In the latest year-end closeout of buyback deals before the ball drops on 2013, Flagstar Bancorp announced late Monday that it has entered into an agreement with Freddie Mac to “resolve substantially” claims that the bank sold faulty mortgage loans to the GSE between 2000 and 2008.

Fannie Mae announced Monday morning it has reached a $591 million agreement with Wells Fargo to resolve repurchase requests on certain loans originated prior to 2009.

Year-over-year through October 2013, the CoreLogic House Price Index appreciated more than 12 percent nationwide, with prices nationally now 16 percent above the low in the fourth quarter 2011, according to CoreLogic’s December MarketPulse report released Monday.

At September 30, Flagstar had capitalized the MSRs on its balance sheet at 107 basis points.

“The recent decline in large-lender share of the primary market is temporary, and principally a result of cyclical factors that caused larger lenders to pull back from the market,” said Fannie Mae's Gerry Flood.

Freddie Mac reported new buyback demands on $3.3 billion of mortgages during the third quarter, a stunning 31 percent increase from the previous period.

It's not every day that a REIT gains access to a Federal Home Loan Bank. This REIT, of course, likes to buy mortgage servicing rights.

The GSEs’ common industry dataset that supports the CFPB’s new disclosure form is called the Uniform Closing Dataset, and is one component of the Uniform Mortgage Data Program, an ongoing effort being directed by the FHFA.

The mortgage insurance industry is anxiously waiting on new risk-to-capital rules being worked on by the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

One former regulator told us that HUD is relying too heavily on foreclosure sales, which can drive down median values.