Mortgage loan officers have been spared from lay-offs. But how long will it last? Brokers get dismissed again?

At an investor conference in New York this week, officials from Wells Fargo predicted that residential originations at the bank will fall 30 percent this quarter on a sequential basis.

Over the years, HUD has seen a steady decline in its staffing level – perhaps to its lowest level ever, in fact – while at the same time being called upon to administer an increasing number of programs.

With the deal, $5.3 billion in mortgage servicer advance ABS will have been issued this year, according to the rating service.

The program is intended to provide smaller mortgage lenders that lack direct access to the secondary mortgage market with another option for their home buying customers.

Not only is Stonegate Mortgage going public, but it plans to issue jumbo MBS as well.

Congress is back in town and several new mortgage-related hearings are set for this week.

Nonbanks are making progress in picking up market share, but it's uncertain how much more turf commercial banks might cede.

Nonbanks are stepping up to the plate on agency MBS. Meanwhile, a handful of large "term" loans are being put together, allowing investors to finance MSRs.

Publicly traded REITs like Redwood Trust would fill the void if Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac lower loan limits next year. But they will be competing against portfolio lenders.