Bank of America wants to boost its mortgage business and is considering "disruptive stragegies" to make it happen.  The bank (NYSE: BAC) tipped its hand last week on an earnings conference call with its Chief Financial Officer Alvaro de Molina.
"When we've got a weak strategic position and we have a spectacular franchise opportunity, that's the ideal state in which to deploy a disruptive strategy," de Molina told analysts on the call.

His brief comments created some buzz as industry watchers pondered whether California's largest bank would emulate "disruptive" moves it made with its decision to offer free online banking a few years ago or this month's announcement to offer free online equity trades to customers with at least $25,000 on deposit at the bank.

It was an analyst's question about free trades that prompted de Molina's mortgage comments.

Analysts speculated that BofA could cut mortgage pricing or lower fees, perhaps based on the borrower's overall relationship with the bank, according to a front-page report in Wednesday's American Banker.

The bank last year introduced a program that cut up to $2,000 in closing costs for bank customers. This past summer BofA tested a $250 rebate offer to customers who found a better mortgage elsewhere.