Fannie Mae

After bottoming out at a 10-year low in April, consumer sentiment for home buying rebounded in May, according to Fannie Mae.

Self-service portals fielded at least half of coronavirus-related forbearance-plan requests and made it possible to handle an influx at a challenging time, but the GSEs recommend circling back to borrowers.

The FHFA looks to shed light on the amount of funds Fannie and Freddie will need to hold for their risk-sharing deals.

The firm also predicts that the coronavirus pandemic will delay the GSEs' release from government control.

Coronavirus-related mortgages in forbearance grew 10 basis points between May 18 and May 24, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Aggregate numbers for coronavirus-related payment suspensions are showing more consistency as organizations clarify how they handle them, and some consumers' incentives to use them may be declining.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have different timelines for the switch.

The company will still offer the product it is most known for, Point.

Forecasts about the pandemic's impact on the mortgage market have grown less dire after forbearance requests by homeowners nearly leveled off in the first half of May.

Coronavirus-related mortgages in forbearance grew 20 basis points between May 11 and May 17, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have relaunched existing websites to provide COVID-19 tools to borrowers and servicers.

Some observers wonder if proposed regulatory targets for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will stoke concerns about low shareholder returns. But others suggest those fears are unfounded.

Not only is FHFA Director Mark Calabria preparing the GSEs to raise capital, but he must also help them decide just what they are selling to private investors in the way of equity returns and risk.

The much-anticipated proposal, which would not go into effect until after Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are privatized, reflects Director Mark Calabria’s aggressive efforts to get the companies on a strong financial footing.

Director Mark Calabria, who abandoned the Fannie and Freddie capital proposal written by his predecessor, said he expects a revised framework to be ready “very soon.”

The Federal Housing Finance Agency clarified that borrowers with Fannie Mae- or Freddie Mac-backed mortgages who have entered into forbearance plans can be eligible for a refi or new purchase once they are considered “current” on their mortgage.

The two mortgage giants said they would begin the process of hiring outside firms to help raise capital that will be needed to exit conservatorship.

Total forbearance driven by the coronavirus rose by 25 basis points, which suggests it is still growing but at a slowing pace, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Ginnie Mae is offering temporary relief related to its acceptable delinquency-rate threshold in response to issuers' need to fulfill the forbearance requirements in the coronavirus rescue package.

The economic contraction will keep mortgage rates low for the foreseeable future.