The House has passed a bill that would require VA to update the guidance and regulations of its home loan program, especially around appraisals.

The Mortgage Bankers Association has recommended changes to FHA’s plans to modify the 203(k) Rehabilitation Mortgage Insurance Program.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development said it is exploring ways to boost greater access to mortgage credit for homebuyers seeking smaller mortgage loans.

FHA pauses integration of Catalyst Electronic Appraisal Delivery module; VA sends proposed rule to OMB; House committee introduces bill to strengthen the Community Reinvestment Act; VA Financial Management System will be unavailable Oct. 1 to Oct. 5; Ginnie Mae to hold modernization outreach call; MBA survey shows uptick in government loan share of weekly mortgage applications.

Following a boom in buyout activity of FHA and VA loans from Ginnie Mae pools in the first 18 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, loan removals continue to decline. (Includes data chart.)

The government guarantor is trying to get more sophisticated in the way it evaluates issuers, and that’s a good thing, according to former Ginnie Mae President Ted Tozer.

Ginnie Mae President Alanna McCargo wants to bring banks back as issuers to add more diversity to its portfolio.

The trade group is backing a three-step loss-mitigation waterfall suggested by a former Ginnie president that would not require an actual buyout of the loan or an increase in the note rate.

Administrators are promising technical system upgrades and bolstering industry cooperation through the Mortgage Industry Standards Maintenance Organization.

Documentation on student loan debt forgiveness will be a key factor in the underwriting process for homebuyers benefiting from the recently announced debt relief program.