In a 12-page fact sheet on the announcement, the regulator notes the final rule is “similar in key respects to the proposed rule, with certain enhancements and other changes made in response to comments.”
Freddie has issued several securities backed by re-performing loans during the pandemic. However: Are these loans still protected by the FHFA’s moratorium on foreclosures?
Despite this "relief" measure, the GSE regulator has been sharply criticized by lenders because the fee is so steep: 500 basis points for first-time buyers and 700 bps for everyone else.
As Brown and Reed point out, unless Fannie and Freddie specifically require it, the parties purchasing these loans are under no obligation to provide forbearance to the borrowers.
The deadline for potential competitors to submit their proposals was Sept. 15. However, that was just the first of four phases in the selection process established last year by the FHFA. The enterprises expect the process to take at least another year to complete.
The calculus is straightforward: With that much capital tied up in equity, it’s difficult to see how the GSEs could generate adequate returns to attract investors.
Fannie and Freddie reported a combined profit of $6.69 billion in the third quarter, a 54.8% sequential increase. However, year-to-date profits were down more than 19% due to COVID and CECL implementation. (Includes data chart.)