. The company went public two years ago.

Inside Mortgage Finance is hearing rumblings about a mid-sized nonbank that was contemplating an initial public offering pulling the deal.

The lift in jumbo mortgage production during the third quarter of 2013 came from the non-agency segment of the market, while new originations of “conforming jumbo” loans faltered, according to a new analysis and ranking by Inside Mortgage Finance. Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the FHA financed $25.48 billion in single-family loans that exceeded $417,000 during the third quarter, down 15.5 percent from the second quarter. Meanwhile, non-agency jumbo originations edged up 2.7 percent during the third quarter, hitting a six-year high. The strength of the non-agency jumbo market at a time when securitization of these loans has slowed...[Includes three data charts]

Originations of non-agency jumbo mortgages are stronger than the overall market, big banks are competing for wealthy borrowers and smaller firms are looking to enter the market. While jumbos originated in recent years have performed exceptionally well, Standard & Poor’s stresses that lenders should control their growth. “In our opinion, controlled growth is a key aspect to the comprehensiveness and ultimate success of an originator’s business strategy,” the rating service said in a recent overview of jumbo performance and best practices. “We believe that aggressive growth strategies could result in difficulties managing the quality of the origination process.” S&P noted...