Going forward, the FHFA will seek public comments when the GSEs are looking to launch new activities or products. There are also some broad exceptions to the public notice standard.
In October, new standards for qualified mortgages took effect. It turns out that a provision in the final rule also applies to non-QMs, which could limit originations of loans where lenders look at only a small number of a borrower’s bank statements.
Efforts by the MBA and other industry participants to get the California Supreme Court to overturn a lower court’s ruling failed near the end of December. Servicers in the state are now limited on the amount default interest they can charge.
Prices on non-agency MBS took such a hit in 2022 that the market is now gaining popularity with investors, even with the threat of a recession. Still, new issuance in 2023 is expected to come in lower on an annual basis.
Spreads tightened this week for a new CRT transaction from Fannie and new non-agency MBS; prepayment rates on agency MBS exceptionally low; lessons from Silvergate Bank’s crypto activity.