GSEs

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York is streamlining its Ginnie Mae holdings by combining mortgage-backed securities with similar characteristics into larger pass-through instruments.

The six private mortgage insurers had a great year as they continued to grab market share from the Federal Housing Administration. Despite some headwinds, 2019 is shaping up to be another good year.

From FICOs to purchase volume, here's a look at seven mortgage lending trends that will shape the housing market this year.

The administration is sending conflicting signals on whether it has a plan to overhaul the housing finance system, further complicating an already complex debate.

Refinance volume slipped following growth in mortgage rates, and loans refinanced through the Home Affordable Housing Program barely made a dent in overall volume, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

The government-sponsored enterprises are going through a transition period. From proposals for rebuilding their capital cushions to tackling shortages in affordable housing, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac face a number of key challenges with wide-ranging consequences this year.

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-Mo., told the mortgage giants' chief federal regulator that the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s new model for estimating loan losses could pose risk across the mortgage market.

Industry observers will be closely monitoring Mark Calabria's testimony before the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday for hints about how the Trump administration plans to proceed on mortgage finance reform.

Recent developments give the impression that the administration and lawmakers are in direct competition, but the ultimate framework may rely on coordination from both branches of government.

Absent some policy change, nearly a third of the loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could be in violation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Qualified Mortgage rule in two years.

Despite the release of Senate Banking Committee Chairman Mike Crapo's outline of a government-sponsored enterprise reform plan, most policy changes will likely come from the White House, and may even materialize this year, said Keefe, Bruyette & Woods.

As policymakers consider administrative reforms to Fannie and Freddie, they must address the problem of capital arbitrage to avoid overleveraging the mortgage system.

China Oceanwide's acquisition of Genworth has been postponed until March, prolonging uncertainty about the fate of the acquired company's U.S. private mortgage insurance unit that could be resolved by the deal.

Mortgage originations for the next two years will be higher than previously expected as lower interest rates at the end of 2018 will lead to more refinance volume, Freddie Mac said.

While Fannie Mae's multifamily origination volume took a step back from 2017's record high of $67 billion, its delegated underwriting and servicing program provided $65 billion in financing in 2018, led by Wells Fargo.

While the London interbank offered rate won't go dark until 2021, the commercial real estate finance industry should start preparing for the transition now, says the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Redwood Trust has exercised its option to expand its minority stake in 5 Arches to 100%, increasing Redwood's exposure to loans used for house flipping and other types of residential investment.

Timothy Mayopoulos is back in the mortgage industry, becoming the new president of the digital mortgage technology developer Blend, months after leaving his post as Fannie Mae’s CEO.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shares soared Friday amid fresh reports that the Trump administration is working on proposal that would recommend freeing the mortgage-finance giants from government control.

The Milken Institute's plan to address the housing finance system proposes a number of measures that could be carried out by regulators, after years of stalled legislative attempts.