The second whole-loan securities risk-transfer transaction from Freddie Mac received a rating from Moody’s Investors Service. The rating service said the $634.64 million deal included a number of improvements compared with non-agency MBS, which have a similar structure. Much like non-agency MBS, the deal was backed by mortgages and included senior and subor-dinate tranches available for purchase by investors. The M1 tranche of FWLS 2015-SC02 ...

In the same blog post, Hsieh – who did not talk to the press about the scuttled IPO – described loanDepot as a “unicorn startup,” calling it “one of the very few success stories not from Silicon Valley.

After launching pilot programs in Detroit last year and Chicago earlier this year, the Federal Housing Finance Agency recently announced that it is significantly expanding its foreclosure prevention initiative by adding 18 new markets. The Neighborhood Stabilization Initiative gives community organizations the first opportunity to buy foreclosed properties from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Beginning in December, NSI will grow to the 20 markets that suffered the most from the housing crisis. Each GSE had at least 100 real-estate-owned properties valued at less than $75,000 in each of those markets. The goal of the program is to help stabilize neighborhoods by letting local community organizations get an exclusive first look...

The hedging effects of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac – including instruments bought to protect the value of agency MBS – had different results in the third quarter as interest rates unexpectedly declined and stayed low for several weeks. Overall, Fannie booked $2.6 billion of negative charges against the value of its derivatives in the third quarter, while Freddie booked a much larger charge on its hedging activities: $4.2 billion. The differential did not pass without notice, especially since earlier this month Fannie reported a companywide profit of $2.0 billion and Freddie spilled red ink of $475 million. Even Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt chimed in on Freddie’s loss, a rarity for the regulator who usually only issues statements when he has to.

FHFA Seeking Comments on Borrower Survey. The Federal Finance Housing Agency is seeking public comments concerning the information collection known as the “National Survey of Existing Mortgage Borrowers” (NSEMB). The NSEMB will be a periodic, voluntary survey of individuals who currently have a first mortgage loan secured by single-family residential property and will consist of about 80 to 85 questions. The comment period ends Jan. 11. SIFMA Supports Nomura’s Appeal in FHFA Case. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association recently filed an amicus brief in support of the defendants to reverse a case in which the Federal Housing Finance Agency argued that Nomura Holdings sold shoddy mortgage-backed securities to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

An estimated 32.5 percent freefall in refi originations during 3Q had a much bigger impact on the conventional market than on government-insured lending.

Interest rates are rising and that means more MSR packages are likely to hit the market.

Quite a few executives believe the central bank should move forward with a “one and done” strategy and be done with it...

The bottom fell out of the mortgage-refinance market in the third quarter of 2015, and not even a historic surge in purchase-money lending could pick up the slack, according to a new Inside Mortgage Finance analysis and ranking. An estimated 32.5 percent freefall in refi originations during the third quarter had a much bigger impact on the conventional market than on government-insured lending. Conventional-conforming mortgage production fell ... [Includes two data charts]

In a past audit, the OIG criticized the FHFA for lacking a “sufficient number of examiners.” In the new budget, the FHFA plans to increase its examinations head count to 275 from 248 in FY 2015.