Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will need between $220 billion and $311 billion from Tax Payers. They have already received $169 Billion from Tax Payers.

Officials Say GSE Bailout Will Cost Less Than Originally Estimated

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has lowered its projection for just how much taxpayer funding is needed to support the nation’s two largest mortgage financiers.

FHFA estimates that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will need between $220 billion and $311 billion from the American people when all is said and done. Those figures represent capital assistance from September 2008, when the two mortgage giants were placed into conservatorship, through the end of 2014.
The federal agency has actually trimmed those numbers from estimates released a year ago, primarily because the GSEs have required less funding so far than officials initially thought. Projections released by FHFA in October

2010, covering a span one year shorter, ranged from $221 billion to $363 billion through the end of 2013.
Over the last three years, Fannie and Freddie have drawn $169 billion from Treasury under the Senior Preferred Stock Purchase Agreements of their conservatorship. To date, they’ve returned $28 billion in dividend payments.
To assess the GSEs’ capital needs over the next three years, FHFA has devised three what-if scenarios, taking into account expected loan performance, macroeconomic conditions, and home prices.
Based on these hypotheticals, the agency is projecting Fannie and Freddie will need another $51 billion to $142 billion, on top of the $169 billion already received.
FHFA notes that Fannie Mae’s cumulative draws are higher than Freddie Mac’s, in part because Fannie’s mortgage book of business is approximately 50 percent larger and carries a higher serious delinquency rate.
For both companies, provisions for loan losses, plus foreclosed property expenses continue to drive projected Treasury draws across all three future scenarios.
While to date, the GSEs have needed extra money each quarter from Treasury to cover dividend payments owed to Treasury, FHFA’s projections show that as each company’s financial situation improves over the coming years, at least a portion of future dividends will be paid out of comprehensive income.

Mac will need between $220 billion and $311 billion from the American people when all is said and done

Foreclosure Woes to Plague Industry for at Least Five Years

Foreclosure Woes to Plague Industry for at Least Five Years: Survey

10/03/2011 By: Carrie Bay

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A new quarterly survey of bank risk professionals from FICO paints a decidedly pessimistic picture of housing’s future. The company describes its latest results as a reversal of the growing optimism seen in late 2010 and early 2011.
The survey, conducted for FICO by the Professional Risk Managers’ International Association (PRMIA), shows that bankers expect delinquencies on consumer loans to rise, underwriting standards to become stricter, and the housing sector to continue struggling far into the future.

Among the 188 risk managers surveyed, 73 percent believe mortgage defaults and foreclosures will remain elevated for at least five more years.
Furthermore, 46 percent of respondents expect mortgage delinquencies to increase over the next six months, while only 15 percent anticipate a decline in mortgage delinquencies over the same period.
The negative sentiment among banks’ risk professionals also extended to property values. When asked if housing prices nationally would climb back to 2007 levels before the year 2020, 49 percent of respondents said no. Just 21 percent said yes.
“Housing has been an enormous drag on the economy for over three years as U.S. households lost trillions of dollars in equity,” said Dr. Andrew Jennings, chief analytics officer at FICO and head of FICO Labs.
Data from the Federal Reserve shows that between 2005 and mid-2011, Americans lost $7 trillion in home equity.
“While the housing sector will almost certainly gain strength during the next nine years, many bankers clearly believe prices will remain depressed for half a generation,” Jennings said. “This puts the devastation of the housing crash into perspective.”

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Big Four Banks Express Interest in the HARP 2.0 program.

Big Four Set to Participate in HARP 2.0

10/27/2011 By: Carrie Bay

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The industry’s four largest mortgage servicers all say they will be taking part in the revamped Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP).

Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo have each expressed their support of the program and the changes that will allow more underwater homeowners to refinance at today’s lower interest rates.
Government officials expect the program’s revisions – particularly the GSEs’ waiver on representations and warranties – to increase competition for mortgage refinancing.
An executive with JPMorgan Chase told the company’s investors this week that HARP 2.0 will facilitate “cross-servicing refinancing” because with the rep and warranty waiver, the new lender is not required to assume responsibility for underwriting deficiencies that may have occurred with the original loan.
Chase explains that HARP may be used to replace an adjustable-rate or interest-only loan with a standard fixed interest rate loan, and typically reduces the borrower’s monthly payment.
Frank Bisignano, CEO of mortgage banking at Chase, estimates that with the new HARP guidelines, thousands of Chase customers could lower their mortgage payments by an average of $2,500 a year.
Citi said in an emailed statement that it “supports the program and expects to participate.”
Wells Fargo, likewise, said in a statement that it “welcomes the addition of the new HARP features.”

Veronica Clemons, a spokesperson for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, says the company is waiting for specific guidelines and requirements from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to put the changes into practice.
She adds that once the company’s mortgage servicing team has the guidelines in hand, “it will take us some time – depending on the complexity of the guidelines – to make the necessary systems changes to begin offering the new enhancements to our customers.”
The GSEs’ regulator, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), says Fannie and Freddie plan to issue guidance with operational details about the HARP changes by November 15th.
“Since industry participation in HARP is not mandatory, implementation schedules will vary as individual lenders, mortgage insurers, and other market participants modify their processes,” FHFA said.
Bank of America says it will participate in the enhanced Home Affordable Refinance Program announced by the administration, and it expects the new guidelines and eligibility criteria to go into effect after December 1st.
“Despite ongoing economic challenges, nearly 90 percent of our customers remain current on their mortgage,” BofA spokesperson Rick Simon said. “HARP helps these homeowners who remain current on their mortgage with options to lower their monthly payment when, otherwise, conventional funding options are limited.”
The GSEs have removed the 125 percent loan-to-value (LTV) cap under the program. Now any borrower with an LTV ratio above 80 percent is eligible for a HARP refinance, as long as the loan was sold to Fannie or Freddie prior to May 31, 2009, and the borrower is not delinquent on their payments.
Since HARP was launched in 2009, nearly 900,000 loans have been refinanced through the program. Government officials estimate that an additional 1 million homeowners will receive assistance under the new guidelines.
In its announcement of the program changes, FHFA encouraged borrowers to “contact their existing lender or any other mortgage lender offering HARP refinances.”

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Author: Carrie Bay • Date: 10/27/2011 • Tags: FHFA, Foreclosure Prevention, HARP, Mortgage Rates, Negative Equity, Refinance, Underwater, Bank of America, Chase, Citigroup, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo • Category: Government, Loss Mitigation • Users: Agents & Brokers, Attorneys & Title Companies, Investors, Lenders & Servicers, Service Providers

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Fixed mortgage rates show little change on mixed housing data.

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4. COMPANIES

MERS faces suit from Delaware Attorney General Beau Biden.

5. EVENTS

For those on the origination side of the business, Five Star MPact.

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How do you get a mortgage when you have bad credit

When you have bad credit, is it still possible to get a mortgage loan? Since the housing crash of 2008, it has become harder than ever for those with poor credit to obtain a mortgage loan. If you're ready to try, here's what you need to know.

What Lenders Look For

When you apply for a mortgage, the lender will want to look over your credit report, your employment history, your income, and the amount of debt you are carrying. Lenders will look closely at available cash. If you have cash reserves, you will be able to pay a higher down payment, sometimes as high as 20 percent or 25 percent. If this is the case, you pose a much smaller risk to the lender, and your low credit score may not matter as much.

Lenders also consider your payment history as reflected in your credit score, also called a FICO score. For more information, read "What Is a FICO Score and How Does It Affect My Mortgage Loan"?
Since the subprime lending meltdown, your credit score has become more important than ever to your ability to get a mortgage loan. Lenders are tightening their criteria for making loans, and a poor credit score can keep traditional lenders from even considering you. How can you get around this problem?
First, take steps to correct any mistakes on your credit history. Even one error could potentially make the difference in whether or not you can obtain a mortgage loan. Request reports from all the major credit companies, and review them carefully for errors. If there are errors or inconsistencies, let the credit company know and request to have your record corrected. Don't take anyone's word for the state of your credit history; see it for yourself.
Next, take steps to improve your credit score. Read "Cleaning Up Your Credit Record" to learn more about how to make yourself a better loan prospect. Improving your credit score not only improves your chances of getting a mortgage loan in the first place, but also helps you get better terms on a loan.

Subprime Lenders

You may hear about bad-credit mortgages offered by subprime lenders. Subprime lenders specialize in working with people who have bad credit. While some are legitimate, many are out to take advantage of people with poor credit scores. Since the housing crash of 2008, many subprime lenders have gone out of business. And because of the high rates they charge, even legitimate subprime lenders are a less-than-ideal solution.

FHA Loans

A better option to consider is a Federal Housing Administration loan. FHA loans are made by regular lenders but backed by the federal government. That means the lender is taking less risk by offering you a mortgage loan, because even if you default, the lender will be repaid. FHA-approved lenders are often more flexible in approving loans, which makes it more likely that people with bad credit can qualify for FHA mortgages.

What do need to know about paying overtime to your Employees

Dealing with employee overtime can be one of the most confusing aspects of small business personnel and payroll management. And the stakes are high. Failure to pay required overtime to employees who qualify can result in legal judgments and fees of tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars against a small business.

But you also don’t want to shell out more in overtime wages to your employees than you are legally required to pay. To walk the fine line between paying too much and not enough in overtime wages, you
First enacted in 1938, FLSA includes minimum wage, overtime pay, and child labor provisions that are designed to provide protections for all workers in the United States. With regard to overtime pay, FLSA requires that covered employees be paid at an overtime rate of one and one-half times their regular rate of pay for every hour over 40 that they work in a workweek.

There are certain kinds of employees, however, to whom you are not legally required to pay overtime wages. They are referred to as “exempt employees,” and they are not entitled to the minimum wage and overtime protections of FLSA. (“Nonexempt” employees, meanwhile, are entitled to these protections.) According to FLSA sections 13(a)(1) and 13(a)(17), exempt employees include bona fide executives and administrative, professional, and outside sales employees as well as certain employees in computer-related occupations.

To be considered exempt, an employee generally must be paid at least $455 per week on a salary basis and perform certain types of work. This includes tasks that

• Are directly related to the management of the business or the general business operations
• Require specialized academic training for entry into a professional field
• Include making sales away from the physical location of the business
• Are within what would be recognized as a field of artistic or creative endeavor

In addition, hourly employees who perform certain types of work in the computer field are considered exempt if they are paid at least $27.63 per hour. It’s important to note that exemptions are based on the specific job duties performed and compensation received, not on job titles.
One common misconception among small business owners is that they or their managers must approve overtime hours for nonexempt employees to be paid overtime wages. This isn’t the case. If an employee who meets the requirements of nonexemption works more than 40 hours in a given week, he or she must be paid overtime wages.

This includes what is sometimes referred to as “off hours” work, such as training sessions, time spent coming in to work early to set up for a meeting, or time spent filling in for absent employees beyond an employee’s regular shift. Also, nonexempt employees are not allowed to waive their overtime pay rights. Legally, you must pay them overtime wages for any overtime hours they work.
So how much is too much money to spend on overtime? Every company is different, so this exact amount will vary from one business to the next. The best way for any business to keep overtime costs down is to monitor the number of hours worked each week by nonexempt employees and carefully plan their schedules so that the number of overtime hours required to perform their jobs is kept to a minimum.

Tip to Improve your credit

Credit After Bankruptcy

TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CREDIT SCORE

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Living strictly on a cash basis after your Bankruptcy is one of the worst mistakes you can make. And the reason for that is simple: say for example you have been paying cash for everything for the past 10 years, and then in the 11th year you decide you want to buy a house. No mortgage company is going to give you a mortgage because you do not have a track record of being able to use credit wisely.

Your main goal after you have filed for Bankruptcy and received you Discharge is to start Rebuilding Your Credit, Improving Your FICO Score and Saving Money. It is not that difficult. Think of the day when you were 18 years old, and wanted to buy that first car or get the first credit card...what did you do, and start doing the same things all over again. REBUILDING YOUR CREDIT and SAVING MONEY after the Bankruptcy is probably the most important things you can do for your future and your family.

Here are some of the things you can do yourself to rebuild your credit and raise your FICO Score:

1. Open a savings account (each pay period save 10% of your gross income in this account)
2. Open a checking account, and deposit every penny that you earn or whatever cash you get. Your future mortgage company will be impressed by the money you deposit regularly into your account. It shows stability and ability to earn money.
3. Open a secured credit card with a small limit about $500.00. Build your credit, and then request for a unsecured card (Bank of America, Citibank & Suntrust). Make sure these banks report your credit card activity to the Credit Bureaus.
4. Apply and open unsecured credit cards. Do not use them for unnecessary purchases, only to rebuild new good credit.
5. Pay bills on time or even early. Late payments after Bankruptcy are a death-Knell.
6. Cut your living expenses, save more, get rid of old stuff, have garage sales.
7. Remember credit was not the reason you filed for bankruptcy, but your unwise decisions on how you used the credit.
8. Our office may be able to assist you in restoring your credit file for a small fee. Remember, every little deletion of a derogatory item on your credit report will help you increase your credit score, which translates to getting credit at lower interest rates. Increase your FICO score. Borrow only from companies that report your payment history to credit agencies. Borrow from mainstream lenders only, e.g. “Bank” vs “Banc”. “Bank” is good. “Banc” is not good. Most Credit Unions do not report to Credit Bureaus.
9. If you already have a home and mortgage, consider signing up for a bi-weekly mortgage. If you paying bi-weekly instead of a monthly, you can save you 8 to 10 years off a 30 year mortgage, and thousands of dollars in interest. Call us to sign up for a Bi-Weekly Mortgage. If you do not own a home, and would like to own one, you will be eligible for a mortgage in about 12 to 24 months. However, mortgage companies require at least three active mainstream credit references. So get credit, build your credit, repair your credit, and increase your FICO credit score. Call us and we may be able to assist you through this process.
10. Open a Certificate of Deposit at a bank, and get a secured loan on the Certificate of Deposit (BB&T Bank, Bank of America, Suntrust, Citibank, etc.). Take the money from the loan, and open up another Certificate of Deposit at another bank, and get a secured loan on that Certificate of Deposit. Do this with a couple of banks. Once you start paying these loans back, the banks will report your activity to the credit bureaus and you will build new credit. Make sure that these banks indeed report your loan activity to the various credit bureaus.
11. Don’t be afraid to apply for credit (car loans, mortgage, etc.). The worst thing that can happen is that you will turned down. However, make sure you have all your documents in hand, such as your Bankruptcy Schedules, Discharge, tax papers, etc. However, do not let too many companies pull your credit report. A credit inquiry on your Credit Repor may reduces your FICO score by about 12 to 15 points.
12. Ask open-ended questions like “what would you do if you were in my situation” “Where would you buy a car if you were in my situation” Which lender would you go to get a mortgage if you were in my situation”. The answers you get will vary and may surprise you.

The following books can give you helpful insights on what to do after bankruptcy:

• Credit After Bankruptcy by Stephen Snyder
• The Automatic Millionaire by David Bach

What is Foreclosure

An Overview of Foreclosure

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Foreclosure is the system by which a party who has loaned money secured by a mortgage or deed of trust on real property (or has an unpaid judgment), requires sale of the real property to recover the money due, unpaid interest, plus the costs of Foreclosure, when the property owner fails to make mortgage payments. After the payments on the promissory note (which is evidence of the loan) have become delinquent for several months (time varies from state to state), the lender can have a notice of default served on the property owner (borrower) stating the amount due and the amount necessary to "cure" the default. If the delinquency and costs of Foreclosure are not paid within a specified period, then the lender (or the trustee in states using deeds of trust) will set a Foreclosure date after which the property may be sold at public sale. A Foreclosure Sale can be stayed (stopped) if the property owner files for a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. Up to the time of Foreclosure sale (or even afterwards in some states), the defaulting borrower can pay all delinquencies and costs (which are then greater due to foreclosure costs) and "redeem" the property. Upon sale of the property, the amount due is paid to the creditor (lender or owner of the judgment), and the remainder of the money received from the sale, if any, is paid to the lender. There is also judicial foreclosure in which the lender can bring suit for Foreclosure against the defaulting borrower for the delinquency and force a sale. This is used in several states with the mortgage system or in deed of trust states when it appears that the amount due is greater than the equity value of the real property, and the lender wishes to get a deficiency judgment for the amount still due after sale. This is not necessary in those states which give deficiency judgments without filing a lawsuit when the Foreclosure is upon the mortgage or deed of trust.

Obama to offer student loan relief

Obama to offer student loan relief

By KIMBERLY HEFLING

updated 10/25/2011 7:02:37 PM ET 2011-10-25T23:02:37
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WASHINGTON — Millions of student loan borrowers will be eligible to lower their payments and consolidate their loans under a plan President Barack Obama intends to announce Wednesday, the White House said.
Obama will use his executive authority to provide student loan relief in two ways.
First, he will accelerate a measure passed by Congress that reduces the maximum repayment on student loans from 15 percent of discretionary income annually to 10 percent. The White House wants it to go into effect in 2012, instead of 2014. In addition, the White House says the remaining debt would be forgiven after 20 years, instead of 25. About 1.6 million borrowers could be affected. Second, he will allow borrowers who have loans from both the Family Education Loan Program and a direct loan from the government to consolidate them into one loan. The consolidated loan would be up to a half percentage point less. This could affect 5.8 million more borrowers.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan told reporters on a conference call that the changes could save some borrowers hundreds of dollars a month.
"These are real savings that will help these graduates get started in their careers and help them make ends meet," Duncan said.
Obama is expected to unveil his plan at a stop in Denver. The White House said the changes will carry no additional costs to taxpayers.

Last year, the Democratic-controlled Congress passed a law that reduced the cap and moved all student loans to direct lending by eliminating banks as the middlemen. Before that, borrowers could get loans directly from the government or from government-backed loans in the Family Education Loan Program that were issued by private lenders but basically insured by the government. The law was passed along with health care overhaul with the anticipation that it could save about $60 billion over a decade.
Today, there are 23 million borrowers with $490 billion in loans under the Federal Family Education Loan Program. Last year, the Education Department made $102.2 billion in direct loans to 11.5 million recipients.
Outside of mortgages, student loans are the No. 1 source of household debt, the White House said.

Also on Tuesday, the Education Department and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced a project to simplify the financial aid award letters that colleges mail out to students each spring. A common complaint is that colleges obscure the inclusion of student loans in financial aid packages to make their school appear more affordable, and the agencies hope families will more easily be able to compare the costs of colleges.
Separately, James Runcie, the Education Department's federal student aid chief operating officer, told a congressional panel on Tuesday that the personal financial details of as many 5,000 college students were temporarily available for other students using the site to view on the Education Department's direct loan website earlier this month. Runcie said site was shut down while the matter was resolved, and the affected students have been notified and offered credit monitoring.
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Kimberly Hefling can be followed at http://twitter.com/khefling
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

Administration Announces Refinance Program for Underwater Borrowers

10/24/2011 By: Krista Franks and Carrie Bay

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It’s official. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) unveiled a new, revamped government mortgage refinancing program Monday.

The initiative involves a series of rule changes to the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) to allow more underwater homeowners to reduce their mortgage debt by taking advantage of today’s rock-bottom interest rates.
Mortgages backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and originally sold to the GSEs on or before May 31, 2009 are eligible for the program.
Under the revised HARP guidelines, the 125 percent loan-to-value (LTV) ceiling has been eliminated. Previously, only borrowers who owed up to 25 percent more than their home was worth could participate in HARP. That limitation has now been removed. The program will continue to be available to borrowers with LTV ratios above 80 percent.
The new program enhancements address several other key aspects of HARP that industry participants say have restricted its impact, including eliminating certain risk-based fees for borrowers who refinance into shorter-term mortgages and lowering fees for other borrowers, as well as allowing mortgage insurers to automatically transfer coverage from the original loan to the new loan.
In addition, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have done away with the requirement for a new property appraisal where there is a reliable AVM (automated valuation model) estimate already provided by the GSEs, and they’ve agreed to waive certain representations and warranties on loans refinanced through the program.

Not only are loans eligible for HARP considered “seasoned loans,” but a refinance helps borrowers strengthen their household finances, reducing the risk they pose to the GSEs. Thus, FHFA feels reps and warranties are not necessary for some of these loans.
With Monday’s announcement, the end date for HARP has been extended from June 30, 2012 to December 31, 2013.
The GSEs will release program instructions to lenders by the middle of next month, and FHFA expects some lenders will be ready to accept applications by December 1.
Since HARP was rolled out in early 2009, approximately 1 million homeowners have refinanced their mortgage loans through the program. FHFA estimates that with the revised guidelines, another 1 million will be able to take advantage of the program.
To qualify, borrowers must be current on their mortgage payments, but government officials believe by opening HARP up to more homeowners with higher thresholds of negative equity, it will help to prevent foreclosures by erasing the primary motivation behind strategic defaults.
Economists at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business estimate that roughly 35 percent of mortgage defaults are strategic. Numerous industry studies have found that homeowners who owe significantly more than their home is worth are more likely to throw in the towel and walk away from their mortgage debt even if they have the ability to continue making their payments.
“We anticipate that the package of improvements being made to HARP will reduce the Enterprises credit risk, bring greater stability to mortgage markets, and reduce foreclosure risks,” FHFA stated in its announcement Monday.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also released statements in response to the announcement.
Michael J. Williams, Fannie Mae’s president and CEO, called the program a “welcome development.”
“By removing some of the impediments to refinance, lenders can more easily participate in the program allowing more eligible homeowners to take advantage of the low interest rates,” Williams stated.
Charles E. Haldeman, Jr., CEO of Freddie Mac said, “These changes mark another step on the road to recovery for the nation’s housing market.”

HUD Offers REO Homes for $100 Down in Select States

10/24/2011 By: Carrie Bay

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HUD has approved a program aimed at putting foreclosed homes back into the hands of owner-occupant buyers.

In select states, from now into October of next year, buyers need a down payment of only $100 to purchase a HUD-owned REO home.
The buyer must be an owner-occupant, utilizing financing insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Standard FHA underwriting guidelines apply, and the sale must be for the full amount of the current list price.
The $100 down payment incentive program has been approved for two of HUD’s four national regions – the regions managed by the Denver Homeownership Center and the Atlanta Homeownership Center. HUD homes in the states listed, as well as the Caribbean are currently eligible for the program.
Denver Homeownership Center’s Jurisdiction:

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Iowa
• Kansas
• Louisiana
• Missouri
• Minnesota
• Montana
• Nebraska
• New Mexico
• North Dakota

• Oklahoma
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Wisconsin
• Wyoming
• Utah

Atlanta Homeownership Center’s Jurisdiction:

• Alabama
• Florida
• Georgia
• Kentucky
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Mississippi
• North Carolina
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Caribbean

HUD’s $100 down payment incentive program can also be applied to an FHA 203k loan, which can be used to fund repairs and renovations on the home. The 203k program allows buyers to finance both the mortgage and additional money for rehabilitation needs with a single government-insured loan.
Matt Martin, CEO of Matt Martin Real Estate Management (MMREM), says this is one of the most exciting features of the new incentive program and should drive a lot of exposure to FHA’s 203k offering.
MMREM is under contract with HUD to assist with disposition sales of its repossessed homes. MMREM handles properties throughout 16 states, or about a third of HUD’s REO portfolio.
With an FHA 203k loan, “buyers can find a property that needs some TLC, fix it up however they want to, and finance the whole thing for $100,” Martin explained.
“MMREM is excited to work with this recent initiative, in a way that it supports putting HUD homes back into the hands of homeowners,” Martin said.
In addition to $100 down instead of FHA’s typical 3.5 percent down payment, HUD says it will also cover up to 3 percent of the closing costs in most cases.

A True Politician one who speaks from both side of his mouth

Newt Gingrich Courts Latino Voters While Calling For English-Only Government

WASHINGTON -- Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich criticized his party for failing to reach out to Latino voters in an article published Sunday, part of a somewhat schizophrenic approach to courting Latino voters while he also calls for English to be the official language of the United States and opposes comprehensive immigration reform bills.

Gingrich told the Las Vegas Sun that "Republican incompetence" is to blame for the party losing the Latino vote, the paper reported on Sunday.

Gingrich has made a number of appeals to Latino voters, such as founding TheAmericano.com in 2009 to expand Republican outreach to Latinos. Gingrich's campaign also runs a Spanish-language Twitter account, which mostly links to his Spanish-language campaign website. In one post on the website, the campaign writes that there is no contradiction between his thinking on English-mandated government and his use of Spanish-language social networks to reach out to voters.

His immigration policies are more pro-reform -- a stance Latinos largely support -- than the other Republican presidential candidates, although Gingrich does not discuss his position much in debates. Beyond supporting reform of the visa system, Gingrich has said "common sense" should be applied to deportation policy.

"We are not going to deport 11 million people," Gingrich said at a December forum on Latino issues. "There has to be some zone between deportation and amnesty."

But at the same time, Gingrich has taken a similar approach to other GOP candidates on immigration in the Republican debates, sticking to a message that involves securing the border first and reforming the immigration system later.

Most Latinos -- 61 percent -- oppose building more fences on U.S. borders, according to a poll on Latino issues from the Pew Hispanic Center.

Gingrich has repeatedly said during debates that he wants to make English the official language of the United States, which could hurt Latino graduation rates, according to a 2010 poll by the Associated Press and Univision, in connection with Stanford University:

The findings also raise questions about whether English-immersion does more to assimilate or isolate -- a heated debate that has divided states, academics and even the U.S. Supreme Court. Arizona recently ordered its schools to remove teachers with heavy foreign accents from English-language instruction, while the Obama administration is seeking to push more multilingual teaching in K-12 classrooms.

"The language barrier is still a serious risk factor for Hispanics," said Michael Kirst, a Stanford University professor emeritus of education who helped analyze the survey. Even with many schools replacing Spanish with English in classrooms, for a student evaluated as learning English, "the odds of completing high school, and particularly college, significantly drops."

Gingrich's campaign website makes little mention of his more pro-immigrant stances, other than a few instances in press releases stating a desire to reform the visa system. His website's "Solutions" section has only one mention of immigration issues, saying Gingrich will "[s]ecure the border to prevent terrorist organizations from sneaking agents and weapons into the United States." In press releases on the campaign site, he does not go into detail about his exact policy-changes.