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.
The mortgage industry will face its share of challenges, opportunities and unknowns in 2025. Here are a few trends on the horizon: Perhaps the biggest unknown for mortgage underwriters and processors is the effect of a second Donald Trump administration on the industry. The Biden administration’s priority in the housing sector was making housing more affordable and accessible. Vice President Harris and Trump both indicated a desire to make housing more affordable using different approaches.
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.
An analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has concluded that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are in better financial position to repay the U.S. Treasury for its stake in the enterprises than they were four years ago. CBO conducted updated analysis on the effects of recapitalizing the GSEs at the request of the House Financial Services Committee. The original analysis was conducted in August 2020, while the CBO released its updated findings 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.
Mortgage underwriters and processors can offer larger FHA mortgage loans and loans that conform to FHFA limits next year. Both agencies announced higher loan limits last week. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that conforming loan limit values (CLLs) for mortgages acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be $806,500 for one-unit properties in most of the United States in 2025.
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 met or exceeded nearly all of their housing goals in the last several years, according to a report released this month by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Using data published by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), the CBO concluded that the two GSEs met or exceeded yearly single-family housing goals from 2018 and 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.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac produced profitable third quarter financial results consistent with recent trends. The government-sponsored enterprises released third-quarter results last week, with Fannie Mae reporting a $4 billion quarterly profit and Freddie Mac reporting $3.1 billion in net income.
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.
Politicians and a mortgage industry group have expressed concern about Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) this month, which coincided with the mere suggestion recently that FICO might raise the cost of credit reporting. A group of 34 Democrat U.S. senators and representatives, led by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), wrote a letter to President Joe Biden urging action on a number of initiatives to lower housing costs.
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 headline is optimistic. “Redfin Reports Buying a Starter Home Is Now Cheaper Than It Was a Year Ago,” may lead somebody to think housing is becoming more affordable. Further down, however, one would discover the problem of housing affordability is far from solved.
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.
Home sales are on the decline despite lower mortgage rates and increasing supply, with the latest projections indicating a 30-year low for this year. Real estate brokerage Redfin reported that existing home sales fell 3.1 percent year over year in August to their lowest mark since May 2020, when the pandemic brought the housing market to a standstill. Removing that month, August sales were the lowest since 2012.
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.
Several reports released in the past week may give mortgage underwriters and processors a reason to feel more optimistic about the possibility of more potential borrowers in the near future. The bottom line in recent data is that buying a home is slowly becoming more affordable due to a combination of lower mortgage rates and slower growth in home values.
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) issued housing goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac over the next three years. The proposed rule would establish the following benchmark levels that Fannie and Freddie would be required to meet annually between 2025 and 2027:
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.