The recent announcement that New Residential Investment Corp. will buy the New Penn mort-gage banking operation of Shellpoint Partners is fueling speculation that more publicly traded real es-tate investment trusts might dive into the business of residential lending.
According to figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance, New Residential ranks fifth among all residential servicers with $343.0 billion of contracts at Sept. 30. New Penn ranks 46th among lenders.
The sale of mortgage banking franchises and asset-related acquisitions are gaining traction as the year draws to a close, but dealmakers aren’t expecting any blockbuster moves before yearend. According to interviews conducted by Inside Mortgage Finance with investment banking advi-sors, many lenders remain profitable and are enjoying a 2017 that turned out to be better than expected in terms of origination volume.
Meanwhile, there’s already speculation that Capital One – known for its prowess in credit cards – might eventually re-enter the mortgage business in one way or another.
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