Mortgage Grapevine: Rushmore is buying another origination platform, a sign that mortgage M&A could be on the rise again. Meanwhile, Fannie Mae is offering buyout packages to a select group of employees.

As government agencies focus their attention on the market share of nonbanks, independent mortgage bankers say their business model poses no significant risk to the economy.

A review by the VA inspector general found thousands of veterans with disabilities, even though exempt, may have been charged funding fees on their home loans.

The company agreed to pay $32.5 million in damages to settle False Claims Act allegations tied to FHA underwriting. it admitted no wrongdoing while agreeing to stay in the program.

It's no secret that Ginnie Mae officials are losing sleep over nonbanks dominating the government MBS market. With liquidity a primary concern, the agency is ready to consider "non-traditional" investors in its MSRs. But there's a catch: They may have to commit as much as $1 billion.

Possibly dozens of VA lenders have been handed subpoenas from the federal government tied to VA delinquencies and possibly loan churning. Is this a fishing expedition or something more? Needless to say, lenders are worried.

It appears that RoundPoint Mortgage is once again on the auction block. This time around, it looks as though the $90.5 billion residential servicer will be sold to top-ranked Freedom Mortgage, Stan Middleman's shop. But it's not a done deal, sources say, at least not yet.

Faced with a lawsuit from a tribal housing-finance agency, HUD has delayed implementation of a new policy regarding downpayment assistance programs for at least 90 days.