Freddie Mac Single-Family Home Starts Here

Reducing home utility costs places families in a better financial situation and helps preserve home affordability over time. Since the first Earth Day in 1970, changes in building codes have made homes much more efficient, cutting energy use by 47%, but a lack of energy efficiency can still be the highest cost of homeownership outside of the mortgage loan. In this episode, we discuss tools that allow lenders and appraisers the ability to rate the energy performance of homes and how to affordably reduce costs through energy efficiency upgrades. 

Mike Reynolds, Single-Family VP of Credit Risk Transfer, sits down with Andrew Davidson & Co., Inc. (AD&Co) founder Andy Davidson to talk all things risk intelligence, including planting the first seed about a GSE CRT market in 2010 and connecting with Freddie Mac to launch the first GSE CRT securities transaction in 2013. AD&Co was founded in 1992 and focuses on bringing the analytics and tools of Wall Street to the buy-side, enabling all parties to conduct business fairly.The company’s interest in GSE CRT stemmed from an obligation to making the mortgage market function better as well as from seeing a strong appetite among credit experts for more products to invest in. 

Homeownership is the cornerstone to wealth building, community pride and familial stability. However, many Black Americans face a significant number of barriers to homeownership and are under-represented among homeowners. In this conversation, we’ll hear Lydia Pope, president-elect, National Association of Real Estate Brokers and Pamela Perry, vice president, Equitable Housing, Freddie Mac Single-Family discuss how their roles address barriers and obstacles that impede homeownership in the Black community.  

Now, more than ever, Servicers are focused on how to efficiently deliver the best product for the homeowners. Hear how Cenlar, a Freddie Mac Servicer client, is using a new end-to-end default management platform, Resolve (SM) to get fast decisions on mortgage relief options, while saving time and resources. 

Learn more about the partnership between Federal Housing Finance Agency, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae to help borrowers challenged with limited English proficiency navigate the homebuying process. The result has been a resource that has assisted lenders, servicers, housing counselors, real estate professionals and other industry stakeholders in better serving LEP borrowers. The Mortgage Translations Clearinghouse holds translated mortgage-related terms, documents, and homeownership resources in the several languages representing some of the largest population and cultural segments within the United States, helping these consumers understand topics such as fraud avoidance, foreclosure prevention, financial wellness and mortgage options. https://www.fhfa.gov/MortgageTranslations 

This episode explores the historic and social homeownership challenges faced by Native American communities. Single-Family Affordable Lending Manager, James Cromartie, and special guest Executive Director of Lakota Funds, Tawney Brunsch discuss work being done to address the scarcity and limitations of homeownership and efforts underway to prepare borrowers on Native American reservations for successful homeownership through Freddie Mac’s Duty to Serve initiative. 

Mortgage finance data models have revolutionized how the mortgage industry does everything from assess risk to assist borrowers who are having difficulty making their payments. They are used to project interest rates, mortgage rates, house prices, unemployment rates, defaults and prepayments, and other key outputs that determine our business success and viability. But what happens when a global pandemic throws the models out of whack? Two industry experts explore how the industry can best use data as a tool for long-term business growth and preparedness even in the throes of a “black swan” event.

The global economy is changing all around us, and despite uncertainty, everyone from fintech companies and lenders to local governments and real estate professionals are adapting to serve homeowners and potential buyers during this time. Valuation methods and supporting digital tools are being advanced in a major way. One estimate is that this crisis is advancing the digital move by five years – speed is motivated by need.From expanding automated collateral evaluation to offering the ability for an appraiser to complete and exterior only appraisal, this episode discusses the changes and the digital tools that have been leveraged to support valuations. 

Growing investor and borrower demand along with heightened regulatory pressure often have mortgage lenders backlogged with integration work and operational inefficiency. Freddie Mac is focused on delivering solutions to clients that will increase efficiency and data accuracy, saving them time and money. Learn more about how Freddie Mac is using application programming interfaces (APIs) to speed up and simplify pre-qualifications, simplify decisioning on workout options and create a more efficient borrower experience. 

The impact of COVID-19 has added additional layers of complexity and financial hardships to housing affordability and homebuying readiness. Borrower Help Centers are an integral part of the housing ecosystem, and they’ve taken a frontline role in helping those in crisis mitigate the impact of COVID-19. Learn how two Borrower Help Centers in distinct markets are making a difference.