Both government-sponsored enterprises are comfortably within the maximum $250.0 billion mortgage portfolios they are permitted to have under the terms of their conservatorship.

Commercial banks and savings institutions added to their holdings of non-mortgage ABS during the second quarter but still play a relatively minor role in the market. [Includes two charts.]

Among the tranches of residential MBS issued this year that received ratings from multiple firms, nearly 40.0 percent of the bonds had so-called split ratings, with different assessments by different rating services.

Guild noted that unlike other low-down payment programs, the 3.0 percent downpayment can be funded by a gift.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency this week stopped Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from financing corporate landlords that buy single-family rental properties – sometimes in bulk – declaring that SFR operators do not need the “liquidity provided by the enterprises.”

The securitization and mortgage banking industries heaved a collective sigh of relief after aMaryland appeals court ruled earlier this month that state licensing requirements do not apply to “foreign” statutory trusts.

The Australian-based Computershare Limited – a behind-the-scenes player worldwide in stock registration and trades – has agreed to purchase LenderLive Network, a mortgage fulfillment and secondary marketing vendor, for an undisclosed sum.

Coworking is playing a more significant role in commercial real estate, posing new challenges to underwriting and valuation standards for the commercial MBS, rating services said.

Borrowers cited “best interest rate” as the reason they went with a particular lender in only 2.0 percent of purchase-mortgage transactions and 6.0 percent of refinances.

“After carefully evaluating market conditions and consumer needs, we are reducing to better align with current volumes,” Wells said.