UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURTFOR THE DISTRICT DELAWARE

In re:

NEW CENTURY TRS HOLDINGS, INC., a Delaware corporation, et al.,

Debtors.____________________________________

§§§§§§§

Chapter 11

Case No. 07-10416 (KJC)

Jointly Administered

FINAL REPORT OF MICHAEL J. MISSAL

BANKRUPTCY COURT EXAMINER

KIRKPATRICK & LOCKHART PRESTON GATES ELLIS LLP1601 K Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006(202) 778-9000(202) 778-9100 (fax)

February 29, 2008 Counsel to Michael J. Missal,Bankruptcy Court Examiner

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................1

II. THE INVESTIGATION .................................................................................................11A. The Appointment of the Examiner ........................................................................11

B. Subsequent Orders.................................................................................................11

C. Process of the Investigation...................................................................................12

1. Issues Covered...........................................................................................12

2. Obtaining Information ...............................................................................14

a. Obtaining and Reviewing Documents...........................................14

i. Documents Requested from New Century ........................15

ii. Documents Requested from KPMG..................................16

b. Witness Interviews ........................................................................16

3. Factors That Influenced the Investigation .................................................18

a. Overview .......................................................................................18

i. Failure by New Century to Provide Accurate Information ........................................................................18

ii. Delays in Transferring E-mail Data Gathered for the SIC Investigation ...............................................................19

iii. Other Document Delays ....................................................21

b. Challenges with Respect to Documents Produced by KPMG and Interviews of Former and Current KPMG Personnel .............21

III. OVERVIEW OF THE SUBPRIME MORTGAGE MARKET ..................................23A. Definition of Subprime Mortgages........................................................................23

B. Legal and Regulatory Framework for the Development of the Subprime Mortgage Market ...................................................................................................24

C. Mortgage-Backed Securities and the Growth of the Subprime Mortgage Market in the Early 1990s .....................................................................................26

D. The 1998 Financial Crisis and Its Impact on the Subprime Mortgage Market .....28

E. The Subprime Mortgage Market Grows Again in the Early 2000s.......................29

F. Current Challenges Facing the Subprime Mortgage Industry...............................32

1. Rising Interest Rates..................................................................................32

2. New Regulatory Guidance.........................................................................33