Industry-wide mortgage originations slowed significantly in the fourth quarter of 2015, although lenders reported a wide range of results compared to the previous quarter. An estimated $385.0 billion of first-lien home mortgages were originated in the final three months of 2015, according to a new Inside Mortgage Finance ranking and analysis. That was down 15.4 percent from the third quarter, but it brought annual production to an estimated $1.735 trillion for the year, a 33.5 percent increase from 2014. Annual origination volume in 2015 was...[Includes two data tables]

One observer who follows the program had this to say: “It’s nice of them [FHA] to give money away in an election year. It’s not like they need the volume.”

What's going on with the megabanks? The origination market continued to de-consolidate and tilt toward nonbank lenders...

Although some large lender – including Wells Fargo – have quietly killed their MSAs with Realtors, others quietly forge on, keeping a close eye on the PHH case…

Will mortgage lenders continue to cut their rates?

Citadel serviced roughly $375 million of non-prime, non-agency mortgages at yearend, a three-fold increase from the year before...

Meanwhile, servicing income at EverBank fell 26 percent to $26.9 million. Gain-on-sale revenue also fell 26 percent – to $24.7 million.

The House Financial Services Committee also has some unkind words for the Department of Housing and Urban Development and its 7800-plus workers...

Asked why these employees would join his company, the executive said the current owners of his target have become less competitive on pricing and trimmed compensation for loan officers.

In an interview with IMFnews, NAIHP president Marc Savitt said the new forms are confusing and "the three-day waiting period is useless and unnecessary.”