While discussing 2018 housing finance reform recently, specifically private mortgage insurance’s role in helping homebuyers and protecting lenders and the GSEs in the mortgage finance system, I was reminded of one of the most significant reasons MI is uniquely valuable: it is compatible with nearly every form of mortgage credit execution.
Nearly a decade after the financial crisis, the housing finance system remains largely structurally unreformed.
The private MI industry is in the midst of a once in a generation opportunity to positively reform the country’s housing finance system. To do it right, there must be a comprehensive approach to evaluate what the proper role is for the GSEs, FHA, and private capital.
Data show homeownership has become out of reach for many and that reducing or eliminating upfront fees is overdue.
The outcome of the historic 2016 election means that one party will control all three branches of government starting in 2017, which presents a unique opportunity to examine the underpinnings of the housing finance system and establish a more comprehensive and coordinated approach to housing policy, rather than just tinkering around the edges of the mortgage finance industry.
