Ginnie Setting Stage for Reverse Program

Ginnie Mae has set the stage for the launch of its reverse mortgage securitization program this September with the release of a guide for mortgage-backed securities issuers.The new guide for securitizing Federal Housing Administration-insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgages provides detailed issuer pooling and reporting specifications. "The HECM Mortgage Backed Securities Guide will be an essential source of information for issuers preparing to participate in the HMBS program," said Michael Frenz, executive vice president of Ginnie Mae. A Ginnie Mae HMBS pool must have a minimum outstanding balance of $1 million, and issuers must have a minimum net worth of $500,000, according to the HMBS guide.