FHFA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 24, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that Edward J. DeMarco will depart the Agency at the end of April.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 10, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, today announced it has reached a settlement with Morgan Stanley, related companies and specifically named individuals for $1.25 billion. The settlement resolves claims in the lawsuit FHFA v. Morgan Stanley, et al. in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York. The settlement addresses claims alleging violations of federal and state securities laws and common law fraud in connection with private-label mortgage-backed securities (PLS) purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac between 2005 and 2007.

Washington, DC - January 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mel Watt, who was sworn in on January 6, 2014 as Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, today announced the appointment of four special advisors —Megan Moore, Bob Ryan, Eric Stein and Mario Ugoletti — to provide counsel on policy and strategic decisions at the FHFA.

Washington, DC - January 6, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Honorable Melvin L. Watt of Charlotte, North Carolina was sworn in today to a five-year term as the first Senate-confirmed Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). The oath was administered by The Honorable Anthony Foxx, U.S. Secretary of Transportation and former mayor of Charlotte, NC. FHFA was created by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 to oversee Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks and is responsible for oversight of the $5.5 trillion mortgage finance market.

Washington, DC - December 25, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- National data show interest rates on mortgages declined in November. Contract mortgage interest rates decreased 0.10 percent from October to November, according to an index of new mortgage contracts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 24, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have reached a significant milestone, completing more than 3 million foreclosure prevention actions since the start of conservatorship in September 2008. FHFA noted this milestone in its third quarter Foreclosure Prevention Report (also known as the Federal Property Manager’s Report), which details results of foreclosure prevention programs.

Washington, D.C. - December 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today sent a Notice to the Federal Register concerning Orders issued to Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks (the regulated entities) requiring reporting of annual stress testing results. The Orders, which include the stress test scenarios, were issued on November 26, 2013 under FHFA’s final stress testing rule. The stress tests, required by the Dodd-Frank Act, are designed to determine whether the regulated entities have the capital necessary to absorb losses as a result of adverse economic conditions. FHFA also issued Summary Instructions and Guidance including revised templates the regulated entities will use to report the results of the testing.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 17, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Acting Director Edward J. DeMarco today released FHFA’s 2013 Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) detailing the Agency’s progress as regulator and conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) and regulator of the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs). The PAR discusses accomplishments, ongoing efforts to assist homeowners, challenges and continued efforts to meet FHFA’s strategic goals for FY 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 10, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today took additional steps toward fulfilling the Strategic Plan for Enterprise Conservatorships that FHFA published in February 2012. That Plan established a conservator goal of gradually contracting Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae’s dominant presence in the marketplace while simplifying and shrinking their operations. The basic premise behind the “contract” goal is that with an uncertain future and a general desire for private capital to re-enter the market, the companies’ market presence should be reduced gradually over time.

Washington, DC - December 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have completed the first major overhaul of mortgage insurance master policy requirements in many years. FHFA’s 2013 Conservatorship Scorecard calls for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to develop aligned requirements for master policies

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- National data show interest rates on mortgages interrupted their upward trend. Contract mortgage interest rates decreased 0.04 percent from September to October, according to an index of new mortgage contracts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Upward momentum in U.S. house prices remained strong in the third quarter, as prices rose 2.0 percent from the previous quarter, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index (HPI). This is the ninth consecutive quarterly price increase in the purchase-only, seasonally adjusted index and it marks the first time since 2009 that the national house price level is higher than it was five years ago.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that the 2014 maximum conforming loan limits for mortgages acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will remain at $417,000 for one-unit properties in most areas of the country.

Washington, DC - November 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that it has directed Fannie Mae and...

Washington, DC - October 30, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- National data show interest rates on mortgages continued their upward trend. Contract mortgage interest rates increased 0.11 percent from August to September, according to an index of new mortgage contracts.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 8, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that the joint venture between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that will build and operate a new common securitization platform has reached some important milestones. A Certificate of Formation has been filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, establishing Common Securitization Solutions, LLC? (CSS) as a limited liability company. This establishes CSS as a legally recognized entity and marks an important step in creating the joint venture, which is an equally-owned subsidiary of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 7, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have completed more than 2.9 million foreclosure prevention actions since the start of conservatorship in 2008. These actions have helped approximately 2.4 million borrowers stay in their homes, including more than 1.4 million who received permanent loan modifications. During the first half of 2013, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac completed more than 247,000 foreclosure prevention actions, 117,000 of these in the second quarter. The majority of these allowed troubled borrowers to save their homes. The results are detailed in the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s second quarter 2013 Foreclosure Prevention Report, also known as the Federal Property Manager’s Report

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. house price appreciation continued in July 2013, rising 1.0 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) monthly House Price Index (HPI). The July HPI change marks the eighteenth consecutive monthly price increase in the purchase-only, seasonally adjusted index. The previously reported 0.7 percent increase in June remained unchanged.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 26, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- National data show interest rates on mortgages continued their upward trend. Contract mortgage interest rates increased 0.25 percent from July to August, according to an index of new mortgage contracts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 23, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today launched a nationwide campaign to inform homeowners about the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP). The campaign is designed to encourage homeowners who have been making their mortgage payments, but who owe more than their home is worth, to contact their current lender or any other mortgage lender offering HARP refinances to review their refinancing options. With mortgage rates still historically low and HARP eligibility requirements expanded, qualifying homeowners could reduce their monthly mortgage payments or increase their equity faster with a shorter term mortgage