Servicing

Even though home price appreciation was up 5.2% on a yearly basis, it still is a much slower pace than the 7% figure that was seen over the summer.

Refinancings comprise less than 60% of loan volume in October.

The rate of home price growth increased rapidly early in 2013, and after a brief summer pause, home prices have again picked up as we near the end of the year.

Mel Watt, set to become director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, is making both agency and non-agency MBS investors nervous.

Following new legislation issued by the CFPB earlier in November, the mortgage industry’s voluntary standards organization has extended the comment period beyond yearend 2013.

Colonial Savings installed new mortgage software and consequently tripled loan volume, cut costs and improved compliance without reducing headcount.

More builders are getting new single-family construction permits amid home sales declines, which one insider sees as a natural market adjustment that will not inhibit the housing market recovery.

The combination of rapidly rising home prices along with strong demand from institutional investors and other cash buyers means short sales are becoming less favorable for lenders.

Federal Reserve data show the rate of decline in mortgage debt outstanding has slowed in recent quarters, while housing market trends suggest it could start growing again in the near future.

The biggest state concentration in the multibillion dollar bulk mortgage servicing rights package represents less than 10% of the portfolio.