Bargain hunters are beginning to eye the mortgage market, hoping to pick up franchises at a discount to prices paid in 2012 and earlier this year. But getting capital-rich companies to sell – even with refinance production dwindling – could prove to be a challenge. “We haven't seen any efforts to re-price transactions in process,” said Chuck Klein, managing partner of Mortgage Banking Solutions, Woodway, TX. “If volume and profits are falling below the budget and forecast on deals at the discussion level, then the seller must be able to present a reasonable explanation of how they are to achieve projections in their budget and growth.” Larry Charbonneau, who runs Charbonneau & Associates, another Texas-based consultancy, said...

Besides Citi, a handful of large depositories are in the midst of wrapping up sizable MSR auctions this week, including offerings from Wells Fargo and Flagstar Bancorp.

Over the past two years, upwards of $1 billion has been raised by private-equity funds seeking to buy servicing rights in the secondary market.

Art Ringwald, who helped put Bank of America on the mortgage map before departing in 2001, is looking to do "roll-ups," among other things.

The secondary market for mortgage servicing rights continues to spit out new offerings, especially in the bulk arena.

The firm estimates that upwards of $300 billion of MSRs are currently on the auction block with another $1 trillion to $2 trillion to come.

PHH saw its share price spike late last week after rumors spread that it may sell a large block of mortgage servicing rights.

The implementation date for lower GSE loan limits is being shifted to the end of the first quarter, or so we hear. Meanwhile, Citadel enters the market for stand-alone seconds.

Brokers and others who do business with Nationstar Mortgage said they’ve been hearing stories about two-week delays on funds being delivered. Meanwhile, FHA has run out of multifamily money.

The top 20 bank and thrift mortgage servicers all reported increases in their MSR valuations, according to exclusive figures from Inside Mortgage Trends.