Washington, D.C. – The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced today that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) will extend temporary loan origination flexibilities until April 30, 2021. The temporary flexibilities are designed to ensure continued support for borrowers during the COVID-19 pandemic. All temporary flexibilities were set to expire on March 31, 2021.

Temporary flexibilities extended through April include:

• Alternative appraisals on purchase and rate term refinance loans;
• Alternative methods for documenting income and verifying employment before loan closing; and
• Expanding the use of power of attorney to assist with loan closings.  

Certain temporary flexibilities including employment verification, condominium project reviews, and expanded power of attorney, are expected to be retired on April 30. As health and safety conditions improve, FHFA will actively monitor mortgage market participants' use of all temporary measures and retire those that are no longer needed or not extensively used.

Today's actions are just the latest steps FHFA has taken to benefit renters, property owners and the mortgage market during the pandemic. FHFA will continue to monitor the coronavirus' impact on tenants, borrowers, and the mortgage market and update policies as needed. FHFA may extend or sunset its policies based on updated data and health risks. Homeowners and renters can visit consumerfinance.gov/housing for up-to-date information on their relief options, protections, and key deadlines.