GSEs

Fannie Mae's latest offering of Connecticut Avenue Securities, its last of the year, is the first to offer exposure to actual losses on residential mortgages that it insures.

Private mortgage insurers are seeking a larger share of the credit risk on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac-guaranteed loans.

Housing finance reform in Congress is stalled, but Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (often under pressure from their regulator) are forming partnerships, developing new products and finding ways to share risk with the private sector to correct flaws in the housing system.

Over a third of appraisals during the third quarter featured property quality or condition ratings that did not match previous ratings, according to an Oct. 19 report from Platinum Data Solutions.

Ginnie Mae's limited resources are going to be focused on working with its existing issuers, especially those that are not creating new securities, according to its president.

Next year Fannie will require that mortgage lenders use so-called trended credit data for all mortgage borrowers, a move it says could broaden access to credit.

The White House is pushing back on suggestions that it will cut a deal to recapitalize Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac before the end of President Obama’s term, putting the pressure back on Congress for a solution.

The White House is preparing to push back on the flurry of hedge fund speculation that it may change course on policies that have kept Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under government control since the financial crisis.

The servicing industry is also facing higher capital requirements under the Basel III accord that are being phased in.

Quicken Loans is partnering with Freddie Mac to boost business among first-time and middle-income borrowers as it battles allegations over its past underwriting practices on Federal Housing Administration-backed mortgages.

Ditech Financial is tapping the securitization market to fund advances of principal and interest payments to mortgage bondholders.

Average fixed mortgage rates perked up the week ending Oct. 15, but remained under the 4% level for the 12th consecutive week.

Ditech Financial, a nonbank lender in Fort Washington, Pa., is the latest lender to bring back the piggyback mortgage by offering a closed-end home equity loan product.

The outlook for originations, and regulators' priorities for 2016, will dominate discussions throughout the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention in San Diego next week. Earmark these eight hot topics and features to seek out at the show.

California priced $446 million in veterans' general obligation bonds last week in a combined refunding/new money sale.

"How's TRID going with you?" is sure to be the most-asked question at the Mortgage Bankers Association's Annual Convention, but fair lending compliance and the Qualified Residential Mortgage rule are among the key market developments that will dominate conversations.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced this week a revised selling representation and warranty framework at the direction of their regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

A weak jobs report was enough to send mortgage rates into a downward spiral, according to Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey for the week ending Oct. 8.

By using data from both post-closing and prefunding quality control reviews, lenders can craft a more proactive prefunding QC strategy that takes into account high-risk areas that are specific to their businesses.

A lender backed by private equity firm Lone Star Funds is under scrutiny by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman amid union allegations it may be using predatory practices in its mortgage business.