To: All Mortgage Brokers, Real Estate Agents, Appraisers, Lenders, Home Builders, Title Agents, and Consumers From: Marc Savitt, President- National Association of Mortgage Brokers After more than a year of exhaustive negotiations with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, James Lockhart, Director of FHFA (GSE Regulator),...

The appraisal process often baffles consumers. They may feel that their home is worth a higher dollar amount, and so the appraised value doesn’t always make sense to them. It is important to know that the appraiser is completely independent from lenders, buyers, sellers, and real estate agents,...

Fannie and Freddie have officially announced and launched Making Home Affordable Plan Program! Making Home Affordable program “looks the other way” with respect to falling home values, approving mortgage applications based on borrower payment history and benefit to the homeowner. Not every...

If the following appraisal guidelines look foreign to you, that’s okay, because this update is intended for Appraisers and Underwriters. 1. The Market Conditions Addendum (Fannie Form 1004MC/Freddie Form 71). 2. At least 2 comparable sales within 90 days of appraisal date. 3. A minimum of 2 active...

When the White House first introduced the Making Home Affordable program in February, it was positioned as a mortgage program with two goals: To help financially-needy homeowners get mortgage relief To help homeowners who’ve lose equity qualify for today’s low rates Wednesday, in a much-anticipated...

As part of the stimulus package passed last week, Congress authorized a temporary increase to conforming loan limits in certain high-cost parts of the country. “High cost” is defined by a regions’ median sales price. With the temporary increase, a greater share of Americans can now...

Mortgage Backed Securities reacted negatively to the days new of socialism, by giving up 19bp (30 YR 4.5% FNMA).  Lenders released a mid day price increase which hit both FHA and confirming mortgage rates.  Once the Subsidy chatter hit the wires, the DOW recouped its losses, while MBS gave...

Fannie Mae rolled-back one of its least popular mortgage guidelines updates of the last 12 months. Effective March 1, 2009, real estate investors can once again own and finance up to 10 individual properties. The restriction reversal does come with new minimum requirements, however. Homeowners buying...

Mortgage guidelines continue to change, add this to the New Mortgage Guidelines 2009 list. Lenders who sell their paper to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the majority of Lenders) have implemented a new guideline for individuals who are prospective Mover Uppers and Investors. The three facets prospective...

Even though its effective date is April 1, 2009, mortgage applicants should start seeing Fannie Mae’s new fee structure from lenders beginning this Monday, January 12. The reason why Fannie Mae’s mandatory loan fees are hitting lender pricing so far in advance is because lenders can take...