Freddie Mac and Common Securitization Solutions remain on track for the first stage of the ambitious Single Security to be implemented next year, according to officials speaking at this week’s secondary market conference sponsored by the Mortgage Bankers Association. David Applegate, CEO of CSS – the joint venture owned by the two government-sponsored enterprises that is building the common securitization platform – also said the project is on target to reach the second stage sometime in 2018. That’s when Fannie Mae will switch its to-be-announced business to the CSP and begin issuing Single Securities that will be fully interchangeable with Freddie Single Securities. Renee Schultz, senior vice president of capital markets at Fannie, said...

First-time buyers tend to target homes with lower prices, which have been in particularly short supply recently.

Activity in the Home Affordable Refinance Program continued to dwindle in the first quarter of 2016 as the post-housing crisis initiative winds down before expiring at the end of the year. HARP refinances fell to just 19,989 in the first quarter, down 5.2 percent from the previous period and off 36.8 percent from a year ago, according to a new Federal Housing Finance Agency report. While both government-sponsored enterprises saw a decline in volume, Freddie Mac volume was...[Includes one data table]

Helpful CFPB mortgage audit tip: Set aside a parking space for the visiting CFPB examiner(s) that says, “Welcome, CFPB…”

A group of investors pushed back against suggestions that so-called private capital won’t return to the market for new non-agency mortgage-backed securities. The Association of Mortgage Investors took exception to recent comments by Timothy Mayopoulos, president and CEO of Fannie Mae. He predicted that the non-agency MBS market won’t come back due to significant losses suffered during the financial crisis. However, the AMI said the government-sponsored enterprises are ...

FHA activity was lackluster in the first three months of 2016 as loan originations fell 7.8 percent from the prior quarter, according to Inside FHA/VA Lending’s analysis of agency data. The weak first-quarter production of $53.5 billion appeared to continue a trend from 2015, which saw the fourth quarter close with $58.1 billion, down significantly from $73.7 billion in the third quarter. In contrast, FHA originations fared better year-over year. Loan production was up 35.6 percent in the first quarter compared to the same period last year. Purchase lending totaled $36.5 billion in the first three months with overall production trending downward during the period. Borrowers in the 640-679 and 680-719 credit score ranges made up the bulk of new endorsements for January and February, the latest FHA data show. It is unlikely that trend will change even if March endorsements were added. Between all ... [ 2 charts ]

Production of loans with FHA, VA and rural housing guaranties held up a little better than the other sectors, with estimated originations slipping 1.0 percent from the fourth quarter.

Is it time to take another look at GSE servicing fees? A topic is reborn...

Frustrated by inaction on housing finance reform, a dozen conservative organizations led by the National Taxpayers Union called on Congress to begin recapitalizing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The coalition of center-right organizations urged Congress to pass H.R. 4913, the “Housing Finance Restructuring Act of 2016.” They said the Treasury sweep of the government-sponsored enterprises’ profits implemented in 2012 has “jeopardized” the financial system and taxpayers. “If there is one thing this presidential campaign has revealed, it is...

How disruptive were MSR ‘marks’? The nine nonbank lenders tracked by Inside Mortgage Trends reported a combined $510.0 million loss in the first quarter…