“In fact,” said GSE regulator Mark Calabria, “if this goes on for more than two months, we’re going to be looking at stress for Fannie and Freddie"...

Mortgage guarantors and regulators are keenly aware of the financial disaster that could be in the making. Conference of State Bank Supervisors President John Ryan sent a letter to Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin encouraging the creation of a liquidity facility to support residential servicers.

Actions by the Fed to help the mortgage market haven't don't much for non-agency MBS. Issuance ground to a halt and a number of lenders suspended production.

FHFA’s move regarding appraisals was somewhat expected...

Bottom line: The Fed will keep buying agency MBS as long as it has to...

In a time of crisis should Fannie and Freddie be allowed to hold more MBS? Hike the GSE loan limit too?

Calabria suggested the new version of the capital rule might not look so different from the version proposed under the previous director, Mel Watt.

The goal is to stop a tidal wave of housing-related financial damage that might potentially destroy the social fabric of the nation.

Fannie and Freddie said residential borrowers are expected to contact their servicer to set up forbearance plan.

And therein lies a chief fear for the mortgage industry: as the economic damage caused by the spreading coronavirus piles up, will nonbank Ginnie issuers have enough liquidity to make those payments in the months ahead?