It started as a buyer of home mortgages that other companies would not touch.

What you're missing is that, without the 95% mortgage buyer, that house wouldn't be £400k.

"We've never turned down any qualified mortgage buyer in our history and as of Sept. 30, 1990, we have no loans under foreclosure."

The government-sponsored company, which is a buyer and guarantor of home mortgages, said it expected to report its 2005 results in late May.

The company, the nation's second-largest buyer of home mortgages, said in June that it would restate its financial results for last year and other periods.

Freddie Mac, the mortgage buyer, underwrites a program for violent youth.

The defendants in the cases include several banks and mortgage buyers that bought those disputed loans from the original lenders.

Other mortgage buyers have expressed similar concerns, especially about loans made to less creditworthy borrowers.

Many mortgage buyers cannot hold securities that are rated below investment grade - insurance companies are an example.

To help these new mortgage buyers, Mr. Totaro noted that there are several programs being offered that were unavailable a few years ago.