Fannie Mae Tightens Guidelines Again

Fannie Mae is tightening lending standards (here and here).

This follows regulators allowing the borrow and lend more extensively, in an attempt to bolster the housing market.

Upper management at FNM gets it. That the market is completely fscked, and if they don't tighten up, they will get swamped.

Changes to their standards for buying loans:

• Minimum credit score of 580.
• It won't buy, "Delinquent loans that have fallen 60 or more days past due in the last year".
• It won't buy loans to borrowers who have been foreclosed on in the past 5 years (used to be 4 years).

Calculated risk has some more details, and there are some additional standards which appear directed towards dissuading people from walking away from properties where they are under water (aka jingle mail).