Firms that evaluate mortgage servicing rights and facilitate their sales had a record year in 2013 in transaction volume, according to interviews conducted by Inside Mortgage Finance. And although many are expecting a strong year in 2014, the deal volume likely will subside. Still, Interactive Mortgage Advisors, MountainView Servicing Group and Phoenix Capital – among others MSR brokers – are making hay while the sun shines. Combined, the three sold or bought...

Investors of all different stripes have been increasing their stakes in several publicly traded mortgage insurance firms of late, betting that this recovering corner of the residential finance industry has more gas in the fuel tank. Among those buying into MI stocks is Paulson & Co., the legendary hedge fund that made $15 billion by shorting publicly traded subprime firms via the ABX Index in the run-up to the housing bust. Paulson & Co. recently increased...

So, will banks stop selling MSRs because of the CFPB? Don’t bet on it. The sales process will just take longer.

Lenders are more cautious in the post-subprime era and they no longer practice “risk layering” on loans to borrowers with less-than-stellar credit histories as they did in the past.

Private mortgage insurers provided primary coverage on $41.59 billion of mortgages originated during the fourth quarter of 2013, according to a new Inside Mortgage Finance ranking and analysis. While that was down 29.6 percent from the third quarter, it also represented the deepest private MI penetration of new originations in five years. Private MI coverage – including existing insurance transferred to new loans originated under the Home Affordable Refinance Program – accounted for 13.6 percent of new mortgages produced in the fourth quarter. That was the highest private MI share of new originations since the first quarter of 2008, when it was 14.7 percent. HARP continued...[Includes three data charts]

The SEC was poised to issue a final rule with loan-level disclosure requirements for non-agency MBS earlier this month. The SFIG said it expects the SEC will issue a final rule on the so-called Regulation AB2 “in the near future.”

Large mortgage vendors are expected to buy smaller firms this year "and fit them to their mold," said one industry observer.

Genpact is the latest mortgage vendor to trim staff. At least 81 were let go in its Irvine location.

Radian and United Guaranty were co-champs of the MI league last year. Radian reported the largest new insurance written figure, $55.04 billion.

Public mention of the Treasury memo was first made earlier this month by former Solicitor General Ted Olson at a GSE shareholders rights advocacy forum in Washington.