Tag Archives: Subprime Mortgages

Just as we’re looking at peeling back regulations like Dodd-Frank with last weeks CHOICE Act vote, a recent op-ed asked the provoking question “Does anyone remember how to make a subprime mortgage?” Of course, those in the mortgage industry remember well. Though they have dwindled in recent years, due to many blaming the 2008 crash in part on the mortgages, thoughts of honing in on an untapped market are gaining popularity again.

"Despite the continuing rise in overall subprime originations, banks are still greatly limiting their high-risk exposure," Cutts said. "The credit score of the borrower at the 10th percentile of newly originated first mortgages today is 650. For HELOCs, it's 700."

The Commission's lawsuit claimed that during the years 2007 and 2008 immediately before the crisis, Fannie Mae executives said their exposure to subprime and riskier mortgage loans was about $4.8 billion when it was about 10 times greater.