In a long-term attempt to stabilize its earnings from the cyclical nature of home loans, HomeStreet took a loss in the opening quarter of 2019.

The Boston company gained the mortgage platform when it bought First Choice in 2017.

Title underwriters and other vendors reported year-over-year declines in business activity (although some reported improved profitability), but lower interest rates made them optimistic about their prospects going forward.

Even after integrating the 52 Wells Fargo branches acquired in December as part of its efforts to diversify beyond home lending, Flagstar Bancorp's first-quarter earnings were driven by increased mortgage revenue.

MGIC Investment Corp. posted better-than-expected first-quarter earnings as expenses were lower than projected while net premiums came in higher.

The bank is expecting to benefit from the discount airline's first flights to the Aloha State even as a white-hot local housing market starts to cool.

The Minneapolis bank reported mid- to high-single-digit improvement in those categories, but total loan growth was curbed by declines in CRE and other credit types.

Lower interest rates increased Bank of America's first-quarter residential mortgage volume by 21% over the previous year, while home equity dropped by 25%.

Citigroup's first quarter mortgage-related revenue increased compared with the fourth quarter — although down slightly from the same period last year — as its lending operations continued to contract.

First-quarter mortgage banking results at Wells Fargo and JPMorgan Chase could be an early sign of an improving industry.