Although the Johnson-Crapo housing finance reform bill has little chance of becoming law this year, comments on the legislation submitted to the Treasury Department by the Federal Housing Finance Agency strongly suggest that the current regulator of the government-sponsored enterprises wants its reincarnation to have expanded oversight powers. Industry officials, lobbyists and executives tracking the bill note that if the FHFA has its way, the new Federal Mortgage Insurance Corp. will become a supervisor of nonbanks that originate loans slated for securitization. Currently, the FHFA serves...

The status of housing finance reform legislation has become a topic of open speculation after the leadership of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee announced a last-minute postponement of a markup this week following the submission of some 100 amendments and the continued non-commitment of support by some committee Democrats. Committee Chairman Tim Johnson, D-SD, and Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-ID, announced to a packed committee chamber earlier this week that they would delay consideration of S. 1217 in order to “build a larger coalition of support” for their reform measure. “While we have the votes to report the bill out today, members of the committee have asked...

The TV ad we viewed is so glowing in praise that one might think the GSEs themselves produced it.

Industry officials who have studied the issue contend that the Treasury Department does not have the legal right to give Fannie and Freddie back to their junior and common shareholders. In short, it would take an act of Congress.

Although Garrett declined to comment further on the matter, attorneys that represent lenders before the CFPB were happy to share their opinions on the "under oath" issue.

A new trade group is showing true love for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Also, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is giving lenders some breathing room on the Qualified Mortgage/Ability-to-Repay rule.

MBA believes the imposition of compensatory fees has morphed into a risk-sharing mechanism that shifts the costs of the prolonged foreclosure process from the GSEs onto mortgage servicers.

Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-ND, a co-sponsor of the Johnson-Crapo bill, also said the measure is moving forward. “This train is leaving the station,” she said. But whether it makes it to the floor of the Senate is another matter.

As far as pricing goes, if g-fees are raised Fannie and Freddie could earn more money – cash that ultimately would wind up at the Treasury Department, which sweeps most of their earnings each quarter.

Since late last year, the FHFA has required that any Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac MSR sale of $5 billion or more – roughly 5,000 loans – be approved by the agency.