InfoBytes Blog
HUD Issues Three Mortgagee Letters
On August 15, HUD issued three mortgagee letters to announce various changes related to the origination of FHA-insured mortgage loans. Effective for case numbers assigned on or after October 15, 2013, Mortgagee Letter 2013-24 (i) sets forth documentation requirements for conducting credit analysis of collections and judgments, (ii) requires a specified capacity analysis of collection accounts with an aggregate balance equal to or greater than $2,000, (iii) details the required treatment of judgments, and (iv) revises the FHA’s policy on manual downgrades for applications with disputed accounts to reflect the risk associated with derogatory and non-derogatory disputed accounts for factors such as age and size of outstanding balance. In Mortgagee Letter 2013-25, HUD updates FHA’s TOTAL Mortgage Scorecard User Guide to reflect the changes announced in Mortgagee Letter 2013-24. Finally, Mortgagee Letter 2013-26 loosens eligibility requirements for certain borrowers adversely impacted by the recession. Specifically, the letter allows for the consideration of borrowers who have experienced a loss of employment or income, or a combination of both, and can document that: (i) certain credit impairments were the result of a loss of employment or a significant loss of household income beyond the borrower’s control, (ii) the borrower has demonstrated full recovery from the event, and (iii) the borrower has completed housing counseling.