FHFA

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 27, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), as conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, today announced it has reached a settlement in cases involving Bank of America, Countrywide Financial, Merrill Lynch, and certain named individuals totaling approximately $5.83 billion. Bank of America Corporation owns Countrywide and Merrill Lynch. The cases alleged violations of federal and state securities laws in connection with private-label, residential mortgage-backed securities (PLS) purchased by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac between 2005 and 2007. Allegations of common law fraud were made in the Countrywide and Merrill Lynch cases

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 27, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- National data shows interest rates on mortgages decreased in February. Contract mortgage interest rates decreased 0.07 percent from January to February, according to an index of new mortgage contracts

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 25, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- U.S. house prices rose in January, with an increase of 0.5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) monthly House Price Index (HPI). The seasonally adjusted purchase-only index for the U.S. has shown increases for 23 of the last 24 months, beginning with February 2012.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 24, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Six agencies today issued a proposed rule that would implement minimum requirements for state registration and supervision of appraisal management companies (AMCs). An AMC is an entity that serves as an intermediary between appraisers and lenders and provides appraisal management services.

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