Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are quietly stockpiling mortgages

Monthly purchases of $13 billion in mortgages and MBS may be taking pressure off mortgage rates — and setting the stage for a more attractive public offering. Continue reading

Mortgage giants ‘very close’ to accepting new FICO score

FHFA Director Bill Pulte says his agency is currently reviewing a potential deal with Fair Isaac to allow lenders to use the more inclusive FICO Score 10 T when submitting loans to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Continue reading

Why Fannie and Freddie still won’t accept more inclusive credit score

FHFA Director Bill Pulte ordered the mortgage giants to start using more inclusive VantageScore 4.0 in July. But adoption is a “complex, technical and arcane” process that could drag into next year. Continue reading

Trump’s Fannie, Freddie public offering might not have much impact on mortgage rates

If the government keeps tight control over the mortgage giants and provides an “implicit guarantee” of their debt, rates might rise by 1/5 of a percentage point, Stanford researchers conclude. Continue reading

Credit bureaus slam plan to cut them out of FICO score pricing

Lending industry groups and FHFA director Bill Pulte welcomed Fair Isaac’s new direct license pricing as a useful first step, but said more reforms and competition are needed. Continue reading

Trump administration ‘in no rush’ to do Fannie, Freddie IPO this year

Democratic Senators Elizabeth Warren, Chuck Schumer and Cory Booker have asked federal regluator to pause any efforts to reprivatize Fannie and Freddie and study potential impact on mortgage rates. Continue reading

Dems seek answers on impact of Fannie, Freddie IPO on rates

Survey shows most Americans are also concerned that privatizing the mortgage giants might lead to higher mortgage rates, although Democrats and independents are more likely to be worried than Republicans. Continue reading

Small lenders oppose combining Fannie, Freddie into single entity

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should continue to operate as separate companies rather than merged into a single entity, and be regulated like utilities with a cap on excessive fees and prohibitions on backing risky loans. That’s the perspective of a… Continue reading

Let mortgage lenders pull one credit score, trade group says

The tri-merge system is “an anachronism from the days when there were significant disparities in coverage by the credit bureaus,” MBA says in advocating new approach. Continue reading

Mortgage bankers take a stand against tri-merge credit reporting

Consumer group say FHFA’s plan to pit VantageScore 4.0 against older FICO Classic score will make “anti-competitive natures of the credit scoring market even worse.” Continue reading