It should be a banner year for mergers and acquisitions in the residential finance space. Already, two deals have been announced, with more likely to follow.

loanDepot’s founder is busy buying luxury homes these days. In a few weeks we’ll know how well the company did in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, non-agency MBS production remains brisk.

Loan-level price adjustments charged by the government-sponsored enterprises for loans in high-cost areas and for second-home mortgages are set to increase this spring.

Lenders are increasingly using evaluations to determine home values rather than completing full appraisals. The evaluations carry risks for both lenders and borrowers, according to a recent report by the Government Accountability Office.

The market isn’t viewing publicly traded mortgage lenders favorably these days and that’s a problem for the one remaining IPO/SPAC candidate: Better.com.

Two nonbanks are trading accusations tied to the pilfering of staff, at least that’s how it started. Eventually, the case could be settled out of court but not before some damaging allegations get aired in public.

Acting Director Sandra Thompson has directed Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to factor climate change into their business decision-making.

What will separate the men from the boys and the women from the girls in 2022? Purchase-lending and non-QMs. At least that’s what some executives we spoke to believe.

One might think the mortgage SPAC thing has run its course. Maybe for lenders, but what about mortgage and real estate-related software? For star power, there’s Dave Winfield.

In 2022, the industry could wind up funding $421 billion of multifamily mortgages. Also, rents are likely to increase as concessions decrease.