A handful of investors, including Caliber Home Loans, are kicking the tires at PHH Corp., taking a close look at the company’s mortgage assets and platforms, investment banking sources told Inside Mortgage Finance this week. At this point in time, a sale of the company through a stock transaction is highly unlikely, but the disposal of some of its key assets – in particular, its $231.74 billion servicing portfolio – could finally materialize before yearend. It’s...

Fairway Independent Mortgage, Madison, WI, has been quietly giving control of the company away to a group of investors who are key to its growth: its own employees. The nation’s 22nd largest lender – as ranked by Inside Mortgage Finance – has been issuing stock to some of its senior executives since late last year, but recently rolled out an employee stock ownership plan to anyone, provided they work there for at least a year. For employees, the best part is...

Before the financial crisis, it wasn’t unusual for a bank to value its MSR asset at 150 bps or even higher.

Some investors believe servicing prices now look enticing.

The share of refi loans with scores of 740 or higher edged up from 57.8 percent in the first quarter to 61.6 percent in the second.

The fear is that loan pricing will be worse and loan-to-value ratios will be more restrictive.

S&P said the upgrade was prompted by improvements to Ocwen’s “control environment,” among other items…

The VA share of new loan applications improved to 13.0 percent from 12.1 percent the week prior.

UWM is beginning to see some of its competitors pick up their game...

Senior-level mortgage executives are in demand these days, according to one recruiter...