JPMorgan Chases settlement with the Federal Housing Finance Agency regarding representation and warranty claims on non-agency mortgage-backed securities could prompt large settlements by other banks, according to industry analysts. Chase agreed last week to pay $4.0 billion to settle claims on $33.8 billion of non-agency MBS purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The securities were issued between 2004 and 2007 by Chase, Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual. The settlement sets a relatively high bar for ...
Lenders are urging federal regulators to conform the definition for qualified residential mortgages with the qualified mortgage standards established by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. While regulators suggested that stricter standards for QRMs would prompt securitizations of non-QRMs, lenders warn that such standards would be onerous and likely significantly reduce non-agency mortgage originations and securitization. The Dodd-Frank Act requires federal regulators to establish risk-retention ...
FY 2013 Actuarial Report to Congress on the State of the MMIF Delayed. Release of the FY 2013 actuarial audit of the FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund will be delayed because of the recent government shutdown, according to a government source. No other details were provided. The FHA recently notified Congress that it would seek a mandatory appropriation of approximately $1.7 billion to bolster its capital reserves for expected future losses. FHA officials said the draw does not suggest anything dire but is simply a matter of ...
During a Q&A session at the convention, MBS co-inventor Lew Ranieri said there is no viable alternative to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, noting that if the two disappear banks will not rush to put 30-year fixed rate loans on their books.
Early Thursday, EverBank disclosed that it is selling $13.4 billion of Ginnie Mae servicing rights, while transferring $6.9 billion in subservicing to Walter Investment Management Corp.
In a sign that Senate leaders are continuing their work on comprehensive housing finance reform, representatives of the mortgage lending industry were given an opportunity this week to opine on the exact features such a package should have, and they took full advantage of it. Gary Thomas, president of the National Association of Realtors, speaking before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, offered a bakers dozen of specific proposals for elements of a future finance system, including an efficient and adequately regulated secondary market, which he said is essential to providing affordable mortgages to consumers. Also, the government-sponsored enterprise system with private profits and taxpayer loss must be replaced...