2014 wasn’t a great year for mortgage origination volume, but the market rallied from a dismal start to finish on a more positive note, according to a new Inside Mortgage Finance market analysis and ranking of top loan producers. Mortgage lenders originated an estimated $1.24 trillion in new home loans during 2014. That figure, which includes home-equity lending, was the industry’s lowest annual output since year 2000, when total originations barely topped the $1 trillion mark. Mortgage production fell a hefty 34.4 percent from 2013 levels, including a modest 1.4 percent drop in the fourth quarter of 2014. The soft fourth-quarter volume was...[Includes two data charts]

“There’s real business out there,” said Brian Chappelle, a mortgage industry consultant.

Total revenue at EverBank fell to $222.6 million in 4Q compared to $234 million in 3Q.

“The industry seems to be cut out of some of the development of the securitization platform,” said Rep. Scott Garrett, R-NJ...

In other words, the bureau is asserting the primacy of its regulatory authority over the legality of certain private contracts.

Demand for VA products is being sparked by declining interest rates and the fact that these government-backed loans do not require any downpayments.

It’s unclear what exactly will be addressed in these new standards, though capital requirements for nonbank servicers is said to be a key part of it.

According to the IMA offering circular, the seller is a “Southwest, independent mortgage banking entity with strong financials and a highly experienced senior management team.”

In trading Tuesday, Impac’s common was selling for $9.15, which means the 500,000 shares could be worth $4.5 million.

The division, Arch Mortgage Guaranty Corp., has been rated A3 by Moody’s Investor Service, the highest rating an MI can receive.