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First-quarter bank earnings dropped more than $3 billion compared to last year as mortgage-related income fell, FDIC reported Wednesday. FDIC reported the decline was "mainly attributable to a $7.1 billion (10.7 percent) decline in noninterest income," about $4 billion of which came from decreased mortgage revenues as interest rates continued to rise.

Nearly 12 percent of home purchase loans in today’s market run the risk of default in the event of an economic downturn, according to a new report from the American Enterprise Institute’s (AEI) International Center on Housing Risk. According to AEI, last month’s rising index was caused largely by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Rural Housing Services (RHS) increasing their market share, which was up to an estimated 32.2 percent in April.

The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices, released Tuesday, recorded a seasonally adjusted 1.2 percent monthly rise in prices across 20 of the country's top markets. Compared to a year ago, March prices were up 12.4 percent, a step back from the 12.9 percent annual increase recorded in February. "The year-over-year changes suggest that prices are rising more slowly," said David M. Blitzer, chairman of the Index Committee at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

According to the latest from Black Knight Financial Services seven of the 40 largest metro areas hit new peaks in March, suggesting that perhaps a sluggish first quarter is on its way to rebounding in time for summer. Overall, the company recorded a 1.0 percent monthly increase in prices nationwide, bringing the index within 12.8 percent of its 2006 peak.

The mortgage meltdown and its somewhat predictable fallout—tighter regulations that ensure such a crisis cannot recur but choke lending and borrowing at the source—have led to an equally inevitable outcome: a glut in cash sales for homes. A recent report by Redfin shows that in 17 metro markets in the United States, a full third of sales this year have been all-cash deals. And that figure has been essentially flat since 2011.

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), total existing-home sales rose 1.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.65 million in April. "Some growth was inevitable after sub-par housing activity in the first quarter, but improved inventory is expanding choices and sales should generally trend upward from this point," said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist.

According to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), independent mortgage banks and mortgage subsidiaries of chartered banks earned an average $1,242 on each loan originated in 2013, down 43.5 percent from $2,199 the previous year. MBA's VP of industry analysis, Marina Walsh, called 2013 net production profits "respectable," even with the massive decline.

According to Zillow, more than half of metros in the U.S. currently have fewer homes for sale than last year at this time. In many metros, the company found that inventory is tightest at the lower end of the market, a common price point often desirable by first-time homebuyers.

In remarks captured by Bloomberg at the Mortgage Bankers Association's National Secondary Market Conference in New York, CitiMortgage CEO Jane Fraser said the company is seeking out ways to step up its presence in the mortgage market, focusing largely on the "very important" correspondent segment as other banks struggle against waning loan demand and a stringent credit environment.

The New York regulator who earlier this year launched a probe into the practices of non-bank mortgage servicers revealed Tuesday he plans to expand his investigations. Delivering remarks at the Mortgage Bankers Association' 2014 National Secondary Market Conference, Superintendent Benjamin Lawsky of New York's Department of Financial Services said the agency plans to dig into fee-based ancillary services at non-banks such as Ocwen and Nationstar.