“While this flexible approach is generally beneficial for lenders and consumers, it does produce some uncertainty over what will be considered ‘good faith’ or ‘material,’” according to attorneys at the law firm of Buckley Sandler.

An estimated 69.5 percent of third-quarter mortgage originations were funneled into securities, according to affiliated publication Inside MBS & ABS.

Certain temporary modifications have been made to allow lenders to submit demographic information if the currently available fields in the system match the data submitted. Otherwise, just leave the fields blank, according to the FHA.

Correspondents, which account for a large percentage of government-insured lending, saw their share grow in 2017 even as retail went through a production slump, according to an analysis by Inside FHA/ VA Lending.

Ginnie Mae’s latest efforts to rein in serial VA refinancing and rapid prepayments in mortgage-backed securities pools augur additional changes to pooling and refi requirements at Ginnie and the Department of Veterans Affairs, analysts said.

The Department of Housing and Urban Affairs plans to act on two new rules in 2018 relating to allowable fees and charges on VA loans as well as the type of loans that are “qualified mortgages.”

FHFA's Mel Watt: "While it is apparent that a draw will be necessary for each enterprise if tax legislation results in a reduction to the corporate tax rate, FHFA considers the $3 billion capital reserve sufficient to cover other fluctuations in income in the normal course of each Enterprise’s business.”

Mel Watt continued: “We, therefore, contemplate that going forward enterprise dividends will be declared and paid beyond the $3 billion capital reserve in the absence of exigent circumstances.”

Beginning in tax year 2018, a deduction won’t be allowed for interest paid on home-equity loans unless proceeds from the loan are used to improve the residence…