GSEs

Home retention actions for loans owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac declined in the fourth quarter and that trend is likely to continue given the strong economy.

At $230 million, GSMBST 2019-PJ1 is notably smaller than recent transactions from JPMorgan and Redwood Trust; borrowers also have less equity in their homes.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency in recent years has required Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to contribute to the funds every March, but has yet to make a 2019 request. Housing groups see the delay as a troubling sign.

If mortgage rates fall below 4%, it could more than double the dollar volume of agency mortgages exposed to refinancing incentive, analysts at Keefe, Bruyette & Woods found.

Starting March 26, Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo will hold two days of hearings on his plan for returning Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to private ownership.

In the second lawsuit of its kind, more than a dozen of the world's largest banks are accused of price fixing on roughly $486 billion of bonds issued by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Freddie Mac reduced its 2019 origination projection in its latest monthly forecast, but strong coinciding housing numbers could suggest a future upward revision.

David Brickman will take the helm of the mortgage giant at a time of transformation in the mortgage market and housing finance policy.

The Senate Banking Committee will hold two hearings at the end of March on Chairman Mike Crapo’s most recent framework for housing finance reform.

Commercial and multifamily mortgage debt outstanding grew 6.8% in 2018, benefiting from strong employment numbers and strained inventory, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

In remarks to credit unions, the Senate Banking Committee Chairman said that fixing the government-sponsored enterprises and data security were priorities.

Mortgage lenders are optimistic about their business prospects during this spring's home purchase season even with the negative sentiments about demand in the previous three months, Fannie Mae said.

The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association approved changes to its good delivery guidelines that ease the path to the government-sponsored enterprises issuing uniform mortgage-backed securities starting on June 3.

Agency mortgage-backed security prepayment speeds increased in February with much of the refinance activity coming from newer loans and those with high coupons, a report from Keefe, Bruyette & Woods said.

Mark Calabria, who could be confirmed as early as this month, is expected to focus on changes to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s conservatorships to let the mortgage giants keep more of their profits.

Freddie Mac is broadly offering instant representation and warranty relief for automatically validated self-employment income following a test of the concept last year.

Berkadia, a joint venture run by Berkshire Hathaway and Jefferies Financial Group, is acquiring real estate capital advisory firm Central Park Capital Partners to diversify its capital sources.

Freddie Mac closed its fifth LIHTC fund since 2018 and will make three investments in affordable housing through a partnership with National Equity Fund.

Arch Capital Group named Michael Schmeiser president and CEO of its U.S. mortgage insurance business as the former head moved up the corporate ladder.

Whether through greater investments in technology and talent, or streamlining back-end processes to improve the decision-making process, mortgage servicers are doing more to prioritize borrowers. Here's a look at seven of these borrower-focused initiatives and how they're reshaping mortgage servicing.