John Bell, executive director of the VA Loan Guaranty Service, spends much of his time now monitoring the impact on VA borrowers from the National Association of Realtors’ landmark antitrust settlement.

After sweeping Republican victories in elections this week, questions arise over who will lead the FHA, Ginnie Mae and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Currently, if an individual loan in a Ginnie Mae pool has a defect, the entire pool is ineligible for sale, limiting an issuer’s options to transfer servicing rights.

Mortgage servicers and agency officials speaking at the Mortgage Bankers Association’s recent annual convention shared their experiences implementing the new VASP loss-mitigation program.

Three researchers at the Urban Institute’s Housing Finance Policy Center believe a zero-downpayment FHA loan would be the most cost-effective way to expand first-time homeownership.

FHA and Ginnie Mae officials are working to ensure HECMs are available by implementing various reforms.

Chairs of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs lose re-election bids; HUD announces sale of residential loans on non-vacant properties; FHA issues standards for flood risk management tied to minimum property standards; FHA appraisal data added to Uniform Appraisal Dataset.

Ginnie Mae is considering allowing issuers to sell mortgage servicing rights at a sub-pool level.

Issuers that show strong results from MSR hedging will receive relief from pending capital requirements. The Community Home Lenders of America said the relief will reduce risks to issuers and Ginnie.

Plenty of non-QMs are for sale as the year draws to a close, including a $211 million package of mortgages with an average yield of 8.024%.