Purchase-money lending increased by a hefty 37 percent, climbing to an estimated $163 billion in the second quarter, according to figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance.

Some trade groups, including the California Mortgage Bankers Association and National Association of Realtors are not happy with the idea of lower loan limits.

The mortgage industry is feeling immense pressure of implementing the avalanche of new rules from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Michigan Mutual is the latest mortgage lender to announce cut-backs in its processing staff.

Look for an update late Thursday on the sale of Cole Taylor Mortgage. Meanwhile, does anyone care that credit unions are holding 30-year jumbo mortgages in portfolio?

Although agency originations and refinance activity continued to dominate residential mortgage lending during the second quarter of 2013, a new Inside Mortgage Finance analysis and ranking reveals that both those components were losing steam. In fact, the only product category to show growth during the period was the jumbo market, where originations increased by 9.3 percent and reached their highest quarterly volume – an estimated $59 billion – since the third quarter of 2007. On a year-to-date basis, jumbo originations were up 17.7 percent from the first half of last year. Agency production still accounted...[Includes two data charts]

America’s Homeowner Alliance said it will defend low downpayment loans and the mortgage interest deduction.

Purchase mortgages accounted for 39 percent of the loans included in the new Credit Suisse jumbo MBS deal. The weighted-average combined LTV was 71 percent.

The government is seeking due diligence reviews performed by Clayton, as well as all communication between the clients for whom the company performed such work.

With origination profits leveling off, some mortgage bankers are looking to cash out. But can they still get top dollar?