Mortgage agency regulator taps veteran as deputy
OFHEO named former chief national bank examiner and career bank regulator official Jimmy Barton as its deputy director
Yahoo.com June 28
US budget office deadline on mortgage agency test near
Franklin Raines has described the doomsday economic scenario as akin to a “nuclear winter”
Yahoo.com June 26
Georgie Mac?
Bush administration mulling more GSE’s to compete with Fannie/Freddie
MortgageDaily.com June 25
Fannie and Freddie Claim Rising Share of
Multifamily Loan Market
Report by Ann Schnare, former Freddie Mac executive
TheBankingChannel.com June 22
New capital rules should calm critics-Freddie Mac
OMB is due to publish standards for capital and risk for the so-called government-sponsored enterprises by the end of June
Yahoo.com June 20
Affordable housing seen impacted by accounting rule
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac warned earlier this month that the new rule, known as Rule 140, would make it more difficult to raise money to finance multifamily housing.
Yahoo.com June 20
Freddie Mac retained portfolio grows 18 pct in May
It was the third straight month that Freddie Mac’s mortgage portfolio growth rate declined
Yahoo.com June 19
Senate panel chair-no need for mortgage agency change
Sarbanes said he saw no need for further hearings in the near future to examine the adequacy of federal oversight over the mortgage finance companies
Yahoo.com June 19
Fannie Chairman: Web’s a Medium, Not the Medium
Raines said the Internet is just “one channel” and that some dot-com companies severely limit themselves by limiting originations to the Web
TheBankingChannel.com June 14 (registration required)
Fannie Mae Change To Impact Credit Picture
Single credit report may hurt consumers as much as help them
RealtyTimes.com June 11
Hawaii Mortgage Discounts Draw Envy As States Lobby for Similar Loan Terms
Conforming loan limit in Hawaii, Alaska, the Virgin Islands and Guam is $412,500: California seeking same limits
WSJ.com June 11 (subscription required)
U.S. lawmaker to keep pressure on Fannie, Freddie
Baker: “(Sarbanes) would merely like to wait on the results of the capital adequacy test that OFHEO has promulgated before moving to consideration of the regulatory structure”
Yahoo.com June 6
Targeting Fannie, Freddie
Sarbanes said highest priority will be pushing for more regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
WashingtonPost.com May 28
Democrats, Sarbanes Good News for Fannie, Freddie
Sarbanes is on record as being supportive of GSE’s
Yahoo.com May 24
Sen. banking chair still mulling Fannie/Freddie law
Senator Gramm said he was not certain whether Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are receiving too large a federal subsidy, saying: “Maybe it’s too small”
Marketwatch.com May 22
Lawmaker hits Fannie, Freddie over report release
U.S. Rep. Richard Baker criticized GSE’s for breaking agreement not to publicly discuss report before Congress had viewed draft or before final draft was ready
Yahoo.com May 18
Freddie Mac retained portfolio up $9.3 bln in April
Freddie’s retained portfolio increased to $430.96 billion in first 4 months of 2001
Yahoo.com May 18
Fannie, Freddie Received $10.6 Billion In Subsidies
CBO report estimates 37% of subsidies benefits shareholders
MortgageDaily.com May 17
Buffett Sells Freddie Mac Holdings
Billionaire may have been concerned about alleged credit and interest rate risk, according to Freddie Mac Executive
Yahoo.com May 15
Fannie Mae mortgage portfolio grows 20.1 pct in April
Fannie issued $21.1 billion in retained mortgage commitments last month
Marketwatch.com May 15
Just One Credit Check Is Enough for Fannie
National credit industry leaders call policy change dangerous and potentially harmful to borrowers and taxpayers alike
WashingtonPost.com May 12
OFHEO Director Speech At Chicago FED Conference
Armando Falcon, Jr. speaks about the federal safety net: Costs, benefits, and implications for regulation
MortgageDaily.com May 11
Views differ on benefit of Fannie, Freddie sponsorship
GSE foes and supporters speak at Chicago Federal Reserve conference Thursday
Yahoo.com May 10
Lawmaker Undeterred On Fannie, Freddie Proposal
House Republican chair of capital markets and GSE subcommittee, Richard Baker
— who is not disappointed that key Republicans have yet to publicly express support for GSE legislation which would move oversight to Fed & make it tougher for GSE’s to enter new lines of business — will speak at Chicago Fed conference on his principles for congressional oversight of “financial safety net”
Yahoo.com May 9
Armando Falcon, Jr. Testimony
OFHEO Director testifies before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Housing and Transportation
MortgageDaily.com May 8
Sky’s the Limit on Mortgage Stocks, Analyst Says
Salomon Smith Barney analyst thinks Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and Washington Mutual “can produce earnings matching or exceeding expectations” in the quarters ahead
Yahoo.com May 8
Momentum slows for bill restricting Fannie, Freddie
Key lawmakers and administration officials reluctant to publicly back the measure;
HUD Secretary Mel Martinez: “I think anything that tinkers with success needs to be carefully looked at”
Yahoo.com May 6
Sen. Gramm called key in Fannie, Freddie debate
May 8th Senate hearing with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and OFHEO is mainly a “get-to-know-you” session
Yahoo.com May 1
Warren Buffett Cools On Fannie, Freddie
Billionaire investor said that potential “icebergs” in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac led his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. to sell shares in the mortgage giants
WashingtonPost.com April 30
GSE Challenges
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to soften image
WashingtonPost.com April 30
Bankers support bill reining in Fannie, Freddie
Nine community banker groups said that they are customers of the so-called government-sponsored enterprises as well as competitors with them
Yahoo.com April 27
Freddie Mac Profits Rise on Loan Demand
Analysts forecast 2001 total U.S. residential mortgage production at $1.5 trillion; Freddie’s 1st quarter volume, which excludes purchases of its own MBS for its retained portfolio, totaled $81 billion
Yahoo.com April 24
Senate sets hearing on Fannie, Freddie
Franklin Raines, Leland Brendsel and Armando Falcon, Jr. to testify at general oversight hearing on May 8
Yahoo.com April 19
Fannie Mae Profits Rise on Loan Growth
First-quarter profits rose more than 16 percent
Yahoo.com April 17
Mortgage Lenders Are Trying Harder To Avoid Foreclosures
Current mitigation procedures at Fannie and Freddie
WashingtonPost.com April 14
Fast Times For Fannie And Freddie
Between on-balance sheet — or retained portfolio — and off-balance sheet — or MBS portfolio — Freddie Mac accounts for about 17% of total residential mortgages outstanding and Fannie Mae, probably something like 25%
Yahoo.com April 13
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Face Hurdles In Sustaining Growth, Says White House
Total mortgage debt financed by GSE’s has been increasing faster than residential mortgage debt outstanding, suggesting that the companies’ federal charters eventually could limit their ability to expand their mortgage-asset portfolios
WSJ.com April 10 (subscription required)
Freddie Mac Giving Employees a Chance to Change Fields
Company will usher about two dozen employees into an intense, four-month course designed to mold them into techies
WashingtonPost.com April 8
CCAGW Pushes Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Reform
Council for Citizens Against Government Waste supports Baker legislation because it ends “GSE’s’ current carte blanche ability to launch into new ventures outside their charter and compete directly with the private sector”
Yahoo.com April 6
US lawmaker criticizes bill to shift GSE’s to Fed
Rep. Marge Roukema (R-NJ): “The legislation introduced by Congressman Baker raises serious concerns as to whether we are actually improving our ability to increase homeownership in America or crippling the mortgage market”
Yahoo.com April 6
US lawmaker says may start GSE bill hearings in May
Baker: “I will engage in a hearing process possibly to begin in May, and I will continue the effort until we have resolution”
Yahoo.com April 5
Why Big Lenders Are So Afraid Of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac
Automated underwriting available to mortgage brokers eliminating need for wholesalers
WSJ.com April 5 (subscription required)
Fannie Mae Would Answer to Fed Under Legislation to Be Unveiled
Rep. Richard Baker, chairman of House financial-services panel, plans to unveil bill Wednesday where Fed would set minimum-capital requirements and approve any new activities for GSE’s
Yahoo.com April 3
Fannie Mae chief sees mortgage debt growing 6-8 pct/yr
Raines: “We think that our prospects for continued growth are quite good, because even though we touch about 24 percent of the mortgage (market), we don’t have all the risks on all those mortgages, in fact we only receive about 5 percent of the revenue from managing interest rate risk and credit risk in the whole marketplace”
Yahoo.com April 3
Friction With Fannie and Freddie
Some subprime lenders unhappy with GSE participation
MortgageDaily.com April 2
Housing agency execs assure lawmakers of fin’l safety
Rep. Baker vowed to introduce legislation within next 2 weeks to create tough new bank-like regulator over GSE’s
Yahoo.com March 27
Fannie-Freddie Hearing Set To Kick Off
Senior representatives of GSE’s to testify before House subcommittee chaired by Rep. Richard Baker on voluntary moves to enhance capital strength, disclosure & market discipline
WSJ.com March 27 (subscription required)
Fannie Mae Discloses Risks
Fannie Mae said an immediate 5% decline in SFR prices would boost credit losses to a “low level” of net credit loss sensitivity
Yahoo.com March 26
Fannie Mae: A Potential Port in a Storm
Here’s one company that’s actually raised earnings expectations
Yahoo.com March 26
Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae’s Political Contributions Rise
Both companies contributed nearly equally to Democrat & Republican parties
WSJ.com March 23 (subscription required)
Freddie Mac portfolio grows $15.4 bln in February
Mortgage delinquency edges up even as portfolio increase represented an annualized growth rate of 47 percent
Marketwatch.com March 22
Fannie, Freddie Officials To Testify Before House Panel
Panel chairman Rep. Richard Baker (R-La.) said he will introduce new legislation sometime this month that would give the firms a new, stronger regulator
WSJ.com March 21 (subscription required)
Capital “B” (for billion)
OFHEO releases 4th quarter capital classification report for Fannie & Freddie
MortgageDaily.com March 19
Fannie Mae Takes a Hit To Save Seniors Money
GSE will not collect controversial “equity shares” attached to some reverse mortgages
WashingtonPost.com March 17
Mortgage Melee
Criticism of secondary mortgage agencies rises
Marketwatch.com March 13
Fannie Mae Raises Earnings Expectations
February portfolio growth reported at 18.7 percent
Yahoo.com March 13
CEO’s of Wells Fargo & American International say GSE’s Made Threats
Wall Street Journal also reports that J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. executive made similar comment
MortgageDaily.com March 8
Things Working Out At Fannie
Executives discuss improvements in problem loan workouts and servicing technology
MortgageDaily.com March 7
Mortgage refinancing could be US cushion-Fannie Mae
Raines: “Refinancing acts as a tax cut”
Yahoo.com March 2
Out of bounds
Fannie, Freddie fighting efforts to limit operations
MortgageDaily.com February 15
Capitalized
Fannie/Freddie exceed OFHEO minimum critical capital levels by 100%
MortgageDaily.com February 14
Freddie Predicts 7% to 7.5% Rates
Quarterly Freddie Mac economic forecast suggests that Refis may constitute majority originations this year
MortgageDaily.com February 12
U.S. Mortgage Debt Reaches $5.6 Trillion in 2000
Fannie Mae executive speaks at financial services conference
MortgageDaily.com January 25
Freddie Mac Announces Record Earnings For 2000
2000 Earnings Per Share Up 15 Percent
MortgageDaily.com January 18
Fannie Mae sets 14th Consecutive Annual Record
Y2k earnings $4.448 billion
MortgageDaily.com January 11
MBA Opposes HUD Data Collection Process
Additional reporting by GSE’s would help identify possible predatory lending activities
MortgageDaily.com January 8
Fannie’s Flying High
Shares of mortgage behemoth Fannie Mae trading at all time high
MortgageDaily.com December 29
Who Are Fannie & Freddie?
Understanding what these mortgage giants do
MortgageDaily.com December 20
Fannie Raises The Roof
GSE Announces 100% LTV’s With MyCommunityMortgage Product
MortgageDaily.com November 2
Freddie’s Going Down (in credit grades)
Freddie Mac Executive Indicates He’d Like To See All Subprime Borrowers Qualify For Freddie Mac Mortgages
MortgageDaily.com November 2
