Pulte won’t cut conforming loan limits for Fannie, Freddie
“There are no plans to do anything as it relates to the conforming loan limit,” Pulte said, according to the outlet.
The conforming loan limit for 2025 is set at $806,500, an increase of 5.2% or $39,950 from the 2024 limit.
Removing the GSEs from conservatorship is a goal of the Trump administration, but the timing of any exit — or any start of the exit — is unclear. On Feb. 7, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that passing the president’s tax policy was their first job and said that mortgage rates were a key factor for any release.
“The priority for a Fannie and Freddie release — the most important metric I am looking at is any study or hint that mortgage rates would go up. So anything that is done around a safe and sound release is going to hinge on the effect on long term mortgage rates,” Bessent said.
Pulte has also said that any exit from conservatorship would be done in a safe and sound manner. In his confirmation speech, Pulte said, “While their conservatorship should not be indefinite, any exit from conservatorship must be carefully planned to ensure the safety and soundness of the housing market without upward pressure on mortgage rates,” he said.
Some pundits have speculated that drastically reducing the conforming loan limit would be one way to cut the volume of business being done by Fannie and Freddie.
On Thursday Pulte fired the CEO and other top executives at Freddie Mac and similar actions have been anticipated for Fannie Mae, but so far the leadership there is intact.
