Franklin Raines Quotations

Well, it's been great for new home purchasers, particularly first-time purchasers. I think this is a good time to be thinking about buying a home.

Well, there are about 10 million children that aren't covered by health insurance. About 3 million qualify for Medicaid but don't get it, so we're going to reach out and bring more of those kids into the Medicaid program.

We think if the economy remains weak that we could see mortgage rates trail down and we think that we could see rates below seven percent into early next year.

Well, we're just now seeing the reductions in mortgage rates. The mortgage rates are based on the ten-year rate and the Fed controls the overnight or the shorter rates.

And so Fannie Mae produces very strong results for investors in - when interest rates are high and when interest rates are low, in recession and during booms.

And so the danger for the housing industry is if we see interest rates rise.

And so we have to be careful with looking at additional stimulus that we don't provoke an increase in the bond rate and then offset a lot of the stimulus we've already got.

I think if you go beyond a year - if this continues into the system in the out years, I think there is a risk and that - that we could have a negative reaction in the bond market and that will offset the good that was attempted to be done.

Right now the long-term investors are telling us that they're not as concerned about inflation and so we're seeing these rates now move into the marketplace and out to the street - rates that individuals can get.

So from the housing standpoint, steady as you go, I think, would be the best medicine.