Is Fannie Mae’s stock a screaming buy as Pershing Square hedge fund chief Bill Ackman recently suggested?

Unlike a lot of other housing-market data, the MBS figures are not seasonally adjusted, though they are seasonally affected.

"The ECB has a real problem on its hands," said Barry Habib, who runs MBS Highway, an analytics firm that offers lenders advice on when to lock rates.

Industry observers believe that FHFA Director Mel Watt – who has been on the job since early January – wants to open up the “credit box” for low- and moderate-income borrowers.

The good news for the mortgage industry is that the bulk of Dodd-Frank-required mortgage rules have already been issued.

Notably absent from Watt’s first major policy speech as FHFA director last month was any mention of the housing trust funds.

With interest rates dropping in recent weeks, some mortgage observers say there’s a chance that the refi market could rebound.

And it doesn't appear that Millennials are willing to give you much to save for a mortgage downpayment either.

“We have a lot of plans,” Newman told IMFnews. “We plan to be in originations, servicing, capital markets and multi-channel production.”

Western Asset Management has a "ton of fire power" when it comes to buying non-agency mortgages, said one source.