Although residential originations fell by roughly 15 percent in the fourth quarter on a sequential basis, warehouse lenders saw their commitments inch up slightly, according to new figures compiled by Inside Mortgage Finance. At Dec. 31, warehouse banks had extended an estimated $49.0 billion of commitments to non-depository lenders, a 2.1 percent sequential gain. Compared to yearend 2014, commitment levels rose a handsome 28.9 percent. Part of the reason for the increase in activity – especially year-over-year – can be explained...[Includes one data table]

RPM Mortgage has acquisitions on its mind once again and could be an aggressive buyer of other lending shops this year, according to industry advisors – if only falling interest rates didn’t get in the company’s way. It was originally thought that 2016 could be a robust year for mortgage mergers-and-acquisitions activity, but tumbling interest rates are making some owners think twice about selling – or getting picky about what they’re willing to take. For buyers, the best time to pounce is...

Declining interest rates are making some bidders think long and hard about MSR pricing...

Rates are still falling, but MSR packages continue to hit the auction block...

In the fourth quarter, IMA sold $30 billion of mortgage servicing rights for its clients...

Falling rates are great for the mortgage industry, right? Yes and no...

Paul Hindman, a consultant at Grid Financial Services, had this to stay about the deal: “The more important question is what other mortgage-related companies are on Computershare’s shopping list….”

Two Harbors issued $2.00 billion of jumbo MBS 2015, adding that pricing improved for its deals throughout the year.

As one M&A advisor noted: "Value is in the eye of the beholder."

Mortgage firms that are thinking about selling are 15 to 25 years old, said one M&A advisor...