InfoBytes Blog
Freddie Mac Updates Selling Guide Regarding Guaranteed Rural Housing and Newly Constructed Homes, Advises Sellers Regarding SEC Disclosures
On February 10, Freddie Mac issued Bulletin 2012-4 with updates to the Single Family Seller/Servicer Guide regarding mortgages for newly constructed homes and mortgages under the Rural Housing Service’s Guaranteed Rural Housing (GRH) loan program. Effective immediately, the terms “Newly Built Home Mortgage” and “Mortgages for Newly Constructed Homes” have been removed from the Guide as unnecessary in light of other changes. With respect to nonassumable GRH mortgages, effective as to settlements on or after June 1, 2012, such loans must be sold to Freddie Mac with recourse and with Freddie Mac’s written approval in the Purchase Documents, but a minimum Indicator Score of 620 is no longer required.
On the same day, Freddie Mac advised all sellers that it had filed its initial report pursuant to a new SEC rule requiring public disclosure of information regarding asset-backed securities loan repurchase requests, including the identity of the originator. It will continue to disclose such information in quarterly reports to the SEC beginning in May 2012.