Mortgage closings moved out of the office years ago to places more convenient for borrowers. Now, technology allows closing to occur without all the parties being present in the same place. United Wholesale Mortgage claims to be the first lender to have completed a “virtual e-closing” with a refinance that closed at the end of July. The lender allowed the borrowers and notary to use webcam technology and electronically sign all of the closing documents. Previously, lenders offering e-closings have required some in-person contact with a notary to e-sign closing documents. “This ultimately eliminates...
Mortgage industry groups cannot seem to agree on whether there should be more than two guarantors of conventional mortgage-backed securities once Congress and the White House figure out what to do with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The Mortgage Bankers Association firmly supports multiple guarantors, arguing that more competition is better. But groups representing smaller lenders worry about the burden of maintaining relationships with many secondary-market outlets and the potential for an uneven playing field. David Stevens, president and CEO of the MBA, said...
If the $10.4 billion figure proves accurate it will result in another hefty dividend payment by Fannie and Freddie to the holder of its senior preferred stock: the U.S. Treasury.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are well aware of the issue and have leeway to replace LIBOR with another benchmark when the time comes, industry officials said.
Although Fannie and Freddie continue to earn money hand over fist, their common shares are probably worth just $1 a piece, according to a new research report…