California and Texas took the honors for top FHA producers among states and other U.S. jurisdictions in 2012, with a combined $59.2 billion in new mortgage loans insured by the FHA. The combined output of the two states represented 25.5 percent of the $232.1 billion in new FHA originations reported by all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia for the entire year. Total FHA production by state was up a modest 5.2 percent in the fourth quarter from the previous quarter and a hefty 21.9 percent from the prior year. California, which accounts for 25 percent of the U.S. housing market, reported ...

Mortgage REIT Two Harbors continues to work away at a potential jumbo MBS deal.

Standard & Poor's, which had a huge ratings market share tied to subprime MBS, was sued by the government for negligence.

Ally Bank will originate and keep jumbo mortgages in the bank's portfolio.

Relatively new players to the world of Fannie Mae approvals are starting to gripe a little more about the “volume curbs” that the GSE is placing on its “newbie” customers. One mortgage banker, who spoke under the condition his name not be used, told Inside Mortgage Finance ...

Arch Bay Capital, once one of the most active buyers of nonperforming residential loans, has sold most of its NPL portfolio and launched a company that will originate non-agency mortgages, according to industry officials who have been briefed on its plans.

The FDIC approved a final rule this week that will set new appraisal requirements for nonprime mortgages. It’s the third rule from federal regulators in the past six days aimed at subprime mortgages, largely prompted by the Dodd-Frank Act

In a few weeks the White House will release its new budget and there’s increasing speculation that it will ask for $3 billion to $5 billion for the beleaguered FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund…

What We’re Hearing Certain mortgage bankers are using a four-letter word to describe the trifecta of “final” regulations unveiled by the CFPB the past two weeks, and as you might guess that word isn’t “love.” The rules – servicing, qualified mortgages and loan originator compensation – will shape the industry for years to come... plus other mortgage industry happenings.

Redwood Trust is set to issue its second non-agency jumbo MBS of the year, a $666.13 million security, according to a presale report released today by Kroll Bond Rating Agency. The MBS will largely consist of 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, with 51.4 percent of the originations from First Republic Bank. Plus other mortgage news briefs.