Fannie Mae's and Freddie Mac's Financial Problems: Frequently Asked Questions. CRS Report for Congress

摘要

Fannie and Freddie are government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) whose charters limit them to buying single family and multifamily home mortgages originated by others. This lack of diversification makes them more exposed to housing and mortgage market problems than other financial institutions such as commercial banks that have other lines of business. The GSEs have a special relationship with the federal government sometimes called an implicit guarantee that has allowed them to borrow at interest rates only slightly above those paid by the federal government.