Freddie Mac

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.

Mortgage rates remained generally steady this past week, even with the continuing market volatility, and that is helping the purchase market, according to Freddie Mac.

The agency's announcement came one day after the agency said it would provide borrowers struggling to stay current with an additional payment deferral option.

Homeowners hurt by coronavirus were told they could delay their mortgage payments without facing consequences. Now, some are learning they’re at risk of being shut out of the housing market.

Eligible borrowers can add the forborne payments to the end of their loan term.

The number of mortgages in coronavirus-related forbearance rose by 37 basis points as the unemployment rate soared, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.