Although the GSEs have for several months seen declines in the share of investor and second-home mortgage purchases, it remains to be seen whether lenders will continue to deliver these loans into the non-agency market now that the caps have been withdrawn. (Includes two data charts.)

In her first long-form interview since taking over as FHFA acting director, Sandra Thompson insisted that expanding the GSEs’ books of business won’t make them riskier.

FHFA announced the suspension of the caps on the GSEs’ purchase of second-home and investor-property mortgages on Sept. 14. By Sept. 15, the price of these loans jumped more than a percentage point.

Sen. Pat Toomey, R-PA, and NAMB President Kimber White each grade the brief performance of FHFA’s acting director.

Freddie’s refinance-based green MBS program leapfrogs past Fannie’s more mature program based on newly built homes. (Includes data chart.)

FHFA’s decision to repropose certain provisions in the capital framework of the GSEs lures Fannie back to the CRT fold.

Looking at more than 12 million home appraisals, researchers found that sellers in minority census tracts were more than twice as likely to receive an appraisal below the sale price than sellers in white districts.

The mortgage industry’s warnings that the restrictions placed on the GSEs would tighten credit availability for less qualified borrowers were not lost on the Biden administration.

The changes would reduce Fannie’s and Freddie’s capital requirements and increase incentives to issue CRT transactions.

The support of the powerful House Financial Services Committee chair improves the chances that FHFA Acting Director Sandra Thompson’s job becomes permanent. It also casts doubt on the rumored nomination of CRL President Mike Calhoun.