HUD eliminated the standard 30-year, fixed-rate HECM in April because the default rate on the loans was about four times that of a non-HECM regular mortgage.
Paul Rozo, CEO of Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, said his companys application volume is down roughly 20 percent since rates jumped a few months back, but some of his competitors are seeing declines of up to 50 percent.
FHFA has been analyzing approaches for reducing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits across the country, "and any such change would be announced with adequate advance notice for implementation on January 1, 2014" the regulator said.
Thomas Hoenig, vice chairman of the FDIC, said he is particularly interested in exploring the downpayment issue further. Securities investors are also likely to push for downpayment requirements for QRMs.
In May, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-FL, flagged the disturbing consumer credit reporting practice of lumping a short sale within the same industry code as a foreclosure in consumer credit reports.