The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has proposed a new rule aiming to create a standardized definition of what it means for a nonbank financial company to pose “risks to consumers.” The goal is to make supervision clearer, more consistent, and limited to significant threats rather than being applied on an ad‑hoc basis.
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has reduced its national loan limits for the first time in over a decade, reshaping the landscape for prospective homebuyers in expensive markets. The change means many borrowers who expected to qualify under former thresholds may now fall short—and could face fewer options.
A 25‑basis‑point cut from the Federal Reserve is widely anticipated, but economists and bond‑market experts caution that the effect on mortgage rates could be limited or even counterintuitive in the near term. Markets are almost certain that the Fed will reduce its short‑term rate target from 4.25‑4.50% by a quarter point.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s decision to swiftly clear nearly all outstanding “matters requiring attention” (MRAs) is raising alarm among mortgage compliance experts, who warn the move could lead to regulatory gaps and unchecked risks. MRAs serve as a critical supervisory tool, flagging compliance issues—ranging from minor documentation oversights to serious lending violations—and giving lenders an opportunity to address them before formal enforcement.
In the second quarter of 2025, real estate investors accounted for a historic share of home purchases as traditional buyers struggled with surmounting affordability challenges. Investors snapped up nearly 27% of all homes sold during this period—an all‑time high over the past five years and a sharp rise from the 18.5% average seen between 2020 and 2023.
An increase in tappable home equity and falling mortgage rates has many industry analysts optimistic about the potential refinance market. However, others caution that consumers are becoming more cautious about taking on more debt due to escalating costs of home ownership. Technology and data provider Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Inc. reported in its latest ICE Mortgage Monitor Report that tappable home equity reached a new high of $11.5 trillion in June, more than 9 percent above the same period a year ago.
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.
Fannie Mae economists expect home prices to moderate soon following a second quarter in which values grew higher than expected. Fannie’s latest economic commentary also includes more near-term optimism for mortgage rates, existing sales and purchase originations. But Fannie is downgrading its forecasts for new home sales, housing starts and refinance 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.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have published historical VantageScore 4.0 credit scores to support the transition to updated credit score and credit report requirements. The historical credit scores are associated with single-family loans purchased by the two enterprises from April 2013 through March 2023.
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) has approved a new rule to address the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence (AI) for real estate valuations and appraisals. The rule uses the term automated valuation models (AVMs) to describe the use of AI models for appraisals. It said the rule applies to mortgage originators and secondary market issuers.
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 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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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.