The hiring news isn't all bad in mortgage banking: Skyline Home Loans is looking for loan officers and Highlands recently hired some top executives.

In general, mortgage-related earnings were strong at the nation's banks in the second quarter, but clearly earnings "leakage" is underway. And yes, gain-on-sale is starting to slip.

The higher MSR values are not surprising, but the level of these increases have some mortgage professionals scratching their heads.

FHFA sued UBS in 2011 over $4.5 billion in RMBS securities that the bank sponsored and $1.8 billion in third party RMBS sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Purchase money lending will increase in 2014 but overall originations could swoon, according to a revised forecast from Fannie Mae.

Some of the nation's largest home lenders are beginning to cut mortgage workers as refinancing applications swoon.

Loan applications are strong at Citadel, a newly launched nonprime lender. HUD goes on furlough for a day.

Redwood Trust, not surprisingly, was the top jumbo MBS issuer in the first half of 2013, according to exclusive rankings from Inside MBS & ABS.

HUD thinks random sampling would help make post-endorsement reviews more efficient, but some legal advisors believe the cost is too great.

The Fed chief told elected officials that whatever housing finance reform plan they choose to replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, it should be clear to private investors about the government’s role in the market.