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Mortgage Compliance

Fannie Expands the Credit Box Again

Fannie Mae announced that they are expanding their DU credit box to accept/approve mortgage loans up to 50% total DTI (Debt to Income) ratio, as of July 29th. Some see this as a good thing. This means that Fannie will approve loans where the borrowers total recurring monthly debt payments, including the new mortgage payment, equal to 50% of their…

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Mortgage Compliance

Freddie Announces Appraisal Free Mortgages

While Fannie Mae is talking about relieving lenders from some reps and warranties surrounding appraisals, Freddie is announced that it is doing away with the current traditional appraisal report. This is a bold move that leaves many up in arms. Not surprisingly, the biggest protesters are appraisers. Freddie says they may accept the use of automated valuation reports, supplemented by…

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Mortgage Industry Trends

Mortgage Financing: Is the Government Infringing on the Private Sector

With the crash of 2008, the federal government took over the largest purchasers of conventional mortgage loans in this country; Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. They said this was done to protect the taxpayers against major losses that might be sustained by these agencies. (Takeover) In September of 2008, the agencies were placed into conservatorship and provided with about $190…

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Mortgage Compliance

Three Years and “Counting” – How Do You Spell Relief?

  Freddie Mac, in a recently published Single-Family Update, has reminded everyone that it has now been three years since they implemented the Selling Representation and Warranty Framework which provides lenders (or sellers) with relief from certain selling representations and warranties for loans that demonstrate an acceptable payment history. What does this mean to lenders?  It is anticipated that many…

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Mortgage Compliance

Appeal of the Appeal’s Appeal

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae jointly announced the implementation of an Independent Dispute Resolution (IDR) process which is designed to help resolve alleged loan-level breaches of selling representations or warranties that remain unresolved after all other appeals have been exhausted. This was announced in Freddie Mac’s Guide Bulletin 2016-1. This final, final appeal process will be available for all mortgages…

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Uncategorized

Score Wars: The Sequel

If you recall, I recently wrote about the intention of Fannie and Freddie to begin requiring a new expanded credit score model. This new model will take into account a consumer’s credit trends (historical use of credit) plus begin the utilization of heretofore non-traditional credit sources (Credit Scores). It seems the good old FICO credit score ain’t so good no…

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