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Ever wonder about owning your own home? If you're like millions of Americans, the dream is a real possibility. Thanks in part to the government, and their foresight in establishing the Fannie Mae Corporation. Until recently, Fannie Mae was a part of the US Government, and was overseen by the Housing and Urban Development branch of that government. Now, however, Fannie Mae is a privately held, stock ownership company that promotes the growth of the housing industry by making it possible for many low-to-middle income Americans to own homes.

How did all this come about, and what does it mean to the mortgage industry? Let's take just a moment to explore Fannie Mae's history, mission, and place in the current mortgage industry.

In 1938, Fannie Mae was established by the US Government to promote the growth of home ownership by providing a secondary mortgage market. What is a secondary mortgage market? Well, the secondary mortgage market exists in the buying and selling of a mortgage from one lender to another. The bank, or Mortgage Company that provided you with your loan, can turn around and seek to sell your mortgage to a company such as Fannie Mae. This frees up their cash to make another mortgage loan. And the cycle of growth is expanded and sustained in this manner. The idea and concept worked, and today, Fannie Mae has helped millions of Americans achieve the dream of home ownership.

In 1968, just thirty years later, Fannie Mae became a private company operating with private capital. She had outgrown her need for federal funding and supervision. The housing industry has continued to grow, and currently the entire mortgage market is experiencing phenomenal success.

Thanks also to the available technology, Fannie Mae helps today's lenders approve customers in less than 24 hours. Many lenders use the automated system provided by Fannie Mae to seek and get approval for borrowers much faster than anything available, even 10 years ago. Fannie Mae Corporation has done a fantastic job of promoting the growth of housing among the low-to-middle income Americans for the last 10 years, and thanks to those efforts, more American own homes now, than in any other period in history. That's quite an accomplishment, by a company that never directly lends money to the consumer.

Fannie Mae deals only in the secondary mortgage market, this way Fannie Mae Corporation can ensure that money for mortgages is available throughout the 50 states and that as many homeowners as possible can take advantage of home ownership.

How does Fannie Mae continue to fund the mortgages that she buys? Through the issuance of mortgage backed securities. These securities known as MBS are issued to investors. When Fannie Mae issues the MBS, she is guaranteeing the investors a return on their investment, and at the same time, providing a source of funding for issuing further mortgages. This provides the nation's lenders with a steady stream of cash to continue to make mortgages available to the consumer.

How does all this relate to the home of your dreams? Well, stop just a moment to connect all the dots. Fannie Mae buys mortgages from your local lender. The lender receives the proceeds from that purchase, and can then offer a new mortgage to you. It's a steady and continual circle of growth. Why? Well, Fannie Mae isn't the only lender in the secondary market. Insurance companies, pension funds, securities dealers, and other financial institutions buy mortgages on the secondary market. Who invests in these insurance companies, pension funds and securities dealers? Where do they get their money? From taxpayers just like you. Mortgage holders just like you. Now can you see how Fannie Mae and other mortgage lenders in the secondary market, work to foster home ownership and community growth, all in one process?

The primary focus for Fannie Mae, operating under a government directive, is to provide the maximum amount of help to lenders in making mortgage loans to the low, to middle, to moderate income families across America. Fannie Mae is also involved in a nationwide effort to join with lenders and community partners to create even more home ownership possibilities.