With improving loan quality and mortgage repurchase reviews declining, due diligence firms have been under stress the past year.

Paul Rozo, CEO of Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, said his company’s application volume is down roughly 20 percent since rates jumped a few months back, but some of his competitors are seeing declines of up to 50 percent.

FHFA has been analyzing approaches for reducing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits across the country, "and any such change would be announced with adequate advance notice for implementation on January 1, 2014" the regulator said.

The collateral backing the new Redwood bond is exclusively 30-year fixed-rate loans without interest-only terms.

The FDIC will raise the question of a 30 percent downpayment but don't expect to see it in the final QRM rule.

It appears that mortgage bankers are beginning to liberalize, somewhat, the credit scores they're willing to accept on FHA loans.

EverBank also will evaluate each eligible borrower still in the process of foreclosure for a new loan modification.

The former Encore Mortgage executive said he will concentrate on lower FICO score lending, in particular what he calls the “B&C” market.

Today, Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac g-fees average 50 to 55 basis points compared to 24 bp back in 2009.

MountainView Servicing Group has set a bid deadline of August 29 on the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac MSRs.