FHFA Director Sandra Thompson said the first test of its recently instituted new products rule went well, despite the relatively short timelines. But critics of Freddie’s new pilot also asked the agency to find ways to stretch out the opportunity to comment.

Researchers say strategic securitization by lenders exposes the GSEs to higher insurer counterparty risk, especially in regions with frequent climate-related disasters. The proposed cure: LLPAs and capital rules that compensate the GSEs for this risk.

Naa Awaa Tagoe, deputy director for housing mission and goals at FHFA, waded through some of the agency’s most recent controversies at the MBA’s secondary market conference.

Many trade groups denounced Freddie’s plan to buy second liens, saying key details were lacking. There are also concerns that Freddie’s effort will simply cannibalize an otherwise healthy and liquid non-agency market for second liens.

Fannie and Freddie boast about their downpayment assistance and consumer education programs, key initiatives to help first-time homebuyers in a high-interest-rate, low-supply market.

The capital markets teams at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac tweaked their product offerings in May.

High delinquency rates in the GSEs’ senior housing portfolios suggest that the sector still hasn’t recovered from the panic created by the pandemic. High interest rates and inflation haven’t helped.

Mortgage deliveries to the mortgage-backed securities platforms of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac rose in April, but credit trends suggest these were seasonal increases rather than a start of a new trend. (Includes two data tables.)

Even though Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac maintained healthy profits in a tough market in the first quarter, their capital shortfalls under the ERCF remained absurdly high. (Includes data table.)

Although some non-agency players may see Freddie’s plan to purchase closed-end seconds as competition, many lenders see a way to create more liquidity in the sector.