Newsletter: March 2017
Here is a roundup of recent news in the housing finance industry, including a blog post by USMI Chairman Patrick Sinks on the value of enhanced lending standards and practices, the release of a new column explaining low down payment mortgage options, a report on the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) exposure to risky loans, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s (FHFA) response to criticism over the GSEs’ entrance into financing single-family rental homes:
- USMI Chairman Writes on Lending Standards. In a recent blog post by Patrick Sinks, the President and CEO of MGIC and Chairman of USMI, he argues that the federal government must balance important protections provided by new lending standards with reasonable consumer access to credit. Sinks also says that there must be uniform lending standards in the housing finance industry to promote consistency in the market. Sinks writes:“The safeguards that came into the marketplace for borrowers, lenders, investors, and ultimately taxpayers with the implementation of the QM standard have been helpful in improving the credit quality of the housing market in the United States… The QM rule has and will continue to be a solid foundation for responsible underwriting and borrowing in our housing system. As new housing policy or reforms to existing policies are considered, it is important that the foundations of the QM rule remain intact while also balancing the need to ensure creditworthy borrowers aren’t unnecessarily or unintentionally left on the sidelines.”
- New Column on Low Down Payment Mortgages. A new column has been released that gives consumers the “lowdown” on low down payment mortgages. The column explains the options available to potential homebuyers who can’t afford a 20 percent down payment, giving them the pros and cons of several mortgage loan options.
- Riskier Borrowers Make Up Growing Share of Government-Backed FHA Loans. According to USA Today, riskier borrowers are making up a growing share of new mortgages backed by the FHA, which have been pushing up delinquencies and raising concerns about a spike in defaults that could harm the housing recovery.In addition, the Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released a report that found HUD failed to adequately oversee billions of dollars of risky FHA loans, thereby putting the FHA’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund at greater risk.
- FHFA Director Mel Watt Defends Fannie Mae Deal with Blackstone. Politico Pro(subscription required) reported that FHFA Director Mel Watt is defending the $1 billion deal between Fannie Mae and private equity firm Blackstone to guarantee the company’s loans on 50,000 single-family rental units. Watt defended the deal in letters to the National Association of Realtors and House Democrats, each of whom have written letters to the FHFA expressing their opposition to the deal. According to Bloomberg News, Freddie Mac may also move toward backing loans that finance single-family rental (SFR) homes.
