Taxpayers may yet see a profit from the $187 billion bailout by the federal government of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2008. To date, Fannie Mae has seen $105 billion of the $116 billion it borrowed from Treasury repaid, including $10 billion from the most recent quarter. Of the $71 billion Freddie Mac received, as of Wednesday it has repaid $41 billion, and expects to earn $29 billion later this year. During the housing bubble years the two firms had become the main source of funding for home loans, and hardly anyone expected a payback, according to CNNMoney. The housing market improvement during the past year is the main reason for their return to profitability. As MHProNews has learned, the record low mortgage rates spurred refinancings, increasing the pairs’ fees.

(Photo credit: Jonathan Ernst/Yahoo!–Reuters–Fannie Mae headquarters)