Paul Muolo

Mortgage Master one of the largest privately held nonbanks in the nation, estimates its originations will grow 27% this year to $7 billion.

According to a sample of survey figures being collected by NMN, some firms grew their mortgage servicing rights' portfolios by fourfold or more over the past 12 months.

I was talking to one mortgage employment specialist the other day who suggested to me that the residential finance industry has done a crappy job of preparing for its future, citing the aging workforce of loan processors and underwriters.

Private equity money has been sniffing around mortgage servicing rights for about two years as well, but with not much to show for it.

The Sarasota, Fla., office of Academy Mortgage recently hired away three loan officers from Prospect Mortgage, which is based in California.

Total Mortgage Services said it will “temporarily” moderate its wholesale lending channel after getting hit with a “significant increase” in business in the wake of other firms exiting the business.

We heard a rumor (unsubstantiated) a few weeks back that Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA are contemplating hiking their minimum net worth requirements to $3.5 million from the current $2.5 million.

Impac Mortgage Holdings, Irvine, Calif., expects to post a profit when it reports second quarter earnings on Wednesday, and continues to expand its lending and servicing operations, the company said in a recent SEC filing.

It’s (almost) late summer and what better time to throw out a ‘loose ends’ blog on several story leads, ideas, and thoughts that have been knocking around my head (and inbox) of late.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac might be able to repay taxpayers in less than five years.

Roughly $2 trillion in residential servicing rights might be sold or transferred to subservicers between now and the implementation of the Basel III accords in 2015, according to a new report from Stern Agee.

A new mortgage insurance firm started by former executives from The PMI Group hopes to begin writing policies early next year, according to officials close to the company.

How long will Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac stay this profitable? Answer: as long as their cost of funds (courtesy of Uncle Sam) stays at next to nothing, and the yield on their interest earning assets remains healthy.

Residential delinquencies are on the rise again and trouble could be afoot in FHA foreclosures, according to new second quarter figures compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Bank of America, as part of a continuing effort to reduce its residential exposure, is offering roughly $7 billion of mortgage servicing rights through what’s being called a ‘Barbell’ auction.

Redwood Trust, the most active player in the jumbo securitization market, wants to buy already funded Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac loans from mortgage bankers and service the product through a subservicing firm called Cenlar.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau could release long awaited residential servicing rules Thursday, according to a memo being circulated by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Will other correspondent buyers of residential loans follow in the wake of PHH Mortgage and exit the third-party channel?

Residential mortgage applications fell almost 2% for the week ending August 3, according to new figures compiled by the Mortgage Bankers Association. The comparison is to the week prior.

Guarantee Rate Inc., one of the fastest growing mortgage bankers in the U.S., is in talks to buy Manhattan Mortgage, New York, a large brokerage shop that had close ties to Wells Fargo Co., according to industry officials who were briefed on the matter.