Fannie Mae, which is the informal name for the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA) — a government backed business — announced last week that it had invested $20 billion during the first half of 2008 in multifamily housing in a bid to shore up that area of the housing market.

“Affordable rental housing is increasingly needed during this housing and mortgage market downturn. Fannie Mae is increasing our product offerings to provide additional liquidity to meet the changing market needs,” said Phil Weber, SVP of Multifamily at Fannie Mae.

Billions Invested In Housing

Fannie Mae’s effort helps to meet the sharply increasing demand for rental housing, by purchasing Small Multifamily Loans of up to $3 million, or $5 million in certain markets. These types of loans typically undergird a an affordable asset class consisting of properties that are located in urban areas near public transportation and serve working families.

Fannie Mae invested approximately $5 billion in Small Loans in the first half of 2008, a significant increase over 2007 mid-year production of $3 billion. The company rewrote the Small Loan Guide and restructured its multifamily business to improve execution. It also made available the Micro Loan product earlier this year, which increases liquidity for small balance multifamily properties with mortgage loan amounts up to and including $750,000.

Seniors And Our Military Benefit Too

Other investment areas for Fannie Mae being planned include Senior Housing and the purchase of bonds benefiting military housing. These bonds are used to renovate existing on-base housing and build new units, something members of our nation’s military forces desperately need.

Fannie Mae was founded in 1938 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal program. At one time it dominated the secondary mortgage market until it was spun off as a semi-private corporation in 1968.

(Source: Fannie Mae)

Tags: Fannie Mae, multifamily housing, real estate

Seizing an opportunity is all about timing, therefore for the person who owns a home and is looking to refinance, consideration must be given today whether to seek a new loan immediately. Why the rush? Because, no one knows what mortgage rates will be six weeks or six months from now. They could continue to drop, but they can just as easily start climbing again.

Take Action Now If You Need To Refinance

If you’re like the vast majority of American homeowners who is satisfied with their current mortgage, then you need not do anything. However, if you are part of that small segment of homeowners who is in danger of losing their homes or under financial pressure as their mortgage rate resets, then taking action as soon as possible is advisable.

Aren’t Rates Set By The Fed?

Rates are affected by what the federal government does, particularly as the federal rate fluctuates, but that is only part of the equation. Your specific rate is actually determined through secondary markets such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, mortgage investment arms founded by the federal government.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, along with other mortgage investors, buy up loans that lenders make and either hold them as an investment portfolio or bundle them with other loans into mortgage-backed securities. These securities are sold to mutual funds, stock investors, and other parties, who trade them much the same as Treasury securities and bonds are traded.

Take Action Now

Perhaps you are waiting for mortgage rates to slip another 1/8 to 1/4 percent before you take action. Unfortunately, even if the Federal Reserve cuts their fund rates as they are expected to do once again in March, there isn’t a guarantee that mortgage rates will also decline. In fact, sometimes a slight up tick in financing rates takes place. Again, other factors weigh in besides the fed rate.

Yes, everyone wants to receive the lowest rate possible when financing a home, car, or special project. But, to delay can be costly adding hundreds of dollars annually to loan costs for consumers who gambled and lost.

For more information about refinancing, please visit SayLending.com to make the right choice in home refinancing. Check out the helpful smart money tips to learn about important ways for you to save money.

Tags: Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, home refinance, mortgage loan, mortgage rates, smart money tips