From Jan. 1 to March 31, there were 14,727 mortgage-related layoffs. During that same period, 343 jobs were added, bringing the net job loss to -14,384.

The latest figure is more than 1,000 worse than the first quarter of 2007 -- before the mortgage meltdown hit full speed.

Mortgage job losses are on pace to reach around 57,500 this year -- a decline from 86,071 in net job losses last year.

But the news wasn't all bad.

Five companies with net job gains were First Houston, Lend America, Primary Residential Mortgage Inc., Secured Bankers Mortgage Co. and WSB Mortgage.

One company, Millennium Mortgage Corp., reported in February that it was adding 150 wholesale account executives during the first half of 2008. But just one month later, it shut down the unit.

U.S. government data indicated that from Nov. 30, 2007, to Feb. 29, 2008, jobs in the mortgage sector fell by around 10,500. Compared to a year earlier, mortgage employment is down about 111,600 jobs.

"While mortgage jobs continue to contract, we've seen the pace of layoffs slow recently," said MortgageDaily.com founder and Publisher Sam Garcia. "This trend is likely to continue." -- MortgageDaily.com