Servicing Newslink 11-17-15

“When everybody is too busy regulating, nobody is focused on the overall outcome and unintended consequences on consumers and the marketplace. Multiple, duplicative or confusing rules do not always make for a better, easier or safer lending environment. Getting the rules right with clarity creates the best environment and will lead to effective and functional consumer protection.”
–MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB.

Servicing Newslink 11-3-15

“The proposed rule would have significant and unintended consequences on the financing of multifamily apartments, the vast majority of which are affordable to families earning below median income. The proposed rule appears to scope in the multifamily finance market in an abbreviated manner.”
–From an MBA/trade group letter asking the Securities and Exchange Commission for more time to review a proposed rule that would require collateral be posted on forward-settling agency securities.

Servicing Newslink 12-22-15

“The scorecard clearly identifies front-end credit risk transfer for single-family loans as a priority and identifies the need to solicit feedback from industry. This has been one of our top priority issues and one on which we are eager to continue to engage with FHFA and the GSEs. We are further encouraged by FHFA’s direction to maintain similar levels of multifamily financing and to continue to exempt loans in affordable and underserved market segments from the financing caps.”
–MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB.

Servicing Newslink 11-24-15

“Rising student debt levels and payment burdens among young renters are likely to impact this group’s long-term finances and their decisions to transition to homeownership. Delinquency and default can harm the ability of young renters to access low-cost credit and qualify for a home-purchase mortgage.”–Irene Lew, research assistant with the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University. 

Servicing Newslink 10-27-15

“This administration does not support recapitalizing the GSEs with taxpayer funds and releasing them from conservatorship. Turning back the clock would be an exercise of bad policy judgement and not in the taxpayers’ interest. None of us should be misled by an increasingly noisy chorus of advocates of recapitalize and release.”  
–White House Senior Policy Advisor Michael Stegman.

Servicing Newslink 12-15-15

“While the CFPB gave assurances that it would not engage in enforcement actions, it doesn’t protect the same investors from private actions or civil actions by other regulators, or through private lawsuits. We’re hearing from investors on this. We are told to expect a larger amount of mortgages that they won’t buy. This lack of clarity from the Bureau and this lack of protection regarding private actions have created a whole new level of concern regarding TRID compliance.”
–MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB.

Servicing Newslink 10-20-15

“When everybody is too busy regulating, nobody is focused on the overall outcome and unintended consequences on consumers and the marketplace. Multiple, duplicative or confusing rules do not always make for a better, easier or safer lending environment. Getting the rules right with clarity creates the best environment and will lead to effective and functional consumer protection.”
–MBA President and CEO David Stevens.

Servicing Newslink 12-8-15

“MBA believes that up-front, loan-level risk sharing, pursued in a manner that would maintain a level playing field for lenders of all sizes, particularly through greater use of private mortgage insurance, would reduce taxpayer exposure to mortgage risk, and that the enterprises are well placed to manage any residual counterparty risk given the new master policies and the [Private Mortgage Insurer Eligibility Requirements] standards which were just finalized. Moreover, multiple forms of up-front risk sharing should be piloted, including not only deeper cover MI, but also greater use of lender recourse.” –MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB, in a letter to Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt. 

Servicing Newslink 11-10-15

“MBA commends the full House for its strong bipartisan vote to pass the Neugebauer-Huizenga amendment and remove from the highway bill an extension of higher Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantee fees that would have served as a tax on homeownership, as well as a harmful reduction in the dividend paid on Federal Reserve bank stock.”
–MBA President and CEO David Stevens, CMB. 

Servicing Newslink 10-13-15

“Lenders consistently tell us that concerns about repurchases limit their willingness to lend, so we’re trying to put those concerns to rest. By pursuing repurchase alternatives and providing clarity on significant defects we aim to help lenders serve the market confidently, efficiently and profitably.” 
–Andrew Bon Salle, executive vice president of single-family business with Fannie Mae.