Refinance

The mortgage giants were criticized earlier this month for a plan to charge an "adverse market fee" to protect against losses resulting from the pandemic.

Lenders initially won't be able to pass on the cost of the Federal Housing Finance Agency's "adverse market fee" to borrowers whose rates on GSE-backed mortgages and refinances are already locked in.

The higher charge on mortgages refinanced through Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is supposed to cushion against a crisis but could contribute to one as the fees are passed on to struggling consumers.

With mortgage rates tumbling near 3% in the second quarter, refinance originations spiked 400% in some housing markets, pushing overall volume to its highest point since 2009, according to Attom Data Solutions.

Mortgage applications decreased 3.3% from one week earlier, but purchase activity momentum persisted with home sales remaining a bright spot in the economic recovery, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Dana Wade, a former OMB official, says a strong capital footing will help the Federal Housing Administration weather an uptick in delinquencies and ensure the mortgage market is viable once the economy recovers.

Both refinancings and purchases will be stronger than what Fannie Mae had previously forecast.

Its stock price, which slid since day two of trading, opened 10% on the earnings news.

The FHFA director’s move this week to impose an “adverse market fee” of 0.5% on most refinanced mortgages will shift billions out of the hands of American consumers and into the hands of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — and their private shareholders.

But the 30-year fixed remains below 3%, which should continue to support increased demand.