Advocacy Update: FHA Seeks Feedback on Minimum Property Requirements; NMLS Fee Hike Proposal; more
FHA Seeks Industry Feedback on Minimum Property Requirements Modernization
On Thursday, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking industry feedback on its Minimum Property Requirements (MPRs).
• MBA has long urged FHA to modernize its MPRs and better align its standards with the property condition rating frameworks used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the GSEs), reducing operational friction while maintaining appropriate safety and soundness protections. MBA and several other industry trades sent a letter urging FHA to address MPRs and other appraisal reforms.
Go deeper: The RFI requests industry input on several topics, including how FHA’s MPRs compare to the property standards used by other governmental and non-governmental mortgage programs, which requirements may no longer be necessary to ensure borrower safety and property habitability, and how FHA could simplify and improve the consistency of MPR interpretation and application for lenders and appraisers.
Why it matters: FHA’s MPR framework plays a significant role in determining property eligibility for FHA insured financing and can impact appraisal timelines, operational complexity and the willingness of sellers to consider offers from FHA buyers. Greater alignment between FHA and GSE property standards could help reduce appraisal-related delays, improve consistency across the market, and expand access to qualified appraisers.
What’s next: Comments on the RFI are due June 29, 2026. MBA will host a member call on Thursday, June 4, from 3:00–4:00 PM ET to discuss the RFI and gather feedback to help inform the response.
For more information and to join the call, please contact Darnell Peterson at (202) 557-2922.
NMLS Releases Proposal for Comment on Testing and Education Fee Increases
On Tuesday, the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS), the State Regulatory Registry, and the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (CSBS) released its third phase of proposed fee increases. This last phase is a proposal to increase testing and education fees for licensing requirements under the Secure and Fair Enforcement for Mortgage Licensing Act of 2008 (SAFE Act).
Go deeper: The proposal increases credit banking fees from $1.50 to $1.55 per hour, effective January 1, 2027, and SAFE Mortgage Loan Originator (MLO) test enrollment increases from $110 to $120, effective March 1, 2027.
Why it matters: The testing and education program fees proposed increases are intended to account for growth in operational and technology costs. This proposal marks the third phase of NMLS fee increases, which were originally outlined by NMLS in 2024. In 2025, system processing fees for state licensure and federal registration increased, and in 2026, B2B Access subscription fees increased.
• While the testing fee increase will only impact new state-licensed MLOs (or those needing to retake the MLO test), the credit banking fee increases will apply to all MLOs.
What’s next: Comments on the proposed changes are due to CSBS on July 10, 2026, and should be directed to comments@csbs.org. MBA will coordinate with its members on any concerns on this proposed fee increase and respond accordingly.
For more information, please contact William Kooper (202) 557-2737 or Liz Facemire (202) 557-2870..
MORPAC Action Week Is Here — And We Need YOU! | June 1–5
MORPAC Action Week is this week, and excitement is building. From June 1–5, companies across the real estate finance community will unite to strengthen our association’s PAC — engaging in a focused week of engagement, unity, and impact.
During this effort, our industry rallies behind MORPAC, MBA’s political action committee (PAC) that help to ensure our priorities are heard in Washington. We are calling on every member company to sign up and run a MORPAC campaign during Action Week — whether that is a targeted outreach effort, a company‑wide challenge, or a creative internal push that gets your team energized and involved. Your engagement — at any level — strengthens our industry’s influence on Capitol Hill and helps ensure we remain a trusted, effective voice in the conversations that shape your future operations.
Go deeper: Backed by thousands of individual contributors, MBA’s MORPAC provides the access and relationships needed to help policymakers understand the real‑world impact of their decisions. This broad base of support empowers MBA to engage directly with key lawmakers, share industry expertise, and advocate for policies that protect our businesses, our employees, and the customers we serve.
Why it matters: MORPAC is the voice of the real estate finance industry. It fuels MBA’s advocacy efforts, supports champions of our issues on Capitol Hill, and helps shape the ever‑changing policy landscape that affects every member company, every employee, and every customer you serve.
What’s next: During MORPAC Action Week, MBA will host two special MORPAC Speaker Series events featuring the political directors of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC). These briefings offer members valuable insight into the dynamics shaping the political and policy environment on Capitol Hill. RSVP here.
For more information, please contact Erin Reilly at 802-236-4651 and Jamey Lynch, AMP at 561-301-6432.
Upcoming MBA Education Webinars on Critical Industry Issues
MBA Education continues to deliver timely single-family programming that covers the spectrum of challenges, obstacles and solutions pertaining to our industry. Below, please see a list of upcoming and recent webinars – all complimentary to MBA members:
• Unlocking Opportunity: Innovative Solutions for Affordable Housing in Overlooked Markets – June 9
• New and Evolving Loss Mitigation Options – June 10
• What Happens After a Reverse Mortgage Closes? – June 26
• Analyzing the 2025 Mortgage Market: A Deep Dive into New HMDA Data – July 2
• Rethinking Income Strategies for Self-Employed Borrowers – July 8
MBA members can register for any of the above events and view recent webinar recordings by clicking here.
For more information, please contact David Upbin at (202) 557-2931.
