A 50% cap on debt-to-income ratio within Fannie Mae’s Desktop Underwriter acts as an extra-regulatory limit on credit availability, according to researchers at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Implementation of UAD 3.6 has proceeded steadily during broad production, with mandatory implementation still set for Nov. 2. UAD 2.6 appraisals submitted on or after that date will fail, even if the appraisal was conducted prior to the mandate.

Changes at Freddie Mac simplify income history verification for both self-employed and non-self-employed borrowers. That includes certain borrowers who receive guaranteed payments from a partnership.

Lenders responsible for the majority of conventional mortgage originations are currently using VantageScore in some fashion, but it’s still not clear how they deal with differences between VS4 and classic FICO.

A GSE shareholder advocate says selling rights to existing shareholders could resolve conflicting objectives that have vexed GSE reform during the Trump administration.

Despite saying he will nominate former SEC Chair Jay Clayton as director of national intelligence, President Trump appears to be sticking with FHFA Director Bill Pulte as acting DNI.

A new Milliman study finds that FICO 10T is more predictive of default risk across the full range of credit scores. VantageScore said the study is full of “statistical swindles.”

Some economists suggest Fannie and Freddie should accept mortgages that include a modest prepayment penalty as a way to keep residential mortgage rates lower. But that would be a political challenge.

The Chicago-based fintech said its new title insurance waiver program could accelerate the mortgage process and potentially save qualified refinance borrowers as much as $2,500 in closing costs.

The GSE said loans originated by lenders using Freddie’s tools are $1,700 less costly than those originated by lenders who don’t.