The most significant blockages to the return of a healthy and sustainable non-agency residential MBS market in the United States are low volume issuance, regulation, weak AAA demand and missing structural reforms, according to top market professionals. “What’s holding back the recovery?” asked Rui Pereira, managing director at Fitch Ratings, during a panel discussion at a residential MBS reform symposium sponsored by the Structured Finance Industry Group and Information Management Network in New York City earlier this month. “Other sectors have rebounded and we’re starting to see new asset classes emerge. And yet, we’re seeing very little momentum in our market. So the question is, what’s stalling the RMBS recovery?” In the run-up to the discussion, Pereira polled...

Banks may be forced to sell mortgage servicing rights in bulk or on a flow basis if Basel III doesn't go their way.

Although Bank of America has been dumping MSRs aggressively over the past two years, its subprime servicing portfolio has declined at a gradual pace.

However, the rule is not clear on how many times this could occur over the life of the mortgage.

Prior to FHFA’s new directive, Fannie and Freddie required homeowners who have been through foreclosure and want to buy their home back to pay the entire amount owed on the mortgage.

Another new entrant to the nonprime space is Garrison Investment Group, a private equity firm that late last month bought Hilco Real Estate Finance.

But did anyone really think the FHFA was going to reduce the GSE loan limits? Really…

What exactly is Owners.com? Launched in 1996, it’s supposedly the largest directory of homes for sale by owners. In other words, they don’t use traditional Realtors…

Wells Fargo reported a 2.1 percent drop in its correspondent originations from the second quarter to the third, and its year-to-date volume was down 57.3 percent.

Interactive Mortgage Advisors alone is working on $10 billion worth of deals...