Tag Archives: FHFA

So far, 2017 is looking up‒‒or, rather, down‒‒when it comes to foreclosures and distressed properties. But will downward trends continue?

The Federal Housing Finance Agency released recently its exhaustive annual 2016 Report to Congress, where it highlights actions it has taken over the year to support and maintain the nation’s housing industry. The 120 page report covers, amongst others: a report of the annual examination of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (The Enterprises), reports of annual examinations of the Federal Home Loan Banks, the results of stress tests under the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Consumer Protection Act. You can find some of the report’s highlights here.

For four months, the Department of the Treasury, GSEs, and Federal Housing Finance Agency have been in disagreement with Fannie and Freddie investors on where profits should be directed. Though the D.C. Circuit affirmed a lower court’s ruling that actions taken under the FHFA’s conservatorship of the GSEs cannot be challenged in court, the shareholders are now taking matters to the full D.C. Circuit for a rehearing. The FHFA and Treasury are now urging the D.C. Circuit not to modify its original ruling.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency on Thursday released its third Enterprise Non-Performing Loan Sales Report, which lists all the sales of all non-performing loans from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to the private sector through December 31, 2016. The report tracks total loan sales, total number delinquent assents unloaded, and time of delinquency. It also strives to track borrower outcomes and measure how many properties were foreclosed on, how many avoided foreclosure, and the difference between homes that were sold to third parties and benchmark NPLs.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has conducted its monthly interest rate survey for 4,437 loans closed during the last five business days in April across 17 lenders, and has reported a decline by 14 to 15 basis points across all mortgage interest rates. The average loan amount has also seen a slight drop of $1,100 after experiencing a spike in March. And while average loan amounts fluctuate from one month to the next, interest rates have been dropping since February.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a Request for Input (RFI) Thursday for problems qualified Limited English Proficiency (LEP) borrowers face during the mortgage lifecycle. Per FHFA’s 2017 Scorecard for Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Common Securitization Solutions, the GSEs must identify major challenges for LEP borrowers in accessing mortgage credit, analyzing potential solutions, and developing a multiyear plan appropriate for the Enterprises to support improved access. By better understanding the experience of LEP borrowers and those that serve them, the FHFA can successfully expand their statutory mandate.

The FHFA’s Q1 House Price Index Report was released Wednesday showing house prices up for the 23rd time in a row. Additionally, they were also up for the 21st time in a row year-over-year. Though this seems positive, Q1’s rate of growth nationally was minimal compared to the quarterly growth rates in years past.

The Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), spoke about the FHFA and the FHLBanks at the 2017 Federal Home Loan Bank Directors’ Conference Tuesday. Mel Watt began with positive news about FHLBank performance and lead into the four main regulatory issues he would like to focus on. He stressed that the FHFA will carry out all work in a transparent manner.

On Wednesday, at 9 a.m. EST, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) will release its House Price Index (HPI) for March. The Index covers single-family housing, using data provided by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Previously, the FHFA reported in its February HPI that home prices rose 0.8 percent month-over-month. In the report, January’s former unchanged index was revised to a 0.2 percent increase.

The drop in HARP refinance volume follows a spike in Q3 and Q4 2016. The FHFA reports that borrowers completed 13,425 refinances through the Home Affordability Refinance Program (HARP) in Q1 2017, bringing the total amount of HARP refinances to 3,461,096. Of all refinances that quarter, HARP represented 3 percent.