The COVID-19 pandemic may have faded from headlines, but its economic aftershocks continue to reverberate across the U.S. housing market. One of the most persistent effects is the growing disparity between rising rent prices and stagnant wage growth, a trend that is straining affordability for renters nationwide.
Jim Nabors, president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB), has publicly endorsed the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act, a new piece of legislation designed to help veterans manage mortgage delinquencies and avoid foreclosure. The bill is intended to serve as a replacement for the recently discontinued Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) Program, which provided essential relief for struggling veteran homeowners.
Mortgage rates held firm on May 13, 2025, as investors digested the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, which showed inflation coming in largely as expected. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage remained at 6.92%, providing some consistency for borrowers amid ongoing volatility in the broader financial markets. The CPI data reflected a modest increase in consumer prices, but the figures were in line with market forecasts.
President Donald Trump’s recent push for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates has stirred considerable debate among economists and financial analysts. While the intention behind such a move is to stimulate economic growth, experts caution that a politically driven rate cut may not deliver the anticipated benefits for consumers—particularly when it comes to mortgage rates—and could even trigger unintended consequences.
As mortgage rates continue to fluctuate in 2025, homeowners and prospective buyers are faced with an increasingly complex decision: whether to choose a fixed-rate or tracker mortgage. With economic conditions shifting rapidly and borrowing costs remaining unpredictable, understanding the differences between these two loan types is more important than ever.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has issued a request for input (RFI) on the proposed 2025-2027 Underserved Markets Plans submitted by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the Duty to Serve (DTS) program. By statute, the two enterprises are required to serve three specified underserved markets — manufactured housing, affordable housing preservation, and rural housing — by increasing the liquidity of mortgage financing for very low-, low-, and moderate-income families in those markets.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is investigating what it terms “junk fees” related to mortgage closing costs. CFPB said its inquiry is motivated by understanding “why closing costs are increasing, who is benefiting, and how costs for borrowers and lenders could be lowered.”
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
VantageScore and Experian have announced new tools this month aimed at helping mortgage processors and underwriters. VantageScore is ready to pilot a new credit-scoring model, called VantageScore 4plus. The company said the new model “combines the power of alternative open banking data with traditional credit data,” which will result in a 10 percent predictive lift over its current VantageScore 4.0. VantageScore said that 4.0 offers an 8 percent predictive lift over conventional scoring models.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
The mortgage industries two government sponsored enterprises opened 2024 with new solid first-quarter financial results. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reported their first-quarter earnings last week. Both continue to grow their revenues and profits in a market challenged by housing affordability issues.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has proposed a new mortgage product it hopes will give homeowners a way to tap into home equity without surrendering the low rates they locked in the last several years. The agency sent a notice of a proposed new product to the Federal Register, which would enable Freddie Mac to purchase single-family closed-end second mortgages.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
The transition from a three credit report requirement to two reports — known as bi-merge credit reporting — for single-family loans acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has faced its share of obstacles. Another potential roadblock to this change was introduced last week.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
In case you weren’t aware, 2024 is a presidential election year. That means the usual campaigning and debating is ramped up many times beyond the usual rhetoric of non-election years. Though not as prevalent as other political topics, the housing and mortgage industries are not immune from legislators and policymakers trying to score political points.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
President Joe Biden made housing and mortgages a key topic in his State of the Union speech last week, proposing a number of tax credits and proposals to help create more supply and improve affordability. While the President’s housing proposals received mostly positive feedback, one idea met with resistance.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
Mortgage and housing experts continue to raise their optimism about the industry in 2024. That includes Fannie Mae. The company’s Economic and Strategic Research Group said last week that existing home sales and single-family housing starts are expected to grow modestly in 2024 amid lower mortgage rates and strengthening homebuyer sentiment.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
Consumers surveyed by Fannie Mae are increasingly optimistic about mortgage rates and their job stability, but not yet enough to want to buy a home in large numbers. The Fannie Mae Home Purchase Sentiment Index® (HPSI) increased 3.5 points in January to 70.7, its highest level since March 2022.
Opinion-Editorial (Op-Ed) Disclaimer For NAMU® Library Articles: The views and opinions expressed in the NAMU® Library articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect any official NAMU® policy or position. Examples of analysis performed within this article are only examples. They should not be utilized in real-world application as they are based only on very limited and dated open source information. Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of NAMU®. Nothing contained in this articles should be considered legal advice.
Written By: Stacey Sprain
As an FHA originator, processor or underwriter, it’s likely that in the ongoing foreclosure market you’ll run across a HUD REO loan at some point. The purpose of this multi-part article is to provide you with some useful information to help in your endeavors.