I apologize for missing a blog post or two lately. I am recovering from some pretty major cervical surgery and it is tough to concentrate with this pain in my neck. Through my process, I spoke with my surgeon twice; once before and once after my procedure. Otherwise, communication and information came from his assistants and nurses. If it weren’t…
Is The MBA’s GSE Reform Proposal ‘The One’?
In a recent story in Mortgage Orb, I was asked to comment on the MBA white paper called “GSE Reform: Creating a Sustainable, More Vibrant Secondary Mortgage Market.” The white paper discusses the new MBA proposal to have the GSEs “congressionally re-chartered” (re-privatized) and have the mortgage-backed securities that they issue be “explicitly guaranteed!” I stated that in my opinion, the…
Why Does Pharma Advertise to Consumers?
It’s one of those things that bug me. I see all these ads on TV by big pharmaceutical companies advertising drugs you can only get by prescription. Why advertise directly to consumers for something they cannot buy? There must be a reason. Do they believe, or does market research show, that this information will lead to the consumer to request…
Would You Mortgage “Movable” Collateral?
In ongoing efforts to increase homeownership rates and provide home financing to underserved markets, both Fannie and Freddie are entering the mobile home financing market. This is part of their ‘Duty to Serve’ requirements under the 2008 Housing and Economic Recovery Act that I mentioned in an earlier blog. The intent is to expand the market for the purchase of,…
Duty to Serve
It sounds as though we may go back to the old military draft system. No, it’s only for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac requirements to provide programs to serve the needs of very low, low, and moderate-income home buyers. FHFA announced it is extending the deadline for comments on their Evaluation Guidance to meet these requirements from May 15th to…
As The Employment Roller Coaster Ride Continues
Sounds like a name for a bad soap opera or a reality TV show. But, once again this year, the trend continued. Non-Bank mortgage lenders shed employees in December, January, and February only to find the need to find new employees in March. Like the annual migration of the Wildebeests, it happens every year. Why haven’t lenders figured this out?…