Secondary

The total return to investors from U.S.-based REITs in the first quarter was 10.41%, underperforming the S&P 500, which had a 12.59% return for the period, according to the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts. Still, REITs were successful in raising money during the period, possibly setting the stage to jump into the commercial refinance market.

By at least two measures CMBS delinquencies took a notable upward turn in the last month, and by one measure new defaults also are still on the rise. But some observers believe the deterioration in performance is slowing in some areas and better days may lie ahead.

Small mortgage banking companies benefited from a 32% jump in loan production from the third quarter to the fourth quarter, but profitability per loan was crimped by a slight drop in pricing in the secondary mortgage market, according to a new report by the Mortgage Bankers Association.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency's three-year effort to develop standardized loan data reporting requirements for newly originated Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages will finally go live this month.

One of the major contributors to the housing bubble and subsequent collapse of the market was overinflated prices. Now, believes one CEO, the opposite scenario exists.

The Federal Housing Administration is taking an extra step to make sure certain homeowners aren't locked out of a special refinancing program that President Obama unveiled on March 6.

The volume of refinance applications increased for the first time in six weeks, while purchase applications were at their highest point in nearly four months, leading to a 4.8% seasonally adjusted increase in overall application volume, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Democrats on the Senate Banking Committee are urging the Federal Housing Finance Agency to take more aggressive steps to allow refinancing by homeowners with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgages.

Investors are increasingly demanding servicers/special servicers file hazard insurance claims on REO properties regardless of whether they will be approved.

Here's a pop quiz for all jumbo MBS fans: what's the biggest stumbling block to the private label securities market taking off? Answer: the subordination levels on jumbo deals are about twice what they used to be, which means the credit pendulum has swung overly far to the conservative side.