The strongest mortgage insurers benefit the most if the Federal Housing Finance Agency follows through on recent comments that it is considering expanding use of MI as one of a number of potential risk sharing strategies for the government-sponsored enterprises, according to a recent report by Moody’s Investors Service. Moody’s noted that uncertainty about the role of private MI in a post-GSE environment “remains a key credit concern” for the industry. “If the FHFA opted for an increase in mortgage insurance as a way to share risk, even as the GSE mortgage universe shrinks, the action would likely to be a...

Conforming loan limits will edge lower this weekend and likely have a bigger impact on the FHA market than on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac business, according to a new Inside Mortgage Trends analysis. Starting Oct. 1, the “emergency” conforming limits that were based on 125 percent of area median housing prices will be cranked down to “permanent” limits based on 115 percent of area median prices. That will lower the top high-cost market limit for single-family properties in the lower 48 states from $729,750 to $625,500. In the FHA market, there were some $2.39 billion of home loans exceeding $625,500 originated during...(Includes one data chart)

Former executives of mortgage companies that failed to indemnify the Department of Housing and Urban Development on FHA losses are back in business – and the FHA can’t do a thing about it, according to HUD’s internal watchdog. In a new report, the HUD Office of the Inspector General said it found at least 12 corporate officers back in the business of originating FHA-insured mortgage loans after leaving their previous employers, all of which failed to honor their indemnification agreements with HUD. The seven lenders identified in the OIG audit had lost their FHA approval and are no longer in business. The OIG said...

The supply of MBS in the market edged slightly higher in the second quarter of 2011, appearing to stem a nearly two-year decline in the market, according to a new Inside MBS & ABS analysis. A total of $6.58 trillion of MBS were outstanding at the end of June, up 0.3 percent from the first quarter. The MBS market was still down 1.7 percent from a year ago. All of the growth came from Ginnie Mae and Fannie Mae. The supply of Ginnie single-family MBS rose 4.0 percent in the first quarter, hitting a record $1.12 trillion and extending a vigorous growth trend since the housing market began to unravel in 2007. Ginnie MBS accounted for...(Includes one data chart)

Although the outlines of an expanded Home Affordable Refinance Program are far from clear, MBS analysts say the most likely changes designed to help more borrowers take advantage of record low mortgage rates will not have a disastrous impact on the MBS market. Observers note that there are two ways to expand the potential HARP population: remove the existing chronological restriction (loans made prior to June 2009) or lift the current loan-to-value restriction of 125 percent. The chronological restriction is relevant because a lot of borrowers who have used HARP already could benefit from refinancing again because...

Several states would have seen their FHA dollar volume decline by 10 percent or more in the first half of 2011 had the lower FHA loan limits been in place at the beginning of the year. Connecticut and the District of Columbia would have been the hardest hit with 15 percent and 14 percent drops in their FHA volumes, respectively, over the six-month period, according to Inside FHA Lending’s analysis based on Department of Housing and Urban Development projections. California, which ranked first among states in FHA production, would have experienced a 12 percent drop, followed by Massachusetts with 11 percent. Colorado...(Includes one data chart)

The House this week voted to reject a short-term government spending bill but what’s interesting is what’s not in it: a provision extending the temporary loan limits. While attention is on the possibility of a government shutdown, it appears that a last-ditch effort by the mortgage industry and its allies in Congress to extend the current $729,750 high-cost area loan limit before Sept. 30 has failed. The measure lost by a vote of 195-230 after Democrats withdrew their support and 48 Republicans defied party leaders in protest over spending caps. It would have kept the government operating through...

The FHA is urging Congress to restore the authority of community banks to close FHA loans in their own names without having to maintain an FHA lender approval to do so. While it took a regulation by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to take away small banks’ FHA correspondent status, federal law requires lenders to have FHA approval before they can close an FHA-insured loan. Only Congress can make the changes necessary for non-direct endorsement lenders to return to the business of originating and closing FHA loans in their name, according to a former HUD official. Assistant Secretary for Housing and...

FHA lenders that fail to report mortgage record changes for mortgage sales, transfers and termination of mortgage insurance will be referred to the Mortgage Review Board for disciplinary action, including civil fines, the agency warned. In Mortgagee Letter 2011-33, the FHA reminded lenders of their responsibility to reconcile their portfolios and ensure all accounts are properly identified. When the FHA’s records do not match lenders’ records, the latter are required to take corrective action. The Department of Housing and Urban Development will not pay any claims if the name and identification number of the holder or the...

A House Republican legislative proposal to transfer the Department of Agriculture’s rural housing programs to the FHA to eliminate potentially duplicative housing services would be disruptive if not premature, according to officials from both agencies. Testifying during a recent House subcommittee hearing on a GOP discussion draft to reform FHA, Ginnie Mae and the Rural Housing Service of the Department of Agriculture, agency representatives expressed their opposition to the proposal. The Republican discussion draft is under consideration in the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Insurance, Housing and Economic Opportunity to...