SFA released the following statement after Fannie Mae priced its first Agency Credit Risk Transfer (CRT) transaction since February 2020.

On October 13, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that the 2022 multifamily loan purchase caps for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be $78 billion for each GSE up from $70 billion in 2021, for a combined total of $156 billion to support the multifamily market.

The National Association of Realtors’ (NAR) monthly report, which compares average family income with average home sales prices and mortgage rates, showed housing affordability improved in August for the second month in a row.

On October 5, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) for adjustable rate mortgages transitioning from LIBOR to alternate indices.

A report on the benefits of GSE CRT programs, including direct benefits accruing the GSEs, as well as overarching benefits for the broader housing market.

On September 14, the Treasury Department and Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that they are suspending certain requirements that were issued in January 2021 amendments to the Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements (PSPAs) between Treasury and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

On September 13, President Biden announced the nomination of Alanna McCargo, a senior advisor at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to be president of Ginnie Mae. McCargo is the first Senate-confirmed president at the agency since January 2017.

On September 7, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be required to submit a strategic plan to advance equity in housing finance by the end of this year. These plans, which are to be updated and reported annually to the FHFA, aim to address barriers to housing opportunities and must specifically include strategies to reduce the racial homeownership gap.

Latest findings from Fannie Mae’s Home Purchase Sentiment Index showed a slight increase in consumer optimism with regards to homebuying conditions. Fannie Mae reported that 32% of consumers surveyed in August said it was an opportune time to buy a home, reflecting an increase of 7 percentage points from July, and the first increase in four months.

On September 1, the White House unveiled new measures aimed at addressing the country’s supply shortage of rental properties and homes. The Biden Administration will leverage the authority of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) which oversees GSEs Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in implementing its new policy agenda.