The National Association of Realtors supports legislation introduced last month that provides reform of the secondary mortgage market and protects the interest of taxpayers.
Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) introduced the legislation, “The Mortgage Finance Act of 2011,” in the U.S. Senate.
The bill creates a limited-term, government-chartered secondary mortgage market mechanism, the Mortgage Finance Agency, that would focus on the securitization of loans meeting the “qualified residential mortgage” standard crafted by Sens. Isakson, Kay Hagan (D-N.C.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) for the Dodd-Frank Act.
“We commend Sen. Isakson for putting forth this legislation. As the leading advocate for homeownership, NAR is committed to working with Congress on a solution that protects U.S. taxpayers while continuing to allow Americans access to the dream of homeownership,” said NAR President Moe Veissi, broker-owner of Veissi & Associates in Miami. “Any new secondary mortgage market model must ensure that mortgages are affordable and always available to creditworthy buyers, especially in times of economic distress; ensure that taxpayer dollars are protected; require sound underwriting standards; and provide for rigorous oversight. We think this legislation creates the framework to accomplish that.”
NAR has long recommended a considered, responsible approach to reforming the secondary mortgage market.