Subservicing has been a growth business the past several years but now some mortgage bankers, flush with cash from the refi boom, are bringing the task inhouse.

Many of the bank’s mortgage borrowers saw income increase during the pandemic, with boosts from stimulus checks and unemployment benefits.

Banks continued to allow their portfolios of servicing for others shrink during a year when MSR production levels set records. (Includes data chart.)

Bank acquisitions in the mortgage space have been few and far between the past few years. Still, officials at Western Alliance believe it makes perfect sense for the bank to acquire AmeriHome Mortgage.

EarnUp offers payment and saving-services to consumers and is using the access to borrowers’ bank accounts to provide insights to mortgage servicers.

It’s not every day that a lender commits to sell $34 billion of MSRs. IMA is the investment banker on the package and speculation is rising on who the seller might be.

A significant chunk of the big fourth-quarter increase in agency MSR transfers came from Freedom Mortgage's acquisition of RoundPoint Mortgage Servicing. But total servicing transfers for 2020 fell well short of recent years. (Includes three data charts.)

A survey of servicing executives by Fannie Mae found that the companies are having difficulties keeping up with forbearance requirements. Staffing capacity is also an issue.

It’s too early to tell if the foreclosures have been avoided altogether or just pushed further into the future, a Federal Reserve economist said.

Industry watchers believe mortgage servicers have a lot on their plate this year in terms of compliance with CARES Act forbearance, state-level relief guidance and limitations on foreclosures.