New regulations on payday lending will be coming from the CFPB at some point, after the bureau issued a report last week that found that 80 percent of all payday loans are rolled over or renewed within 14 days. Further, the bureau found that the majority of such loans are made to borrowers who end up paying more in fees than the amount of money originally borrowed. “One could readily conclude that the business model of the payday industry depends on people becoming stuck in these loans for the long term,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray in releasing the report.

The CFPB is beginning to look into abandoned properties and the phenomenon known as “zombie” foreclosures, a top bureau official indicated recently. “The term zombie foreclosure refers to a situation in which a borrower has moved out of a home after the lender has started a foreclosure,” according to attorney Michael Waldron, a partner and practice leader of the mortgage banking unit at Ballard Spahr. However, “because the lender did not complete the foreclosure, title was never officially transferred and remains with the borrower, who may be unaware that the foreclosure was never completed.”

The CFPB appears to be having a hard time holding on to some of its top officers who are leaving for more lucrative jobs in the private sector. Then again, no one really expected the government agency to have much luck competing against the deep pockets of megabanks like Wells Fargo. This month alone, Wells Fargo recruited two bureau executives who were considered among its very best, at least in the mortgage space: Lisa Applegate, who was in charge of mortgage rule implementation at the agency, and Pete Carroll, assistant director for mortgage markets.

Small community bankers told CFPB officials many of their colleagues are wary of making mortgages that fall outside the parameters of the qualified mortgage definition or are exiting the mortgage business entirely. Addressing two top regulators from the CFPB during the tail end of a session at the American Bankers Association’s government relations conference in Washington, DC, last week, one community banker from Oklahoma reported survey findings that one third of respondents in the state are no longer offering residential mortgages.

Whatever happened to the sale of Cole Taylor Mortgage, which has been in the works for nine months or so? Good question. When we asked one source close to the deal, his response was this: “Think of the Energizer Bunny but with fairly old batteries.

As for the new GSE bill from Rep. Maxine Waters, D-CA, the research firm notes that the legislation will not even be considered in the Republican controlled House.

Although some jumbo market participants have called for a reduction to GSE loan limits, most of the mortgage industry – and members of Congress – prefer the current levels.

Inside FHFA Lending also found another interesting trend: The top 50 HECM lenders are dominated by nonbanks, some of which are relatively new to the space.

Old Republic Cancels Recapitalization Plan for its Mortgage Guaranty Subsidiaries. Old Republic International Corp. has withdrawn plans to secure capital market funding for its beleaguered consumer credit indemnity and mortgage guaranty subsidiaries for lack of investor interest. Both business segments are housed within the Republic Financial Indemnity Group and have been in a run-off mode since 2008 and 2011, respectively. ORI Chairman/CEO Al Zucaro said holding company funds would be used to shore up the regulatory capital of the mortgage guaranty subsidiaries. The completion of the recapitalization plan hinged on regulatory approvals in North Carolina, Florida and Vermont, as well as from the government-sponsored enterprises and the Federal Housing Finance Agency. ORI said that with all the complications, it could not be certain of getting the necessary approvals. A primary investor concern is that new capital would be used to pay for RMIC’s legacy problems, and investors want their money to ...