Johnson-Crapo Likely to Erode the Agency Pricing Advantages Seen in the Multifamily MBS Market
April 25, 2014
Passage of legislation from Sens. Tim Johnson, D-SD, and Mike Crapo, R-ID, to reform the government-sponsored enterprises would prompt some changes to the multifamily MBS market, according to industry analysts. While the bill’s impact on the multifamily market is expected to be modest overall, according to Moody’s Investors Service, the pricing advantages seen on multifamily MBS from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac compared with non-agency commercial MBS would likely disappear. The Johnson-Crapo bill, which is scheduled for a markup next week by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, calls for risk-sharing structures in the multifamily market already used by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac for multifamily MBS, potentially limiting any broad disruptive impact to the multifamily market from the bill. Within one year after the bill becomes law, Fannie and Freddie would be required...