While FHA Actuarial Report Brings Good News, 3 Challenges Remain

HousingWire, Nov. 16, 2015–Galante, Carol
Former FHA administrator said report validates that the policies put in place by FHA over the last 7 years have enabled FHA to strengthen its financial position while also strengthening the economy and providing access to mortgage credit.

House Passes Bill to End Pay Raises for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac CEOs

Washington Post, Nov. 16, 2015–McGregor, Jena
Monday evening, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to approve a bill that would suspend new annual target compensation of $4 million each for Freddie Mac CEO Donald Layton and Fannie Mae CEO Timothy Mayopoulos. If signed into law by President Obama, the bill would return the cap on their pay to $600,000.

Why Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Survived

Washington Post, Nov. 15, 2015–Samuelson, Robert
The safest course for the White House and Congress has been to save the GSEs and enlist them in the housing recovery. So that’s what they did–and that’s how Fannie and Freddie survived.

Cashing in on Home Equity

New York Times, Nov. 13, 2015–Prevost, Lisa
Rising home prices are raising equity levels, and homeowners are cashing in on these gains.

A Small Bank’s Big Victory Against Mortgage Fraud Prosecution

National Mortgage News, Nov. 13, 2015–Lindorff, David
In the wake of the financial crisis, only one bank is believed to have faced a criminal trial on charges of mortgage fraud. A Jury in New York state court acquitted the bank of all charges this summer.

Equifax: Why Mortgage Originations are Up, but Loan Portfolios are Flat

Atlanta Business Chronicle, Nov. 4, 2015
Data from the latest Equifax National Consumer Credit Trends Report show total mortgage originations rose to $1.2 trillion through the first nine months of 2015–up 63 percent over the same period a year ago. But at the same time, total mortgage and home equity balances were $8.84 trillion at the end of September–virtually flat with figures from the past 18 months.

CoreLogic: Distressed Home Sales at Lowest Level in 8 Years

HousingWire, Nov. 4, 2015–Swanson, Brena
Distressed sales and short sales accounted for 9.3% of total home sales nationally in August, down 2.3 percentage points from a year ago and down 0.4 percentage points from July, said CoreLogic.

Freddie Mac Won’t Need Treasury Aid After Third-Quarter Loss

Bloomberg, Nov. 3, 2015–Hopkins, Cheyenne
Freddie Mac won’t seek additional funds from the Treasury Department and won’t need to make a dividend payment to the government after reporting a half-billion dollar third-quarter loss stemming mostly from accounting for hedges against interest-rate risk.