Under the proposed rule, participating states would require that an AMC register in the state and be subject to its supervision. Only state-certified or licensed appraisers would be allowed to participate in federally related transactions, such as the closing of a home mortgage.

There has been some speculation that DeMarco might want the CSP CEO job, which pays in the range of $400,000. But many sources we talked to doubt it will happen.

At the end of 2013, the Fed’s holdings topped the commercial banking industry’s total MBS portfolio of $1.369 trillion, and it accounted for 26.6 percent of the $5.601 billion of agency single-family MBS outstanding at that time, according to Inside MBS & ABS.

When Fed Chair Janet Yellen was subsequently asked to define what the committee meant by the term “considerable time,” she replied that it is “hard to define” but “probably means something on the order of around six months.”

The OMB recently estimated that Fannie and Freddie will pump more than $179 billion into the Treasury over the next 10 years, assuming the two GSEs remain in operation and continue to pay dividends to the government.

Mark Garland, president of MountainView Servicing Group, said he likes the product, noting that the timing couldn’t be better: “There are a lot of guys out there who are strapped for working capital,” he added.

All the world loves the CFPB? Not in the mortgage space, it seems. Financial services consultant Joe Garrett said he has six mortgage clients that have undergone exams by the agency. To say the least, it hasn't been a happy experience.

Other firms had more of a jumbo focus. Second-ranked PHH Mortgage reported that 50.0 percent of its originations in 2013 were non-agency jumbos.

A number of lenders said they have put an increased emphasis on jumbo ARMs due to the rise in interest rates that started in May of 2013.

Not only is the spring home buying season beginning to show signs of life, so too is the M&A market for mortgage companies.