Stone Point Capital, which seems to have an insatiable appetite for mortgage-related assets, has added due diligence provider American Mortgage Consultants to its growing stable of companies.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac cleared another hurdle in their efforts to expand the investor base for their mainstay credit-risk transfer programs when a leading Wall Street group said it saw no problems with a plan to structure future CRT issues as real estate mortgage investment conduits.

With relatively strong demand from investors for prime non-agency MBS, issuers are starting to break the mold that was established after the financial crisis. Areas of experimentation include due diligence sampling, an emphasis on loans eligible for sale to the government-sponsored enterprises and specifically tailored transactions.

The non-agency MBS market is starting to look more like it did before the financial collapse of 2008, although still a much slimmer version of its former self. [Includes three data charts.]

The American Federation of Teachers has threatened to end a mortgage partnership with Wells Fargo unless the bank stops providing support and financial services to the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers.

Home-price increases continued uninterrupted in early 2018 despite predictions by some industry analysts that tax reform enacted in December could have a negative impact on the housing market. Analysts add that the full impact of tax reform has yet to play out, though early returns look promising.

With GSE reform all but dead, rumors about possible administrative changes abound...

Pershing Square Holdings, one of the largest speculators in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac common stock, is doubling down on its investment in the two government-sponsored enterprises by taking a different tack: Instead of increasing its positions in the common, it’s been buying up the junior preferred as well.

At his first appearance before Congress as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Mick Mulvaney restated his desire to reform the agency, while defending his leadership from Democrats’ harsh accusations that he is undermining the bureau.

Fannie Mae last month tweaked its underwriting system to account for the greater risk in loans with high debt-to-income ratios.