Loan correspondents and mortgage brokers continue to play a major role in the agency mortgage market, accounting for 42.9 percent of loans securitized by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Ginnie Mae in 2013, according to a new Inside Mortgage Trends analysis. Correspondents accounted for most of the third-party originations securitized by the agencies, and Wells Fargo was the top producer of these loans. Just over half of the loans sold by Wells were ... [Includes one data chart]

Warehouse lines of credit extended by commercial banks to non-depository lenders fell a modest 11.8 percent in the fourth quarter on a sequential basis, but executives who work in the sector are reporting usage ratios as low as 20 percent. Based on exclusive survey figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance, warehouse providers had an estimated $30.0 billion in commitments at Dec. 31 compared to $34.0 billion at the end of the third quarter. But a commitment is...[Includes one data chart]

“While we’re trying to lend fairly in an unfair world, the regulatory and enforcement apparatus have created this environment that we’re in and they will be looking to enforce based upon those rules,” said industry consultant Maurice Jourdain-Earl.

JPM has made it clear: the megabank refuses to chase market share in a world of declining originations.

The InterLinc executive said there’s a great deal of interest from potential acquisition targets, but he cautions that, “Not everyone wants to make the move.”

The Obama administration is asking Congress for authority to charge FHA lenders an “administrative fee” to help pay for improvements to the FHA quality assurance program. FHA wants to build a new quality assurance framework that will provide lenders more clarity about the agency’s expectations regarding the loan production process, said FHA Commissioner Carol Galante during a media briefing on provisions in the administration’s fiscal 2015 budget proposal that affect the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The idea is...

Subprime delinquencies are increasing, but it's unclear whether the trend will last or whether it's just a blip on the radar screen.

Some mortgage technology consultants, speaking on-background, are prophesizing that the investment will lead to Google moving into the realty market and becoming a direct competitor to traditional Realtors.

In addition to its advisor role, Steadfast will purchase a participation in each MSR loan made by Customers Bank.

Roughly 96 percent of mortgage bankers earned money in the third quarter. But that wasn't the case in 4Q, according to Richey May & Co.