The leaders of UWM and Two Harbors met to discuss an offer to beat CrossCountry Mortgage’s final bid but were unable to reach an agreement or build much trust.

Mortgage applications increase, led by refinances; three M&A transactions involving lenders/branches; home price appreciation trends.

Liquidity problems may be a major driver of increased merger and acquisition activity in 2019. Although bulk MSR buyers may be taking a pause to parse interest-rate trends, volume is expected to be strong this year.