Freddie Mac is ending its foreclosure moratorium in the Gulf Coast areas hit hardest by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but servicers can still extend forbearance on a case-by-case basis for an additional 90 days."The year-old blanket moratorium ends August 31," the secondary-market agency told its servicers and lenders in a bulletin. "Lenders must still obtain Freddie Mac's prior approval before initiating any foreclosure actions and continue to provide relief options before pursuing a foreclosure." While conceding that there is still "much to do" in the Gulf Coast, a Freddie executive said the blanket foreclosure moratorium "helped thousands of borrowers with Freddie-owned loans cope with the financial aftermath of those storms." Freddie Mac can be found online at http://www.freddiemac.com.
