More than one in five loans originated today won’t satisfy the criteria for safe harbor legal protections as qualified mortgages under the ability-to-repay rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, according to an analysis by ComplianceEase.

The Structured Finance Industry Group offered its take on the loan limit debate.

In the third quarter of 2013, Wells Fargo sold a mere $8.4 billion in residential mortgages to Freddie Mac, a 71.3 percent plunge in volume from the second quarter, and a figure that represents just 17 percent of what the nation’s largest lender sold to Fannie Mae.

Although the credit characteristics of Fannie/Freddie purchase mortgages have remained fairly consistent over the year, there were some signs of loosening.

The QM Plus option would be limited to loans secured by a principal dwelling. No subordinate liens would be permitted for purchase-money transactions.

Still, one industry lobbyist warns that with Cory Booker’s election to the Senate, the White House may be willing to exert more influence to advance Mel Watt’s nomination to head the FHFA.

However, according to figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance, the U.S. subsidiary of the Canadian-owned bank doesn’t even rank among the top 30 lenders, at least not yet.

The reduced head count at Wells Fargo is hardly surprising given declining refinancings, but there could be more bloodletting in the months ahead.

Golf is for slackers. Inside Mortgage Finance knows of at least four veteran mortgage banking executives who, after “retiring,” are looking to reenter the business.

Barry Habib, chief market strategist for RFC, confirmed that the privately held nonbank has closed branches but offered up few details.