Nearly 150 mortgage companies with 50 employees or more closed their doors last year, according to MortgageDaily.com, which tracks layoffs and hirings in the industry.

But Web site publisher Sam Garcia said he believes 2008 will see fewer closures.

“The subprime mortgage industry, which took decades to develop, was mostly dismantled over the past year,” Garcia said in a statement.

American Home Mortgage Investment, New Century Financial and Tucson-based First Magnus Financial were among 2007’s casualties.

So far this year through Jan. 22, there have been seven mortgage firm closures, MortgageDaily.com reported. Global losses related to the subprime debacle now exceed $170 billion with estimates of future losses hitting more than $450 billion, according to the site.

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