InfoBytes Blog
Fannie Mae announces updates to Selling Guide
On October 2, Fannie Mae issued SEL-2018-08, announcing updates to its Selling Guide. Notably, Fannie Mae expanded its policy on the use of employment-related assets as qualifying income, increasing to 80 percent the maximum LTV, CLTV, and HCLTV ratios for loans held by asset owners who are at least 62 years old upon loan closing. With respect to jointly-owned assets, all owners must be listed as borrowers on the loan, but only the borrower whose employment-related asset is being used as income must meet the minimum age requirement. Fannie Mae indicates that, until Desktop Underwriter is updated to reflect this policy change, it will accept delivery of any loan that receives an Approve/Ineligible recommendation because of a ratio over 70 percent and has been confirmed compliant by the lender.
Effective immediately, other announced updates to the Selling Guide include: (i) clarifications to employment verification policies for union member borrowers employed in a series of short-term job assignments; (ii) changes intended to provide clarity to Fannie’s expectations for lenders managing third-party originators; and (iii) clarifications to comparable sales requirements for appraisers of MH Advantage homes.