GSEs

Purchases of previously owned homes unexpectedly rose in July to the highest level since February 2007, consistent with further strength in the housing market.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency on Wednesday officially increased the target for loans purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that benefit affordable housing, but the uptick is not satisfying housing advocates.

Mortgage lending to low-income families could increase slightly under a plan by Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt.

Fannie Mae has closed a credit risk-sharing transaction, with an international reinsurance company participating in this type of deal for the first time.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's decisions to make their automated underwriting systems free to use will feed more data to the GSEs, but do little to better serve lenders and borrowers.

New-home construction climbed in July to the highest level in almost eight years, indicating the industry will pick up in the second half of the year.

Confidence among homebuilders climbed in August to the highest level in almost a decade, indicating the residential real estate market is making strides.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have a regulatory mandate to shrink. But that's easier said than done, given the GSEs' outsized presence in the mortgage industry, as their latest quarterly results show.

Ginnie Mae guaranteed $47.1 billion of mortgage-backed securities in July, setting a monthly record.

Four more Federal Home Loan Banks have won regulatory approval to participate in a program that allows member institutions to sell jumbo mortgage loans through a conduit to Redwood Trust.

Freddie Mac has begun an auction of delinquent nonperforming loans serviced by Ocwen Financial.

It was a small deal — about 220 U.S. home loans packaged into a $72 million bond offering — but it's looking like a post-crisis milestone.

Banks that sold faulty mortgage-backed securities right before the crisis have suffered a string of legal defeats over the timing of government lawsuits, but some experts believe the industry may still have a shot in the Supreme Court.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is expected to issue a proposal soon that would require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to purchase manufactured housing loans from lenders.

Jones Lang LaSalle in Chicago has agreed to acquire Oak Grove Commercial Mortgage, to expand its debt-finance offerings.

Homeownership is out of reach for too many Americans. The next president could change that with a few simple policies aimed at encouraging private capital to invest in residential mortgages.

Consumers' growing confidence about their ability to qualify for a mortgage is generating more foot traffic, sales orders and loan volume for some of the nation's largest homebuilders.

Refinance application volume for the week ended Aug. 7 reached its highest level since the end of May, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Farmer Mac reported a higher second-quarter profit, citing an increase in the value of financial derivatives and hedged assets.

Freddie Mac has appointed Arbor Commercial Mortgage as its latest seniors housing lender, the Uniondale, N.Y.-based mortgage company said Monday.