The Treasury and Obama Administration released the the first iteration of their plan to wind down government-sponsored mortgage behemoths Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The plan was not earth shattering by any means. The basic ideas in it are to slowly wind down the involvement of Fannie and Freddie in the mortgage market by about 10% per year over the next few years. It also recommends reducing the loan limits on government-backed loans this Fall. Here are some excerpts from the recent HousingWire article on the subject:
The administration’s plan, sent to Congress by the Treasury Department, calls for continuing to wind down of the GSEs investment portfolio at an annual rate of no less than 10% per year.
The Treasury also wants to see 10% down payments from potential borrowers. …
“This is a plan for fundamental reform – to wind down the GSEs, strengthen consumer protection, and preserve access to affordable housing for people who need it,” said Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner. “We are going to start the process of reform now, but we are going to do it responsibly and carefully so that we support the recovery and the process of repair of the housing market.” In a conference call Geithner predicted a 5 to 7 year timeline for implementation.