In the second of the two operations, Serviços Financeiros Imobiliários Ltda. (SFI) will receive a $1 million subordinated loan from the IIC. SFI services residential mortgage loans for financial institutions, mortgage companies, real estate developers, and Brazilian government agencies. It also provides loan processing and origination services and due diligence reviews to banks. The IIC loan will enable SFI to expand its operations. Services of this type are an important missing ingredient for the development of the mortgage market in Latin America and perhaps the most important factor in gaining and maintaining investor confidence and attracting capital to the housing sector. Brazil needs financial alternatives to meet the growing demand for housing, particularly in the low- and middle-income segments. The IIC is contributing by supporting a company that provides high quality, independent mortgage servicing that is otherwise unavailable in Brazil, and that is a crucial element in the development of a secondary mortgage market.