The Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. saw its strongest month this year in new business. It’s been more than a half decade since residential delinquency was this low.
Purchases and issuances amounted to $29.722 billion during August — more than any month since August 2013, when secondary activity totaled $35.963 billion.
Freddie Mac had $25.375 billion in new business during July.
In the eight months ended Aug. 31, purchases and issuances added up to $171.573 billion.
The McLean, Va.-based company’s total mortgage portfolio ended August at $1.8948 trillion, retreating from a month earlier, when the total was $1.8955 trillion, and a year earlier, when Freddie’s total portfolio stood at $1.9343 trillion.
The Aug. 31, 2014, total included an $0.4177 trillion investment portfolio and $1.4771 trillion in outstanding mortgage-related securities and other guarantee commitments.
Residential delinquency of at least 90 days was 1.98 percent in August.
It was the lowest rate of serious delinquency since January 2009.
The 90-day home-loan delinquency rate was 2.02 percent in July 2014 and 2.64 percent in August 2013.
On the commercial real estate loan side of Freddie’s business, multifamily delinquency of at least 60 days was 0.04 percent, inching down from 0.05 percent in July and in August 2013.