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Tag Archives: Fannie Mae

UK Academic Points to Affordable Housing Ideology as Culprit for Crisis

When hearing about the different narratives on the housing crisis, oftentimes the private sector is largely blamed. During an event hosted by The American Enterprise Institute (AEI) Wednesday, a recently published book was discussed which highlights a different perspective on the story of the housing market crash. Oonagh McDonald, a UK-based academic, wrote the book titled ""Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Turning the American Dream Into A Nightmare"" and asserts that the failures in the housing industry started with 'affordable housing ideology,' and was worsened by policy makers and the GSEs.

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Percentage of Current Mortgages Reaches 3-Year High: OCC

The OCC Mortgage Metrics Report for the First Quarter of 2012 showed that percentages of mortgages between 30-59 days delinquent and mortgages between 60-89 days delinquent both fell to their lowest levels since the OCC began publishing mortgage performance reports in Q1 2008. The percentage of mortgages that were current and performing increased to 88.9 percent, the highest level seen in three years. Also, of the more than 2.5 million loans modified by servicers from 2008-2011, 50.7 percent were either current or had been paid off by the end of 2012's first quarter.

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FHFA Resists Transfer Taxes in Illinois and Files Suit

The Federal Housing Finance Agency filed suit Friday against Illinois tax officials for imposing unlawful taxes on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Several Illinois counties have attempted to collect transfer taxes from the GSEs, and some have threatened to reject future property transfers from the enterprises if they do not pay the state and county transfer taxes. Illinois officials have demanded transfer fees from both enterprises. Similar claims and demands have been made from other Illinois counties.

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Fitch: Clarifying Repurchase Triggers Will Aid Housing Recovery

Fitch Ratings released a commentary Thursday asserting that FHFA's plan to clarify the triggers for a loan repurchase request could be a boon for the industry at large. FHFA had made an earlier announcement that the agency intended to clarify its positions on the appropriate triggers for a putback request from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The GSEs have asked for more than $80 billion in flawed loan repurchases from lenders over the past three years. As a result, it has been argued that lenders have raised standards for loans beyond what many homebuyers can achieve. In the commentary, Fitch suggested that laying out putback triggers and reducing putback liability will have an overall positive effect for the housing market.

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Fannie Mae: U.S. Economy Slows, Modest Growth Still Expected

The revised figures for economic growth in the year's first quarter were disappointing, but Fannie Mae's Economic & Strategic Research Group is still forecasting moderate growth for the remainder of 2012. A report released by the group Tuesday projected 2.2 percent growth for all of 2012. Several factors presented risks to the economic outlook, including a slowing trend in job growth, potential contagion in the euro zone from Greece's financial issues, the slowing Chinese economy, and the potential of a fiscal drag in the United States. Consumer attitudes also influence the economic outlook.

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FHFA Introduces Initiative to Protect Against Fraud

As an additional measure against fraud, the FHFA announced an initiative requiring Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and the Federal Home Loan (FHL) Banks to notify the agency when an act of fraud is committed by an individual or company the regulated entities conduct business with. The initiative is called the Suspended Counterparty Program and will take effect August 15, 2012. The FHFA stated it is taking this additional step to ensure the regulated companies are not exposed to unnecessary risk from business dealings involving those who have a history of fraudulent conduct.

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FHFA: Foreclosure Prevention Actions=2.3M, Foreclosure Starts Up

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac completed nearly 2.3 million foreclosure prevention actions by from the start of their conservatorship to the end of March 2012, according to FHFA'ss Foreclosure Prevention Report for first-quarter 2012. The report, released Friday, showed that over 1.9 million of the foreclosure prevention actions undertaken by the GSEs have helped borrowers keep their homes. Moreover, half of borrowers who received loan modifications in Q1 2012 had their monthly payments reduced by more than 30 percent, with one third of those including principal forbearance.

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Delinquent Homeowners More Negative than Underwater Group: Survey

Delinquent borrowers who responded to Fannie Mae's National Housing Survey for the first quarter of 2012 expressed more negative viewpoints toward homeownership and paying their mortgage compared to underwater borrowers and those who have seen their home values decline. The data was collected to learn more about the attitudes of the delinquent borrower population that is oftentimes difficult to reach.

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SIFMA Encourages Alignment of GSE Operations

In a letter filed Wednesday to FHFA, the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) expressed its view that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should seek to align their operations as much as possible. The alignment would help set the stage and ease transition into the future for the GSEs, SIFMA suggests. SIFMA also submitted a list of steps and goals of FHFA's Strategic Plan to coordinate the GSEs and says they will require communication, careful planning, and a focus on the Enterprises' core activities from the industry at every stage.

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GSEs Will Continue Reporting Credit Losses: FHFA

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have and will continue to realize credit losses due to mortgages originated years before the conservatorship when the GSEs were deemed critical supervisory concerns, FHFA stated in its annual Report to Congress. In 2011, Fannie and Freddie borrowed $33.6 billion from Treasury, an increase from the year before when $28 billion was drawn. Of the $33.6 billion, $16.1 billion was used to fund dividend payments back to Treasury. The losses leading to the $17.5 billion drawn from Treasury were due to business decisions made by the GSEs in the pre-conservatorship days. Overall, the GSEs have drawn $187.5 billion from Treasury as of the end of 2011.

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