Archive for November, 2009
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06E3D6123BF932A2575AC0A9659C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=print
At least McCain co-sponsored and tried to get a bill passed in 2005 to address this:
1/26/2005–Introduced.
Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005 – Amends the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 to establish: (1) in lieu of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an independent Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Agency which shall have authority over the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac); and (2) the Federal Housing Enterprise Board.
Sets forth operating, administrative, and regulatory provisions of the Agency, including provisions respecting: (1) assessment authority; (2) authority to limit nonmission-related assets; (3) minimum and critical capital levels; (4) risk-based capital test; (5) capital classifications and undercapitalized enterprises; (6) enforcement actions and penalties; (7) golden parachutes; and (8) reporting.
Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to establish the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance Corporation. Transfers the functions of the Office of Finance of the Federal Home Loan Banks to such Corporation.
Excludes the Federal Home Loan Banks from certain securities reporting requirements.
Abolishes the Federal Housing Finance Board.
***
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s109-190
New Jersey Real Estate
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul128.html
Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing on the Treasury Department’s views regarding government sponsored enterprises (GSEs). I would also like to thank Secretaries Snow and Martinez for taking time out of their busy schedules to appear before the committee.
I hope this committee spends some time examining the special privileges provided to GSEs by the federal government. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the housing-related GSEs received $13.6 billion worth of indirect federal subsidies in fiscal year 2000 alone. Today, I will introduce the Free Housing Market Enhancement Act, which removes government subsidies from the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the National Home Loan Bank Board.
One of the major government privileges granted to GSEs is a line of credit with the United States Treasury. According to some estimates, the line of credit may be worth over $2 billion. This explicit promise by the Treasury to bail out GSEs in times of economic difficulty helps the GSEs attract investors who are willing to settle for lower yields than they would demand in the absence of the subsidy. Thus, the line of credit distorts the allocation of capital. More importantly, the line of credit is a promise on behalf of the government to engage in a huge unconstitutional and immoral income transfer from working Americans to holders of GSE debt.
The Free Housing Market Enhancement Act also repeals the explicit grant of legal authority given to the Federal Reserve to purchase GSE debt. GSEs are the only institutions besides the United States Treasury granted explicit statutory authority to monetize their debt through the Federal Reserve. This provision gives the GSEs a source of liquidity unavailable to their competitors.
The connection between the GSEs and the government helps isolate the GSE management from market discipline. This isolation from market discipline is the root cause of the recent reports of mismanagement occurring at Fannie and Freddie. After all, if Fannie and Freddie were not underwritten by the federal government, investors would demand Fannie and Freddie provide assurance that they follow accepted management and accounting practices.
Ironically, by transferring the risk of a widespread mortgage default, the government increases the likelihood of a painful crash in the housing market. This is because the special privileges granted to Fannie and Freddie have distorted the housing market by allowing them to attract capital they could not attract under pure market conditions. As a result, capital is diverted from its most productive use into housing. This reduces the efficacy of the entire market and thus reduces the standard of living of all Americans.
Despite the long-term damage to the economy inflicted by the government’s interference in the housing market, the government’s policy of diverting capital to other uses creates a short-term boom in housing. Like all artificially-created bubbles, the boom in housing prices cannot last forever. When housing prices fall, homeowners will experience difficulty as their equity is wiped out. Furthermore, the holders of the mortgage debt will also have a loss. These losses will be greater than they would have otherwise been had government policy not actively encouraged over-investment in housing.
Perhaps the Federal Reserve can stave off the day of reckoning by purchasing GSE debt and pumping liquidity into the housing market, but this cannot hold off the inevitable drop in the housing market forever. In fact, postponing the necessary, but painful market corrections will only deepen the inevitable fall. The more people invested in the market, the greater the effects across the economy when the bubble bursts.
No less an authority than Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has expressed concern that government subsidies provided to GSEs make investors underestimate the risk of investing in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to once again thank the Financial Services Committee for holding this hearing. I would also like to thank Secretaries Snow and Martinez for their presence here today. I hope today’s hearing sheds light on how special privileges granted to GSEs distort the housing market and endanger American taxpayers. Congress should act to remove taxpayer support from the housing GSEs before the bubble bursts and taxpayers are once again forced to bail out investors who were misled by foolish government interference in the market. I therefore hope this committee will soon stand up for American taxpayers and investors by acting on my Free Housing Market Enhancement Act.
Yes, I knew before I asked that some will divert from the fact that Ron Paul is right with things like “It’s a cut and paste”, or “he’s a nutjob”, etc. Why do you people bother answering at all?
for sale by owner
McCain: we have allocated $750 billion. Let’s take 300 of that billion and go in and buy those home loan mortgages and negotiate with those people in their homes, 11 million homes or more, so that they can afford to pay the mortgage, stay in their home.
Obama: Senator McCain and I agree with your idea that we’ve got to help homeowners. That’s why we included in the financial package a proposal to get homeowners in a position where they can renegotiate their mortgages. I disagree with Senator McCain in how to do it, because the way Senator McCain has designed his plan, it could be a giveaway to banks if we’re buying full price for mortgages that now are worth a lot less. And we don’t want to waste taxpayer money. And we’ve got to get the financial package working much quicker than it has been working.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/16/politics/2008debates/main4525254.shtml?source=RSSattr=Politics_4525254
Chula Vista Real Estate
President-elect Barack Obama’s newly appointed chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, served on the board of directors of the federal mortgage firm Freddie Mac at a time when scandal was brewing at the troubled agency and the board failed to spot “red flags,” according to government reports reviewed by ABCNews.com.
According to a complaint later filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Freddie Mac, known formally as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, misreported profits by billions of dollars in order to deceive investors between the years 2000 and 2002.
According to a complaint later filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission, Freddie Mac, known formally as the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, misreported profits by billions of dollars in order to deceive investors between the years 2000 and 2002.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=6201900&page=1
Real Estate Web Design
Please Please go easy on me, I am hoping to be a first time house owner.
Two Questions:
1) If a house you are buying is appraised for $30,000 and you are buying the house for $20,000. Can you get a loan (mortgage) for $30,000 (so I can take the extra $10,000 to fix up the place)?
2) What would be one advice would you give a 1st time home buyer, that YOU wished you knew when buying a house.
Thank you!
Torrance homes
Second mortgages usually have adjustable rates. * You’ve grown roots. Many economists forecast basically stable interest rates through Thanksgiving or so, but with the amount of uncertainty in financial markets, there’s no telling. Paying on time and reducing or eliminating credit card balances will [...] Is Now the Time for a Mortgage Refinance? Removing PMI will give most borrowers an immediate monthly payment reduction of $100 to $200 (the mortgage statement lists the specific payment). * One funding is better than two.
Miami FL Real Estatelistings
Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Try Mortgage Acceleration To Reduce Indebtedness Nearly 20 years ago, a smart and savvy someone discovered if an interest-only funding was obtained in a certain way a consumer could pay off all personal debts three times as fast than obtaining traditional financing. Restructured Mortgages Can Save Big Money When a homeowner restructures a mortgage properly, a typical home mortgage can be repaid in as little as 15 years. Unless you have come into a windfall sum of cash, [...] Your parents did a little better when down payment requirements lowered to about 20 to 30 percent.
Atlanta GA Real Estate
Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
The realization of the greatest American dream is to have your own home. How to Find the Lowest Mortgage Rates Never compare a 15-year term against 30-year term or fixed term as compared to adjustable term. Do not tie yourself up in only one term say 30 year fixed term. Now, if you have perfect credit rating, then there is no reason why you will not be able to find [...] Thus, if you want to buy your first home, you surely want to find the lowest mortgage rates.
Theatrical Wardrobe Supplies
Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Instead, select a buyer’s agent or broker who will represent only you. Building is usually a very lengthy process-be aware that promises to build a home quickly often [...] Select from among several well-established, licensed contractors who have submitted written, fixed-price bids for the work. Saving Money On Your Housing Remember that signing a lease probably obligates you to make all monthly payments for the term of the agreement. Expense Tracker is ideal for tracking personal, business, home and club expenses.. People often meet with injury and even death when trying to do their own repairs.
Orlando Real Estate agent
Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
http://libertymaven.com/2009/05/15/ron-paul-attacks-keynesian-economics-on-msnbc/5755/
Ron Paul had a great appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” this morning. Scarborough and the other host praised Ron Paul for being one of the only people to predict our economic crisis.
Joe reads Ron Paul’s own words in 2003 in amazement and asks how he knew what was going to happen when the others did not. The answer is quite simple really, two words: Austrian Economics. Paul then cites Keynes as the one person responsible for our current woes.
Watch the appearance below.
[video]
Here is the full article they are discussing in the video:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul128.html
Mr. Chairman, thank you for holding this hearing on the Treasury Department’s views regarding government sponsored enterprises (GSEs). I would also like to thank Secretaries Snow and Martinez for taking time out of their busy schedules to appear before the committee.
I hope this committee spends some time examining the special privileges provided to GSEs by the federal government. According to the Congressional Budget Office, the housing-related GSEs received $13.6 billion worth of indirect federal subsidies in fiscal year 2000 alone. Today, I will introduce the Free Housing Market Enhancement Act, which removes government subsidies from the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), and the National Home Loan Bank Board.
One of the major government privileges granted to GSEs is a line of credit with the United States Treasury. According to some estimates, the line of credit may be worth over $2 billion. This explicit promise by the Treasury to bail out GSEs in times of economic difficulty helps the GSEs attract investors who are willing to settle for lower yields than they would demand in the absence of the subsidy. Thus, the line of credit distorts the allocation of capital. More importantly, the line of credit is a promise on behalf of the government to engage in a huge unconstitutional and immoral income transfer from working Americans to holders of GSE debt.
The Free Housing Market Enhancement Act also repeals the explicit grant of legal authority given to the Federal Reserve to purchase GSE debt. GSEs are the only institutions besides the United States Treasury granted explicit statutory authority to monetize their debt through the Federal Reserve. This provision gives the GSEs a source of liquidity unavailable to their competitors.
The connection between the GSEs and the government helps isolate the GSE management from market discipline. This isolation from market discipline is the root cause of the recent reports of mismanagement occurring at Fannie and Freddie. After all, if Fannie and Freddie were not underwritten by the federal government, investors would demand Fannie and Freddie provide assurance that they follow accepted management and accounting practices.
Ironically, by transferring the risk of a widespread mortgage default, the government increases the likelihood of a painful crash in the housing market. This is because the special privileges granted to Fannie and Freddie have distorted the housing market by allowing them to attract capital they could not attract under pure market conditions. As a result, capital is diverted from its most productive use into housing. This reduces the efficacy of the entire market and thus reduces the standard of living of all Americans.
Despite the long-term damage to the economy inflicted by the government’s interference in the housing market, the government’s policy of diverting capital to other uses creates a short-term boom in housing. Like all artificially-created bubbles, the boom in housing prices cannot last forever. When housing prices fall, homeowners will experience difficulty as their equity is wiped out. Furthermore, the holders of the mortgage debt will also have a loss. These losses will be greater than they would have otherwise been had government policy not actively encouraged over-investment in housing.
Perhaps the Federal Reserve can stave off the day of reckoning by purchasing GSE debt and pumping liquidity into the housing market, but this cannot hold off the inevitable drop in the housing market forever. In fact, postponing the necessary, but painful market corrections will only deepen the inevitable fall. The more people invested in the market, the greater the effects across the economy when the bubble bursts.
No less an authority than Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has expressed concern that government subsidies provided to GSEs make investors underestimate the risk of investing in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Mr. Chairman, I would like to once again thank the Financial Services Committee for holding this hearing. I would also like to thank Secretaries Snow and Martinez for their presence here today. I hope today’s hearing sheds light on how special p
Here’s the rest:
I would also like to thank Secretaries Snow and Martinez for their presence here today. I hope today’s hearing sheds light on how special privileges granted to GSEs distort the housing market and endanger American taxpayers. Congress should act to remove taxpayer support from the housing GSEs before the bubble bursts and taxpayers are once again forced to bail out investors who were misled by foolish government interference in the market. I therefore hope this committee will soon stand up for American taxpayers and investors by acting on my Free Housing Market Enhancement Act.
What do you think?
Illinois Valley homes for sale
It just doesn’t make sense. Current statistics show that only about 14% of commercial mortgage loans go through an independent commercial mortgage broker with the remainder being placed directly through the bank where that business owner has a relationship. How to save money by using an Independent Commercial Mortgage Broker Most business people have an established relationship with their bank and take advantage of that relationship whenever they need to borrow money. This article comes with reprint rights. Author:- Commercial Mortgage and Bridging Finance specialists Commercial Lifeline. [...]
Cardiff by the Sea Real Estate
Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.











