A bipartisan group of senators is urging Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt not to take any steps that could possibly lead to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac being released from conservatorship. Their letter sent last week is one of several in the past two months that Watt has received from various groups reiterating their positions on housing finance reform. Senate Republicans Bob Corker (TN), Mike Crapo (ID) and Dean Heller (NV), along with Democrats Mark Warner (VA), Heidi Heitkamp (ND) and Jon Tester (MT), emphasized the need for comprehensive reform legislation over “any unilateral action” by the administration. “That is why Congress included a provision in the 2016 omnibus legislation which restricted the release of Treasury’s shares in the government-sponsored enterprises,” they wrote. “The passage of this provision reasserted the desire of Congress to have a say in determining the fate of Fannie and Freddie.” But the lawmakers acknowledged...

Florida and New Jersey lead the way in having the most borrowers who are likely eligible to take advantage of the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s principal modification program, according to a new map the agency released this week. The FHFA introduced the one-time loan modification program in April focusing on a highly targeted group of underwater borrowers. It is limited to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans that were seriously delinquent as of March 31, had remaining loan amounts of less than $250,000, and unpaid debt, including arrearages, exceeding 115 percent of the current market value of the home. The interactive map focuses...

One mortgage insurance lobbyist added: “Fannie and Freddie really don’t want to cut fees. It would hurt their earnings. It’s hard to imagine them doing anything right now that would reduce revenues.”

The pending deal from Chase will include 4,122 mortgages, according to a due diligence review by Opus Capital Markets Consultants…

With the presidential election underway, many Americans are beginning to analyze and critique the candidate’s various policies – including their views on housing and finance.

Should the industry be concerned if the borrower finds out about LLPAs?

Although commercial banks are making money hand-over-first these days, that doesn’t mean national bank regulators shouldn’t worry.

The surge in California business helped boost the national broker share to 12.5 percent of GSE volume during the second quarter…

Recently, several trade groups and community organizations have called on Watt to allow Fannie and Freddie to rebuild their capital buffers ...

A mortgage industry group wants to turn the TRID disclosure tables back on the regulators and reveal to homebuyers all the fees – including those imposed by the government – they have to pay for their home purchases, and not just those generated by the industry. The mortgage broker organization known as NAMB – The Association of Mortgage Professionals wants the CFPB and the Federal Housing Finance Agency to further clarify the TILA/RESPA Integrated Disclosure Rule by including a new line item that clearly states the “hidden” guarantee-fees and loan- level price adjustments from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. [However, it should be noted that the FHFA has no authorities under the Truth in Lending Act nor the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act.] ...