Credit Review, HELOC, 2nd Products; Freddie and Fannie News; Cap. Markets
Lender and Broker Services, Products, and Software
Newrez Wholesale has enhanced its partner protection program with Newrez Broker Protect, delivering broader and longer coverage for approved partners. Starting January 1, 2026, all approved broker partners receive 18 months of solicitation protection on funded Agency and Government loans. RezClub members gain even more with 30-month protection and a simplified 4-point qualification system. Plus, Newrez retains servicing on the vast majority of loans it originates, helping brokers build lasting customer relationships through protection programs, payoff referrals, and marketing support. Contact your Account Executive for details. Not signed up with Newrez Wholesale yet? Click here.
“Arc Home’s Closed End Second gives delegated correspondents strong execution, with pricing as high as 107.5 on eligible scenarios. We offer fixed rate terms of 10, 15, 20, and 30 years. With loan amounts up to 500,000. CLTVs up to 80% on primary, second homes and investment properties eligible. Keep the low rate first lien in place while solving for cash, liquidity, and tax planning needs. Our team provides experience that keeps the process simple from lock to purchase. Let’s review eligibility, sample structures, and packaging tips so files move predictably. To schedule a meeting and learn more, contact Elliott Grumer.”
“It’s been a record-breaking year for Spring EQ. And even though the year is winding down, we’re keeping the momentum going into 2026. Spring EQ now offers premium pricing on all products, giving you the opportunity to help your customers keep more money upfront by lowering their closing costs and choosing a higher rate (lump sum can’t exceed closing costs). With premium pricing, you can offer true no closing cost home equity loans, provide a better customer experience, and create more flexibility at closing. Lender paid compensation (LPC) is also now available on all products, including HELOANs, HELOCs, and our unique FIXLINE (fixed-rate HELOC). We have one other major product announcement coming your way. Keep an eye out for details in early January and contact your Spring EQ Account Executive to learn more. Visit EMMA to price, process, and manage your loans today. Not a partner? Join us: Wholesale | Correspondent.”
The Chrisman Marketplace is a centralized hub for vendors and service providers across the mortgage industry to be viewed by lenders in a very cost-effective manner. We’re adding new providers daily, so check back often to see what’s new. To reserve your place or learn more, contact us at info@chrismancommentary.com.
Free Credit Review
With low pricing, excellent customer service, no hidden fees, and convenient technology integrations, L1 Credit delivers the flexibility and value you need. The comprehensive suite includes credit, flood, fraud, and verification products, all backed by the high standard of service you expect from Lenders One. Don’t wait: request your FREE cost-savings review today and discover how L1 Credit can help you offset rising costs and protect your bottom line.
Freddie and Fannie News
The Unresolved Fate of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Robbie Chrisman writes, “The long running debate over the future of the GSEs remains unresolved because it sits at the intersection of politics, capital markets, and housing policy. From my vantage point, meaningful movement toward privatization seems inevitable at some point, but the timeline is anything but clear.
“Early on, it was easy to assume that eventual privatization would be logical and even profitable for investors. Today, the path feels far less predictable. Once decisions move fully into the political arena, traditional forecasting breaks down.
“What often gets overlooked in these conversations is not just how privatization might affect rates, but how it could affect innovation. Under conservatorship, the GSEs operate with significant constraints. They cannot truly make underwriting decisions, only validate data that lenders provide. A shift to a different structure could dramatically change how property values, income verification, and underwriting decisions are made, especially as technology evolves. Those changes would not happen overnight. Even under aggressive scenarios, we are likely years away from meaningful structural shifts unless political pressure accelerates timelines unexpectedly.” Thank you, Robbie.
Meanwhile, F&F continue to make changes.
In Freddie Mac’s ongoing effort to enhance your experience with tools, they’ve introduced a new application programming interface (API) to help streamline and expedite the loan delivery process within Loan Selling Advisor. Learn more about how Freddie Mac APIs can help simplify and expedite the loan selling and delivery process.
Fannie Mae SEL-2025-10 December Selling Guide key updates include HomeStyle® Refresh, a rebranded version of HomeStyle® Energy with expanded financing options and streamlined requirements; expand HomeStyle® Renovation eligible upfront disbursements, removing $50,000 renovation caps for manufactured homes, and clarifying using limited cash-out refinance transactions to buy out a co-owner’s interest; eliminate the 3% acceptability requirement for 7- and 10-year ARMs; broaden property eligibility criteria for accessory dwelling units and manufactured homes, and; remove inconsistencies and adding additional resources and clarity to prevent fraudulent transactions.
Freddie Mac published Guide Bulletin 2025-16 includes information on 2026 Loan Limit Values, AI Governance and More.
Fannie Mae’s December 3rd Selling + Servicing News includes details on new servicing report, manufactured housing webinar, and more.
Capital Markets
It was a calm but constructive day for bond and mortgage markets yesterday: U.S. Treasuries rebounded sharply from midweek losses, led by intermediate maturities, as supportive global (expected Bank of England cut, unchanged ECB policy) and domestic (dovish rhetoric from President Trump, and a favorable inflation backdrop) signals steadied rates. Events were highlighted by inflation cooling meaningfully in November, with both headline and core CPI falling into the mid-2 percent range and coming in below expectations, reinforcing the broader disinflation trend despite data-collection noise. While the magnitude of the slowdown may be overstated due to some missing monthly data, the softer inflation backdrop strengthens the case for Fed rate cuts beginning in March and June as policymakers gain more flexibility to support a weakening labor market.
After increasing last week, mortgage rates fell in the latest Primary Mortgage Market Survey from Freddie Mac. For the week ending December 18, the 30-year and 15-year mortgage rates fell 1-basis point and 7-basis points to 6.21 percent and 5.47 percent, respectively, which is 4-basis points and 6-basis points off the year-to-date lows and 51-basis points and 45-basis points lower from a year ago.
Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Ginnie Mae are currently channeling a historically large share of mortgage credit to first-time home buyers, largely because refinancing activity has collapsed and new issuance is overwhelmingly purchase-driven, with Ginnie Mae leading the way at nearly 70 percent first-time buyer share in its 30-year issuance this year. While first-time buyers generally have lower credit scores (especially in Ginnie Mae pools) and exhibit higher serious delinquency rates than repeat buyers (particularly after the first year), their loan characteristics such as debt-to-income ratios are broadly similar. Performance differences matter most for investors: repeat buyers show meaningfully lower delinquency risk and higher early curtailments, especially in conventional pools, reflecting stronger balance sheets and the ability to use prior home-sale proceeds to pay down new mortgages. As a result, premium buyers may prefer pools weighted toward repeat borrowers to reduce buyout risk, while those seeking to minimize early curtailments may favor Ginnie Mae pools or conventional pools with a heavier concentration of first-time buyers.
Today’s economic calendar kicks off later this morning and includes final December Michigan sentiment and existing home sales for November. Sentiment is expected to decrease and home sales are seen slipping to 3.95 million annually from a 4.31 million reading in October. We begin the day with Agency MBS prices little changed from Thursday’s close, the 2-year yielding 3.47, and the 10-year yielding 4.14 after closing yesterday at 4.12 percent.