FHFA: Modifications Announced to High LTV Streamlined Refinance Program and Extension of HARP through December 2018
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today announced modifications to the streamlined refinance program for borrowers with high loan-to-value (LTV) ratios. On August 25, 2016, FHFA announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) would implement a High LTV Streamlined Refinance program to provide much-needed liquidity for borrowers who are current on their mortgage…
FHFA: Refinance Volume Continued to Slow in Second Quarter 2017
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today reported that more than 356,709 refinances were completed in the second quarter of 2017, compared with 510,074 in the first quarter. FHFA’s second quarter Refinance Report also shows that more than 9,700 loans were refinanced through the Home Affordable Refinance Program, bringing the total number of HARP refinances…
Federal Reserve: The Effect of Interest Rates on Home Buying
The Effect of Interest Rates on Home Buying: Evidence from a Discontinuity in Mortgage Insurance Premiums (PDF) Neil Bhutta and Daniel Ringo We study the effect of interest rates on the housing market by taking advantage of a sudden and unexpected price change in a large government mortgage program. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures…
FHFA: Index Shows Mortgage Rates Increased in June 2017
Washington, D.C. – Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages increased from May to June, according to several indices of new mortgage contracts. The National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders Index was 4.00 percent for loans closed in late June, up 13 basis points from 3.87…
CFPB: Three Tools to Help Your Homebuying Process
Buying a home is exciting. It’s also one of the most important financial decisions you’ll make. Choosing a mortgage to pay for your new home is just as important as choosing the right home. You have the right to control the process. Check out our other blogs on homebuying topics, and join the conversation on…
FHFA: Progress Update on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Credit Risk Transfer Program
Washington, D.C. – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) today issued a Credit Risk Transfer Progress Report updating the status and volume of credit risk transfer transactions through the first quarter of 2017. The Report gives a comprehensive picture of how Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) transfer a portion of credit risk to…
CFPB: Don’t Let Marketers Tell You How to Age in Place
We often hear that older Americans want to “age in place.” Aging in place means living at home in the community, rather than in an institutional setting, like a nursing facility. This is the choice most people want to make even if they need services and support to do so. With over ten thousand people…
FHFA: House Price Index Up 0.4 Percent in May
Washington, D.C. – U.S. house prices rose in May, up 0.4 percent from the previous month, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) seasonally adjusted monthly House Price Index (HPI). The previously reported 0.7 percent increase in April was revised downward to reflect a 0.6 percent increase. The FHFA monthly HPI is calculated using…
CFPB: Spring 2017 Rulemaking Agenda
An important part of the CFPB’s statutory mandate from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) is to make rules governing consumer finance markets more effective and to create new rules when warranted. Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, federal agencies must publish regulatory agendas twice a year. As an independent regulatory…