Fannie Mae said Tuesday that the GSE expects to remain profitable “for the foreseeable future” after posting fourth quarter 2012 earnings of $7.6 billion and annual net income of $17.2 billion, the best quarterly and yearly showing in the company’s history.

The three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit overturned a lower court’s ruling from last summer which determined the FHFA was not acting as conservator but as regulator when the agency halted GSE involvement with PACE programs.

A House Democrat proposes a bill to lower the cap on the Mortgage Interest Deduction. Meanwhile, could Sen. Sherrod Brown succeed Tim Johnson as Senate Banking Committee Chair?

Roughly 270 depositories reported some mortgage buyback activity for 2012 but overall repurchases fell to a four-year low. Is the worst of the problem now over?

Inside MBS & ABS found big gains in the securitization of most commercial property types, including a huge surge in mortgages on hotels and motels.

MBS investing REITs continue to tap the equity market for cash, which means the sector is healthy. Right?

Fannie Mae may be having second thoughts about selling nonperforming loans into the secondary market where cash-rich investors are waiting with bated breath.

The mystery surrounding how much Fannie Mae really earned in the fourth quarter – and full year – could be solved by the end of next week, as the Federal Housing Finance Agency softens its stance toward allowing the GSE to capture at least a portion of its $64 billion valuation allowance for deferred tax assets. Industry officials who claim to have knowledge of the matter said FHFA is actively working with the GSE to resolve the situation. One former Fannie Mae official said it’s likely the agency will allow both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to claim deferred tax assets over several quarters.

Lawmakers of both parties in the House and Senate are talking like they are poised to finally ramp up their efforts to tackle housing finance reform, including disposition of the GSEs, but industry observers are skeptical that members will overcome differences and accomplish anything tangible. Last week, during hearings by the House Financial Services and Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committees, members spoke with more conviction about taking action, but said the devil is in the details. Some Republicans are pushing for a fully private housing finance system, while many Democrats desire some sort of government involvement to support originations of 30-year fixed-rate mortgages.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency is warming up plans to launch a sales blitz for the successful but sun-setting Home Affordable Refinance Program. Last week, while testifying before the House Financial Services Committee, FHFA Acting Director Edward DeMarco said the agency will soon implement a nationwide marketing campaign for HARP “to let borrowers know this is a legitimate program. We want to see more borrowers refinance.”