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Ginnie Mae announces new VA refinance loan eligibility requirements
On August 1, Ginnie Mae issued All Participants Memorandum APM 19-05 announcing changes to the mortgage-backed securities (MBS) pooling eligibility requirements for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) refinance loans. In order to establish requirements that positively impact the performance of Ginnie Mae securities and implement the “Protecting Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act of 2019,” (covered by InfoBytes here) APM 19-05 announces changes applicable to all VA-guaranteed refinance loans and establishes new criteria for VA cash-out refinance loans with loan-to-value (LTV) ratios above 90 percent.
Effective with MBS guaranteed on or after August 1, a refinance loan is only eligible for Ginnie Mae securities if the date on the refinance loan is on, or after, the later of (i) “the date on which the borrower has made at least six consecutive monthly payments on the loan being refinanced”; and (ii) “the date that is 210 days after the first payment due date of the loan being refinanced.” Additionally, effective with MBS guaranteed on or after November 1, “High LTV VA Cash-Out Refinance Loans”—defined as a VA refinance loan with a LTV ratio that exceeds 90 percent at the time of origination and where the borrower converts any amount of home equity into cash—are, with certain exceptions, ineligible for Ginnie Mae I Single Issuer Pools and Ginnie Mae II Multiple Issuer Pools.
VA encourages relief for Hurricane Barry-affected borrowers
On July 30, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued Circular 26-19-21, encouraging mortgagees to provide relief for VA borrowers affected by Hurricane Barry on the Gulf Coast. Among other forms of assistance, the Circular encourages loan holders and servicers to (i) extend forbearances to borrowers in distress because of the severe storms and flooding; (ii) establish a 90-day moratorium from the disaster date on initiating new foreclosures on affected loans; (iii) waive late charges on affected loans; and (iv) suspend credit reporting. The Circular is effective until July 1, 2020. Mortgage servicers and veteran borrowers are also encouraged to review the VA’s Guidance on Natural Disasters.
Find continuing InfoBytes coverage on disaster relief guidance here.
Ginnie Mae VA loan eligibility requirements amended
On July 25, President Trump signed the “Protecting Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act of 2019,” Public Law No. 116-33, which amends the National Housing Act to revise Ginnie Mae loan seasoning requirements for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) housing loans. Section 306(g)(1) now requires that, in order to be eligible for Ginnie Mae securities, the date of the VA refinance loan must be the later of (i) “the date on which the borrower has made at least six consecutive monthly payments on the loan being refinanced; and” (ii) “the date that is 210 days after the first payment due date of the loan being refinanced.” The amendment is effective immediately.
VA updates fee guidance for IRRRLs
On June 28, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued Circular 26-19-17, which provides new funding fee guidance to lenders and servicers concerning Interest Rate Reduction Refinancing Loans (IRRRLs). The new guidance, effective immediately, requires, among other things, that: (i) a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) be obtained for IRRRLs to ensure the funding fee exemption information is up to date at the time of closing; (ii) lenders ask active duty servicemembers if they have a pre-discharge claim pending, and, if so, contact the Regional Loan Center to request assistance in obtaining a proposed or memorandum rating in the event the servicemember is eligible for a funding fee exemption; and (iii) if a lender or servicer is notified by the VA or the veteran of an overpayment of a funding fee, such lender initiate a refund request in the Funding Fee Payment System (FFPS) within three business days.
Legislation eliminates VA conforming loan cap
On June 25, President Trump signed HR 299, the “Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019.” Among other changes, the bill (i) adjusts the loan fees applicable to the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) home loan guaranty program by providing a new loan fee table; and (ii) eliminates the program limit on the guaranty amount, which is based on the Freddie Mac conforming loan limit determined under section 305(a)(2) of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation Act. The bill will allow VA borrowers to borrow above the conforming loan limit, currently set at $484,350, for loans guaranteed on or after January 1, 2020.
VA encourages relief for Arkansas borrowers
On June 20, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued Circular 26-19-16, encouraging mortgagees to provide relief for VA borrowers impacted by severe storms and flooding in Arkansas. Among other forms of assistance, the Circular encourages loan holders and servicers to (i) extend forbearance to borrowers in distress because of the severe storms and flooding; (ii) establishes a 90-day moratorium from the disaster date on initiating new foreclosures on affected loans; (iii) waives late charges on affected loans; and (iv) suspends credit reporting. The Circular is effective until July 1, 2020. Mortgage servicers and veteran borrowers are also encouraged to review the VA’s Guidance on Natural Disasters.
Find continuing InfoBytes coverage on disaster relief guidance here.
VA encourages loan holders to extend relief to Louisiana and Oklahoma borrowers
On June 18, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued Circular 26-19-14 and Circular 26-19-15, encouraging relief for VA borrowers impacted by severe storms in Louisiana and Oklahoma. Among other things, the Circulars encourage loan holders to (i) extend forbearance to borrowers in distress because of the severe storms and flooding; (ii) establish a 90-day moratorium from the disaster date on initiating new foreclosures on affected loans; (iii) waive late charges on affected loans; and (iv) suspend credit reporting. The Circulars are effective until July 1, 2020. Mortgage servicers and veteran borrowers are also encouraged to review the VA’s Guidance on Natural Disasters.
Find continuing InfoBytes coverage on disaster relief guidance here.
OIG finds exempt veterans being charged VA home loan funding fees
On June 6, the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued a report concluding that the VA improperly charged exempt veterans VA home loan funding fees. According to the OIG, from 2012 through 2017, the VA charged approximately 72,900 exempt veterans around $286.4 million in funding fees, which represents 3 percent of the total amount of funding fees collected during that time. The OIG reports that, while the Certificate of Eligibility (COE) that the VA produces is intended to assist lenders in identifying the exempt veterans, “many COEs reflected an outdated, incorrect, or missing exemption status resulting in veterans being incorrectly charged a funding fee.”
Additionally, the OIG found that the VA does not have a policy in place to identify and issue refunds for inappropriate funding fee charges. Currently the VA relies on the veterans to contact the VA and file a claim for a refund, although the VA has not published a standard form for the request. Based on the findings, the OIG recommends that the VA develop a plan to (i) identify exempt veterans who were inappropriately charged funding fees and issue refunds; (ii) create system enhancements or procedural changes that minimize inappropriate funding fee charges; (iii) conduct periodic reviews to identify exempt veterans charged funding fees from January 1, 2018, forward and issue refunds in a timely manner; and (iv) consistently obtain documentation and verify lenders apply the funding fee refunds to loan balances in a timely manner.
Ginnie Mae seeks feedback on changing standards for VA loan securitization
On May 3, Ginnie Mae published a Request for Input (RFI) soliciting feedback on potential changes to the parameters governing loan eligibility for pooling into its mortgage-backed securities (MBS). As previously covered by InfoBytes, in May 2018, Ginnie Mae announced changes to pooling eligibility requirements for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loans “to address abnormal prepayment patterns in some mortgages pooled in Ginnie Mae MBS that negatively affect MBS pricing, to the detriment of home mortgage loan affordability.” In the RFI, Ginnie Mae notes its focus on adverse trends in the trading of some Ginnie Mae MBS relative to securities issued by Fannie Mae, and cites published commentary and analysis that its MBS are “believed to be susceptible to refinance activity out of proportion to what should be expected from prevailing economic conditions.” The RFI now seeks feedback on, among other things, the propensity of high-LTV VA cash-out refinances to prepay in comparison with those of other loan type categories, any related impact on MBS pricing, and whether a loan-to-value ceiling of 90 percent for cash-out refinance loans “is an appropriate threshold for identifying the loan type category that would be subject to an alternative securitization path.” Ginnie Mae is considering such an alternative securitization path to provide liquidity for excluded (or restricted) loan type categories, highlighting (i) single-issuer custom securities; (ii) securities that are restricted based on a de minimis standard; and (iii) shorter duration loan types as logical possibilities. Comments on the RFI must be received by May 22.
VA encourages loan holders to extend relief to Iowa borrowers
On March 29, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) issued Circular 26-19-10, encouraging relief for VA borrowers impacted by severe storms and flooding in Iowa. Among other things, the Circular encourages loan holders to (i) extend forbearance to borrowers in distress because of the severe storms and flooding; (ii) establish a 90-day moratorium from the disaster date on initiating new foreclosures on affected loans; (iii) waive late charges on affected loans; and (iv) suspend credit reporting. The Circular is effective until April 1, 2020. Mortgage servicers and veteran borrowers are also encouraged to review the VA’s Guidance on Natural Disasters.
Find continuing InfoBytes coverage on disaster relief here.