Meanwhile, mortgage insurers are concerned that the new LLPA grid from Fannie and Freddie will throw cold water on their market share gains.

The drop in warehouse commitments mirrored, somewhat, the fall-off in residential originations, which declined almost 19 percent in the third quarter, according to figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance.

The rating service this week placed the primary servicer rating of EverBank Mortgage on “watch” for a potential downgrade due to changes to the servicer’s platform.

Do mortgage insurance firms need to be "officially" regulated by the federal government?

As a technical matter, Edward DeMarco still heads FHFA and the agency is once again testing the waters for lower Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loan limits.

The Mortgage Bankers Association and other trade groups are hopping mad at FHFA's latest December surprise: higher LLPAs.

Ed DeMarco of FHFA pulls a 'Beyonce' with the higher LLPAs. Meanwhile, we're hearing that Met Watt may be sworn in by early January.

Compared to June 30, MBS investments by REITs are off 6 percent. Moreover, the industry has lost nearly all of the huge volume of MBS that were acquired in early 2012.

Advisors note that Walter should be concerned that it has a large MSR portfolio – $194 billion at Sept. 30, according to figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance – but a relatively small origination platform.

Loan broker Anne James, who runs Reliance Funding in Wittier, CA, told us recently that “I have wholesale lenders calling me daily to sign up.” She notes, however that “Loans are not dropping out of the sky” but adds that she’s getting quite a few calls for second mortgages.