The jumbo market is heating up, which means the price paid for whole loans is on the rise.

Modeling changes that have been proposed by insurance commissioners could increase loss forecasts and prompt sales of non-agency MBS.

Navy Federal, which is headquartered in one of the hottest housing markets in the nation, saw residential fundings almost double in the first quarter.

When it comes to jumbo MBS deals, Redwood Trust is on a tear this year.

Issuance of non-agency MBS quadrupled in the first quarter, according to new figures compiled by Inside MBS & ABS. Firms selling securities include Ocwen and Nationstar.

Want to buy the subordinated tranche of a new jumbo MBS deal? Take a number and stand in line.

“Private capital out there, here we come,” Edward DeMarco, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, said this week. He was talking about pending risk-sharing pilot transactions between the government-sponsored enterprises and the non-agency market. The FHFA set a goal for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to each issue at least $30.0 billion in risk-sharing transactions this year. Those efforts were delayed in 2012 due to regulatory concerns, but DeMarco said the GSEs will soon issue such deals ...

It stands to reason that with non-agency jumbo mortgage-backed security issuance reviving to some degree, prices paid in the secondary market for jumbo whole loans are rising. Traders and jumbo consultants who play in the sector tell Inside Nonconforming Markets that prices for quality product are now above par, at 103. As recently as last fall, prices were in the 101 and 102 range, depending on the lender and the underlying collateral. “The market for whole loans is alive and well for ...

Bank of America agreed this week to pay $500 million to settle lawsuits from investors in non-agency mortgage-backed securities issued by Countrywide Financial in 2005 through 2007. If it receives judicial approval, the settlement on about $15.0 billion in non-agency MBS will be the largest-ever non-agency MBS class-action recovery. “After five years of hard-fought litigation, this record-breaking recovery is a tremendous result for MBS investors misled by Countrywide and ...

Non-agency jumbo mortgage-backed securities issued by Redwood Trust in 2010 and 2011 have been subject to scrutiny by the Securities and Exchange Commission in recent months. The SEC looked into Regulation AB compliance issues on the deals, largely seeking increased disclosures. The SEC’s inquiries generally related to deal participants other than Redwood. And in some cases, the SEC sought disclosures related to actions beyond the firms’ participation in non-agency MBS issuance ...