Purchase-money lending increased by a hefty 37 percent, climbing to an estimated $163 billion in the second quarter, according to figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance.

Some trade groups, including the California Mortgage Bankers Association and National Association of Realtors are not happy with the idea of lower loan limits.

The mortgage industry is feeling immense pressure of implementing the avalanche of new rules from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

The legal action against JPMorgan and UBS is part of the NCUA’s larger pursuit of 11 lawsuits tied to CU purchases of $14 billion in non-agency MBS.

Michigan Mutual is the latest mortgage lender to announce cut-backs in its processing staff.

Look for an update late Thursday on the sale of Cole Taylor Mortgage. Meanwhile, does anyone care that credit unions are holding 30-year jumbo mortgages in portfolio?

With mortgage rates at their highest level in more than two years, the long-awaited boom in mergers and acquisitions may finally be here. But don’t expect sellers to accept just any price. “M&A is picking up,” said Larry Charbonneau, who runs a boutique advisory firm, Charbonneau & Associates. “The big fish want to buy the small ones, but the small ones don’t know if it’s in their best interest to sell yet.” Charbonneau points out...

America’s Homeowner Alliance said it will defend low downpayment loans and the mortgage interest deduction.

Purchase mortgages accounted for 39 percent of the loans included in the new Credit Suisse jumbo MBS deal. The weighted-average combined LTV was 71 percent.

The government is seeking due diligence reviews performed by Clayton, as well as all communication between the clients for whom the company performed such work.