Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro has named one of his senior advisors, Ed Golding, as principal deputy assistant secretary temporarily in charge of HUD’s Office of Housing and the FHA. Golding is currently with the Office of Policy Development & Research and will assume his new post April 7. His appointment, however, has raised a few eyebrows on Capitol Hill because it had not gone through formal Senate confirmation, which some lawmakers say could get HUD in hot water. Golding, a former senior economist at Freddie Mac, is replacing...

The percentage of FHA borrowers refinancing their mortgage into another government loan has fallen through the floor the past two years, with all indications pointing to a rule change that prevents mortgage insurance from being cancelled over the life of the loan. Of course, increases in premiums haven’t helped either, but thanks to a January reduction in the annual FHA premium of 50 basis points, at least some of that business is coming back to the agency. “The life-of-the-loan issue is...

Most analysts are confident that private mortgage insurance companies will not see their ratings downgraded due to increased competition from the FHA as well as new capital requirements for private MIs proposed by the Federal Housing Finance Agency. But Zacks Investment Research, a research firm that ranks and rates investment products for investors, went against the grain and downgraded MGIC Investment Corp. by two notches due exactly to those reasons. While private MIs have been gaining market share in the last couple of years, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corp. and its business competitors will find...

In efforts to expand mortgage access and get more homeowners in the door, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro said the FHA is looking into alternative credit scoring models. Speaking at a credit access symposium at the National Association of Realtors this week in Washington, DC, Castro said, “We want to make it more affordable, realistic and more feasible for folks to become homeowners.” He acknowledged...

Residential originations for the group fell 45.7 percent from 2013, indicating that profit margins shrank slightly more than production volume.

Some 16 single-borrower SFR rental deals have been issued since the market came to life in November 2013.

The Prestwick Group is selling a Fannie/Freddie $167 million bulk deal with a monthly flow component of $15 million to $20 million.

According to a March forecast, Fannie Mae estimates that $1.239 trillion of residential loans will be funded this year.

An outside public relations representative for RoundPoint said the company does not comment on M&A rumors.

Former Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd testified Tuesday in a civil trial over losses the GSE suffered on nonprime MBS...