MBS issuers and investors endorse many aspects of the revised qualified residential mortgage requirements recently proposed by federal regulators, but there are concerns about requirements for other asset classes included in the new risk-retention proposal. Issuers of non-agency MBS, ABS and commercial MBS backed by collateral that doesn’t meet certain qualifying requirements will have to retain risk on at least 5 percent of the deal, as required by the Dodd-Frank Act. Major industry groups have asked the regulators for more time to weigh the new proposed rule, which set a public comment period that ends Oct. 30. Richard Johns, executive director of the Structured Finance Industry Group, offered...

Golf is for slackers. Inside Mortgage Finance knows of at least four veteran mortgage banking executives who, after “retiring,” are looking to reenter the business.

In the third quarter of 2013, Wells Fargo sold a mere $8.4 billion in residential mortgages to Freddie Mac, a 71.3 percent plunge in volume from the second quarter, and a figure that represents just 17 percent of what the nation’s largest lender sold to Fannie Mae. Analysts that closely follow Wells Fargo believe that the megabank’s switch in secondary market strategy was simply a matter of money, as securitizing through Fannie was more profitable than sending most of its business to Freddie, as it traditionally has. Moshe Orenbuch, an analyst and managing director at Credit Suisse, noted...

Still, one industry lobbyist warns that with Cory Booker’s election to the Senate, the White House may be willing to exert more influence to advance Mel Watt’s nomination to head the FHFA.

Although the credit characteristics of Fannie/Freddie purchase mortgages have remained fairly consistent over the year, there were some signs of loosening.

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

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

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

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.

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.