Tag Archives: Federal Housing Finance Agency

For a program that was only supposed to be temporary, The Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) is still going rather strong.

Low mortgage rates do not appear to be enough of an incentive to attract homeowners to refinance their homes.

The issue of principal reduction has returned to the forefront of housing policy in the last month as current FHFA Director Mel Watt recently announced that he would make a decision in the next 30 days as to whether or not to offer principal reduction.

Since the highly anticipated rate hike last year, mortgage interest rates have not moved up as many in the mortgage industry expected, leaving many to wonder what happened to to the so-called increase in rates.

Scott Pickell, VP and Chief Appraiser at LRES explains to MReport what is happening to appraisers in the mortgage industry, challenges they face, and how the problem can be solved.

In the midst of tight supply, heightened competition for buyers, and unpredictable financial markets, U.S. home prices continued to rise in the fourth quarter.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have been under conservatorship for almost eight years following a massive taxpayer-funded bailout. While many in the industry have called for a GSE reform on numerous occasions over the years, the future of the conservatorship remains uncertain.

For a program that was only supposed to be temporary, HARP is still going rather strong as the Federal Housing Finance Agency makes one final push to get more homeowners refinanced.

Prior to the Federal Reserve’s decision to raise mortgage rates, they were already ticking up without any additional help.

In the midst of what some are calling a global crisis—due to weaknesses in the energy sector and stock market combined with the effects of an overly strong U.S. dollar—home prices continue to move upward. Despite this however the housing sector is just not large enough to carry the weight of the world.