Time flies. We’re at “pi day” (3.14), two weeks until the end of the quarter, one month before our taxes are due. Tax returns for individuals are private (I think) but those filed by nonprofit organizations are public records. The Mortgage Bankers Association of America taxes, for example, are here. Speaking of which, our MBA has a lot on its plate. Setting up relationships with Scott Turner (HUD) and Bill Pulte (confirmed for FHFA this week) is important since having a say in ending the conservatorship of the GSEs (Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) matters greatly. (Would they still be government sponsored?) “16 years of hands-on conservatorship by FHFA has created inefficiencies, blunted some of their competitiveness, and led to challenges in retaining and attracting the best talent in the housing finance space.” The MBA has identified four over-arching principles it believes should frame the release of Fannie and Freddie: an explicit backstop via a federal guarantee, the two maintaining a level playing field for lenders of all shapes and sizes, a “Bright Line” between primary and secondary mortgage functions that must be clearly defined and rigorously enforced by FHFA to ensure a stable and competitive market, and, lastly, FHFA regulatory enhancements to regulate the GSEs’ rate of return and market conduct. Go MBA! (Today’s podcast can be found here and this week’s is sponsored by TransUnion. TransUnion offers thousands of B2B solutions designed to address the unique needs of mortgage lenders, especially for their identity-focused, data-driven mortgage insights and solutions. Hear an Interview with Milo’s Josip Rupena on the latest happenings at the intersection of crypto and mortgage lending.)