Fannie economists say surging refinance volumes remain the driving force in the housing market...

Meanwhile, the tightening bug is loose again. The broker division of PennyMac Financial Services just told its outside loan officers, “Effective for all conventional loans with applications received on or after August 14, 2020, PennyMac is limiting self-employed borrowers to a maximum of 70% LTV/CLTV for all transactions”…

There’s a big disparity between default rates on Fannie/Freddie loans and government-insured loans in Ginnie MBS. The combined total delinquencies for the government-sponsored enterprises was 4.13%, compared with Ginnie’s 10.81%.

At the very least, refi lenders see their profit margins suffering because of the new edict. But will the GSEs (and the FHFA) hear their pleas?

But can MBA and other outraged trade groups do anything to stop this new LLPA? “We hope to rescind it,” said MBA's Bob Broeksmit...

The trade group also argues the patch should not be tied to the end of GSE conservatorships...

Freddie recently closed on an $835 million Structured Agency Credit Risk deal that was originally sized at $735 million...

In 2Q20, Fannie and Freddie acquired $104.07 billion of loans with DTI ratios greater than 43%, up 40.9% from the previous quarter.

Apartment dwellers must be given the “flexibility” to repay back rent over time. However, the new guidance shouldn’t be interpreted by tenants as a get-out-of-jail-free card. As FHFA Director Mark Calabria put it: “If tenants are able to pay their rent, they should continue to do so.”