GSEs

Some topics of conversation for mortgage originators to discuss with their real estate referral partners.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac updated their representation and warranties frameworks in a move designed to encourage mortgage lenders to ease credit restrictions by limiting repurchase requirements.

The average rate for the 30-year mortgage dropped below 4% compared with the previous week, according to a report by Freddie Mac.

An automated consumer training technology aims to mitigate compliance risk in loans outside qualified mortgage standards for liability protection.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's new low down payment loans products may not represent such a risk to the Federal Housing Administration program as some have feared.

Fannie Mae priced its final risk-sharing offering for this year of Connecticut Avenue Securities bonds for $1.45 billion.

Only eleven months after cheering Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Melvin Watt's confirmation, Senate Democrats are fed up with the pace of reforms at the agency.

MountainView Servicing Group will serve as an advisor in the sale of a $1.2 billion Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage servicing rights portfolio.

Going from 5% to 3% may seem like a small difference, but depending on the details, it could mean thousands of new buyers into the market.

The U.S. Treasury and the federal overseer for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should consider ending government control of the two companies if Congress fails to reform the housing-finance system, Sen. Tim Johnson said.

Groundbreaking for single-family homes climbed in October and permits for all future projects reached a six-year high to signal construction will add to economic growth in early 2015.

Confidence among homebuilders rebounded in November as low interest rates and a strengthening job market helped boost sales.

Because the FHFA drew down vast amounts of taxpayer funds to "pay" for accounting provisions that would later be reversed, the GSEs remained saddled with in senior preferred stock that paid a dividend rate of 10%, until that rate was revised upward.

A report due next week on the Federal Housing Administration's financial health is expected to show that the agency's reserve fund has significantly improved over the past year.

Mel Watt, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, has set off a political tempest.

Fannie Mae has entered into deals with JPMorgan Chase and other companies that transfer some of the credit-loss risk on mortgage-backed securities to investors. Not only do these deals reduce the danger that taxpayers could be forced to cover the GSEs losses, they may help make mortgages more affordable.

Republicans are unlikely to push the ball forward on reform of the federal housing agencies, but Congress has a number of other opportunities to make changes that will encourage mortgage lending.

Mortgage rates fell slightly compared to last week, according to Freddie Mac.

Applications for new home purchases picked up in October, particularly for higher-priced properties, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Regulators are preparing rules to curb financial risks of expanding nonbank mortgage companies after investigating homeowner complaints that include improper foreclosures and unauthorized fees.