FHFA and HUD have teamed up to initiate a formal request for reconsideration of value for borrowers and sellers who believe their appraised value is undocumented or biased.
A proposal from Freddie Mac to acquire second liens prompted immediate reactions. The GSE rebuts claims that its plan represents “mission creep” or that it would interfere with the existing securitization market for closed-end seconds.
Critics argue the new second mortgage program is another attempt by Freddie Mac to expand its footprint. But GSE insiders say it’s already allowed under its charter.
Statements by President Biden indicate that, if he is re-elected, reducing housing costs will be a priority for the administration. If Trump returns, the regulatory environment is likely to be accommodative for lenders.
Don Layton applauded FHFA’s plans to reform the FHLBanks, arguing that it will take strong, independent supervision to prevent them from exploiting their government subsidy for private gain.
The FHLBanks, like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have a public/private structure that can incentivize private profits at public cost. Don Layton, former Freddie CEO, said the banks are ripe for reform.
Ed DeMarco, the former acting director of the FHFA, was among a handful of panelists at the SFVegas conference this week who called for more standardization in the non-agency MBS market.
The Federal Reserve published a hypothetical economic collapse for banks to use in their annual stress test this year. The same scenario might be used by FHFA for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.