Barry Habib, chief market strategist for RFC, confirmed that the privately held nonbank has closed branches but offered up few details.

Since the summer, the regulator has been pondering reducing the current $417,000 maximum loan limit and the “high cost” limit of $625,500. At the earliest, a change could come by January.

Bank of America's mortgage business appears to be profitable but only if you exclude its legacy business.

How do you spell servicing relief? It all depends on who you ask. Meanwhile, First Guaranty Mortgage is entering the warehouse arena.

The low profile of the FHLBs, which has served the system so well in the past, has become a “sizable policy risk” as the relatively few people who will be directing housing finance reform know what the system does.

Clayton noted 907 compliance findings from its review. However, Fitch said the findings were deemed to be out of scope and waived by Fannie due to the limited scope of its post-close review for compliance.

Rumors abound about mortgage firms either closing or laying off staff. Meanwhile, Auction.com, known for selling troubled real estate for banks and other investors, is offering up a $600 million pool of performing multifamily mortgages.

Correspondents are an especially good source of purchase mortgages. During the third quarter, purchase mortgages accounted for over half (50.5 percent) of correspondent-originated loans securitized by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

KBRA pointed out that one jumbo MBS issuer said it will accept mortgages where lenders have implemented procedures to either close the loans with an exception or review IRS transcripts post-closing.

The secondary market for mortgage servicing rights is red hot and shows no signs of slowing, even with the government partially closed.