Servicing

The $1.3 trillion decline was the largest quarterly drop in dollar volume and the biggest falloff on a percentage basis since 2009, according to Black Knight.

The lender reported a 24% drop in volume quarter-over-quarter but said it compared favorably to the average 29% decline projected by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The company's volume fell behind its wholesale-focused chief competitor's in the third quarter but management foresees potential weakness in the broker channel.

Without the increase in valuations, the company recorded a reduced, adjusted, pretax loss in the third quarter; so it's doing more to cut costs and focus on subservicing strategies.

Leaders of its parent company touted the success of subscription models and also made a case for its proposed merger with Black Knight in an earnings call

The share of borrowers who owe no more than half of the property's market value increased to 48.5% last quarter, according to Attom, a real estate data firm.

Servicing numbers propelled the REIT to the positive third-quarter result, while the company also announced it had acquired a stake in a commercial real estate investment firm.

If an unusual consumer protection gets rolled back in the state, servicers could get more of a second chance in court and borrowers will lose some protection.

The company said its mortgage subsidiary has pro forma compliance with the pending risk-based capital requirements that other entities claim are difficult to meet.

The share of home loans late by more than 30 days or in foreclosure in August inched back down to 2.8% from 3% the previous month, according to CoreLogic.