Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor (CAPS) Practice Exam - Module 2

Which of the following is NOT a source of Mortgage Financing?

1. Commercial banks

2. Life insurance companies

3. Credit unions

4. Government-sponsored enterprises

The correct answer is: Credit unions

Mortgage financing can be derived from a variety of sources, each playing a critical role in the real estate market. Commercial banks are one of the primary sources of mortgage financing as they provide a wide range of financial products, including mortgages, to individuals and businesses. Life insurance companies also participate in mortgage financing, often investing premiums into real estate loans for returns over the long term. Government-sponsored enterprises, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, are crucial in the mortgage market by providing liquidity and stability, which encourages lending by buying and securitizing mortgages. Credit unions, while they do offer loans to their members, do not typically serve as a broad based source of mortgage financing in the same way as the other options mentioned. Their mortgage lending is generally limited to their pool of members, making them less prominent in the overall mortgage financing landscape. The fact that credit unions do provide loans does not negate the role of the other entities, which have much larger impacts and capabilities regarding mortgage financing. Therefore, identifying credit unions as not being a primary source of mortgage financing distinguishes them from the other more significant sources involved in the mortgage market.