FHFA: 2018 Multifamily Lending Caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Announced
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that the 2018 multifamily lending caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will be $35 billion for each Enterprise, down from $36.5 billion in 2017. The caps are based on projections of the overall size of the 2018 multifamily originations market, which FHFA expects to…
CFPB: Identification of Language Preference on the Uniform Residential Loan Application
The Bureau issued an official approval of the final redesigned Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA), which will include a question about mortgage applicants’ language preference starting as early as July 2019. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) directed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to add this question to the URLA, which is a form that…
CFPB: VA Refinancing Offers that Sound Too Good to Be True
By Patrick Campbell and Anthony Vail – NOV 20, 2017 Situation The CFPB and VA are issuing their first WARNO, “Warning Order,” to servicemembers and veterans with VA home loans. If you have a VA home loan, then there is a good chance that you have already come into contact with unsolicited offers to refinance…
FEMA: Resources for Smart Rebuilding After Hurricane Irma
If your property was damaged by Hurricane Irma, there are resources available to help you build back stronger and safer to prevent damage from future disasters. Start repairs to make your home safe and livable again as soon as possible. Get a building permit from your local building department before beginning structural work. As you…
HUD: $5 Billion Provided to Help Texas Recover from Hurricane Harvey
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $5.024 billion to help hard-hit areas in the State of Texas to recover from Hurricane Harvey. The grant announced today by the Trump Administration is provided through HUD’s Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Program and will support the repair of damaged homes,…
FHFA: Total Refinance Volume Ticks Up Slightly in Third Quarter 2017
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today reported that more than 362,934 refinances were completed in the third quarter of 2017, compared with 356,707 in the second quarter. FHFA’s third quarter Refinance Report also shows that more than 6,913 loans were refinanced through the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP), bringing the total number of HARP…
FHFA: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Will Re-enter the LIHTC Market
Equity Investments Will Support Underserved Markets The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will be allowed limited re-entry into the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) market as equity investors, effective immediately. The LIHTC, established in the Tax Reform Act of 1986, is the primary government program…
Census Bureau: Declining Mover Rate Driven by Renters
The rate at which renters moved in 2017 was at a historic low of 21.7 percent, compared to 35.2 percent in 1988, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data released today from the Current Population Survey. However, renters still moved at a higher rate than owners (21.7 percent compared with 5.5 percent, respectively). “Although renters…
HUD: FHA Releases 2017 Annual Report to Congress
Capital Reserves remain above statutory minimum for third straight year The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) today released its 2017 Annual Report to Congress on the economic condition of the agency’s Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMI Fund). FHA reports that at the end FY 2017, the MMI Fund had a total economic net worth of $25.6…
FEMA: Two Weeks Remain for Homeowners, Renters and Businesses in Florida to Apply for Disaster Assistance
If you are a Florida homeowner, renter or business owner who sustained property damage or loss caused by Hurricane Irma you have two weeks left to register and apply for federal disaster assistance. The deadline to register for assistance from FEMA and to apply for low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)…