Richmond's mayor said the new rehabilitation program can be completed in addition to eminent domain. However, significant opposition to ED from mortgage industry participants appears to have changed how the city plans to implement its latest plan.

The only sector that has a higher securitization rate is the government-insured market, where Ginnie Mae production represented 98.5 percent of FHA and VA lending.

It would appear that Wells Fargo is raiding the senior staff of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Of course, it could be a mere coincidence.

Translation into English: If you bought Ocwen’s stock at $60 and it’s now trading at $40 and you’re really steamed, give us a call.

The GSEs held a total of $84.61 billion in nonprime MBS as of the end of 2013, according to a new analysis by Inside Nonconforming Markets.

An estimated $272 billion of non-agency jumbos were originated in 2013, accounting for 14.4 percent of total production.

In a 10-K filing, PHH said its mortgage business relies on just two firms for 41 percent of its private-label retail business: Merrill Lynch Home Loans at 29 percent and Morgan Stanley at 12 percent.

Servicers would face annual government certifications and biennial examinations by the new regulator/insurance fund. Minimum operational and management standards would be created for internal controls, recordkeeping, audit systems, and reporting, to name just a few.

For lenders that contribute at least 15 percent of the loans included in an issuance, Fitch said it will conduct an enhanced operational review of the lender’s origination program and underwriting guidelines.

The Fed has promised to “taper” its MBS and Treasury investments in the months ahead, but with MBS issuance on the decline because of falling originations, the central bank likely will maintain or even increase its market share of purchases.