www.Financial-Stability.com
The eligibility limitation to Fannie/Freddie loans is only on the refinancing program (HARP), not the modification program. HAMP will apply to all mortgages originated before January 1, 2009. No loans originated after that date will be eligible. New borrowers will be accepted until December 31, 2012. Program payments will be made for up to five years after the date of entry into the HAMP. Monitoring, however, will continue for the life of the loan.
General Qualification Terms:
1. The home must be owner-occupied, single family 1 to 4 unit property (including condominium, cooperative, and manufactured home affixed to a foundation and treated as real property under current state law).
2. The home must be the primary residence (verified by tax return, credit report, and other documentation such as utility bills).
3. The home may not be investor-owned.
4. The home may not be vacant or condemned.
5. Borrowers in a current bankruptcy case are not automatically eliminated from consideration for HAMP.
6. Borrowers in active litigation regarding the mortgage loan can qualify for a modification without waiving any legal rights.
7. First lien loans must have an unpaid principal balance (prior to capitalization of the arrears) equal to less than:
a. 1 Unit—$729,750
b. 2 Units–$934,200
c. 3 Units–$1,129,250
d. 4 Units–$1,403,400
Pending Foreclosures:
Any foreclosure action will be temporarily suspended during the trial HAMP period, or while borrowers are considered for alternative foreclosure prevention options. In the event that HAMP or the alternative foreclosure prevention options fail, the foreclosure action may be resumed.
Loan to Value Ratios (LTV):
For HAMP borrowers, there is no minimum or maximum Loan to Value (LTV) ratio for eligibility purposes. Borrowers, however, can only exercise one modification of their mortgage under HAMP. If the HAMP modification fails, then there are no additional HAMP options.
Debt to Income Ratios:
Front-End DTI is the ratio of the Principal, Interest, Taxes and Insurance Payments (PITIA) to the Monthly Gross Income. PITIA is defined under the program as principal, interest, taxes, insurance (including homeowners insurance and hazard and flood insurance) and homeowners association and condominium fees. Mortgage insurance premiums (PMI Insurance) are excluded from the PITIA calculation.
The Front-End DTI Target is 31%. The Standard Waterfall step that results in a Front-End DTI closest to 41%, without going below 31%, will satisfy the Front-End DTI Target. There is no restriction on reducing Front-End DTI below 31%, but any portion of the reduction below 31% will not be covered by the Payment Reduction Cost Share offered by the Treasury.
Home Valuations:
The Servicer may use, at its discretion, either one of the government sponsored enterprises’ (GSEs) automated valuation models (AVM)-provided that the AVM Renders a reliable confidence score-or a Broker Price Opinion to determine the Property Value for the DTI Test.
As an alternative, the servicer may rely on the AVM it uses internally provided that (I) the servicer is subject to supervision by a Federal regulatory agency, (ii) the servicer’s primary Federal regulatory agency has reviewed the model and/or its validation and (iii) the AVM renders a reliable confidence score.
If the GSE or servicer AVM is unable to render a value with a reliable confidence score, the servicer must obtain an assessment of the property value utilizing a property valuation method acceptable to the servicer’s Federal regulatory agency, e.g., in accordance with the Interagency Appraisal and Evaluation Guidelines (as though such guidelines apply to loan modifications, or a Broker Price Opinion (BPO).
In all cases the property valuation may not be more than 60 days old.
Verification of Income:
The borrower’s income will be verified by requiring a signed Form 4506-T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return) and obtaining the most recent tax return on file for each borrower on the note. For wage earners, the two most recent pay stubs for each wage earner on the note will also be required. For self-employed borrowers or for non-wage income borrowers, the borrower’s income will be verified by obtaining other third-party documents that provide reasonably reliable evidence of income. Borrowers must also represent and warrant that they do not have sufficient liquid assets to make their monthly mortgage payments.
Monthly Gross Income:
The borrower’s Monthly Gross Income (MGI) is the amount before any payroll deductions and includes wages and salaries, overtime pay, commissions, fees, tips, bonuses, housing allowances, other compensation for personal services, Social Security payments, including Social Security received by adults on behalf of minors or by minors intended for their own support, annuities, insurance policies, retirement funds, pensions, disability or death benefits, unemployment benefits, rental income and any other income.
Monthly Net Income (MNI) can be used for preliminary screening and qualifications. If used, the servicer will need to multiply net income by 1.25 to get an estimate of Monthly Gross Income (MGI).
Back-End DTI:
The Back-End DTI is the ratio of the borrowers’ total monthly debt payments (such as Front-End PITIA, any mortgage insurance premiums, payments on all installment debts, monthly payments on all junior liens or mortgages, alimony, car lease payments, aggregate negative net rental income from all investment properties owned, and monthly mortgage payments for second homes) to the borrower’s MGI. The servicer must validate each monthly installment payment, revolving debt and secondary mortgage debt by pulling a credit report for each borrower or a joint report for a married couple. The servicer must also consider information obtained from the borrower orally or in writing concerning incremental monthly obligations.
Borrowers who otherwise qualify for the modification under this program, but who would have a post-modification Back-End DTI greater than or equal to 55%, will be provided with a letter stating that they are required to work with a HUD-approved counselor and the modification will not take effect until they provide a signed statement indicating that they will obtain such counseling.
Reasonably Foreseeable/Imminent Default:
Every potentially eligible borrower who calls or writes in to their servicer in reference to a modification must be screened for a hardship. This screen must ascertain whether the borrower has had a change in circumstances that causes financial hardship, or is facing a recent or imminent increase in the mortgage payment that is likely to create a financial hardship (e.g., payment rate shock). If the borrower reports a material change in circumstances, the servicer must ask about current income and assets, and current expenses as well as the specific circumstances relating to the claimed financial hardship. Each of these elements shall be verified through documentation.
If the servicer determines that that a non-defaulted borrower is facing a financial hardship is in Imminent Default and will be unable to make his or her mortgage payment in the immediate future, the servicer must apply the NPV Test.
The NPV Test:
A Standard NPV Test will be required for each loan that is in Imminent Default or is at least 60 days delinquent under the MBA delinquency calculation. This NPV Test will compare the net present value (NPV) of the cash flows expected from a modification to the net present value of cash flows expected in the absence of a modification. If the NPV of the modification scenario is greater, the NPV result is deemed positive.
The NPV Test applies to the Standard Waterfall only and does not require consideration of principal forgiveness. However, the servicer may choose to forgive principal if the servicer determines that principal forgiveness improves the likelihood of loan performance and the value of the modification. Required parameters for the NPV Test will be published in a few weeks.
If the NPV Test generates a positive result when applying the Standard Waterfall, the servicer is required to offer a HAMP to the borrower. If the NPV Test generates a negative result, modification is optional, unless prohibited by the service contracts. The monthly payment reduction incentive is available for any HAMP, whether or not NPV is positive, that meets the eligibility requirements and is performed according to the Waterfall described below.
If the NPV Test result is negative and a HAMP is not pursued, the lender/investor must seek other foreclosure prevention alternatives, including alternative modification programs, deed-in-lieu and short sale programs.
Loan Modification and Standard Waterfall:
Servicers will follow the Standard Waterfall described below to reduce the monthly payments to 31% Front-End DTI Target defined below. The initiative will reimburse lenders/investors for one half of the costs of reducing monthly mortgage payments from a level consistent with a 38% Front-End DTI Ratio (or less, if the unmodified DTI is less than 38%) down to a level consistent with a 31% Front-End DTI Ratio. This Payment Reduction Cost Share can last for up to five years from the HAMP modification effective date.
Principal Reduction Option:
There is no requirement to use principal reduction under HAMP: however, servicers may forgive principal to achieve the Front-End DTI Target.
Principal forgiveness can be used on a standalone basis or before any step in the Standards Waterfall process. If principal forgiveness is used, subsequent steps in the Standard Waterfall may not be skipped. If principal is forgiven and the rate is not reduced, the rate will be frozen at its existing level and treated as a modified rate for the purposes of the Interest Rate Cap.
In the event of principal forgiveness, the Repayment Reduction Cost Share continues to be based on the change in the borrower’s monthly payment from 38% to 31% Front-End DTI Ratio and is limited to five years.
Modification Terms:
Interest Rate Floor: THE IRF for modified loans is 2%.
Interest Rate Cap: The modified interest rate must remain in place for five years, after which time the interest rate will be gradually increased by 1% (100 basis points) per year or such lesser amount as may be needed until it reaches the IRC. The IRC for a modified loan is the lesser of the fully indexed and fully amortizing original contract rate or the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey rate for 30-year fixed rate conforming mortgage loans, rounded to the nearest 0.125%, as of the date that the modification document is prepared. If the modified rate exceeds the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey rate in effect on the date the modification document is prepared, the modified rate will be the new note rate for the remaining loan term.
Principal Forbearance: No interest will accrue on the forbearance amount. If the option to forbear principal is selected, the servicer shall forbear on collection the deferred portion of the Capitalized Balance until the earlier of the maturity of the modified loan, the sale of the property, or the pay-off or refinancing of the loan.
Redefaulting Loans: A loan will be considered to have redefaulted when the borrower reaches a 90-day delinquency status under the MBAS delinquency calculation. Redefaulting Loans will be terminated from the program, and no further payments of any kind will be made to the lender/investor, servicer, or borrower. Redefaulting Loans should be considered for other loss mitigation programs prior to being referred to foreclosure.
Trial Period Required. Successful completion of the Trial Modification Period and entry into program agreements between the Servicer and the Treasury’s financial agent are prerequisites for any payments to the lender/investor, servicer or borrower.
Modification is effective on the first calendar month following the successful completion of the Trial Period. Successful completion means that the borrower is current (under the MBA delinquency calculation) at the end of the Trial Period.
Borrowers in foreclosure restart states will be considered to have failed the Trial Period if they are not current at the time the foreclosure sale is scheduled.
No payments under the program to the lender/investor, servicer or borrower will be made during the Trial Period. No payments under the program to these parties will be made if the Trial Period is not completed successfully. NO payments under the program to these parties will be made unless and until the servicer has entered into the program agreements with the Treasury’s financial agent.
Length of Trial Period: The Trial Period will last for 90 days (three payments at modified terms) or longer if necessary to comply with investor contractual obligations in the Pooling and Servicing Agreements. The borrower must be current at the end of the Trial Period to obtain the HAMP modification.
Escrows: Servicers are required to escrow for modified borrowers’ real estate taxes and mortgage-related insurance payments immediately if they have the capability of processing these payments or are already using a third-party vendor for this purpose. Servicers who do not have this capacity must implement an escrow process within six months of the program agreement.
Counseling Requirements: For borrowers with a Back-End DTI of 55% or higher, the servicer must inform the borrower of the availability and advantages of counseling and provide a list of local HUD-approved counselors. The servicer must provide the borrower with a letter stating that counseling is a requirement of the modification terms. The letter may be required by counselors in order to begin counseling. The modification will not take effect until the borrower represents in writing that he or she will obtain counseling.
Assumable: If the solidified loan was assumable prior to modification, a HAMP modification cancels this feature.
Unpaid Late Fees: Unpaid late fees will be waived for the borrower. These include late fees prior to the start of the Trial Period and accrued during the Trial Period.
Credit Report: The servicer will cover the cost of the credit report.
Servicer Compensation: Upon modification following a successful Trial Period, and contingent on signing the program servicer agreement, the servicer will receive an incentive fee of $1,000 for each eligible modification meeting HAMP guidelines. Servicers will also receive Pay for Success fees payable each 12 months for three years at $1,000 per year. Servicers will not receive Pay for Success fees for Redefaulting Loans. For loans modified while still current under the MBA delinquency calculation, the Servicer will receive a Current Borrower One-Time Incentive of $500 following successful completion of the Trial Period. Lenders that service their own (portfolio) loans are eligible for these incentives. The term servicer means the party that is responsible for performing the modification activities. Similar incentives will be paid under the HARP Program.
Borrower Cash Contributions: The investor may not require the borrower to contribute cash for eligibility or execution of a Trial or Permanent modification.
Lender/Investor Compensation: Lenders/investors will be compensated only in the event that the Front-End DTI Target or a lower Front-End DTI is achieved. Lenders/investors will follow the Standard Waterfall specified above to reach a monthly payment that satisfies the Front-End DTI Target. As described above, Treasury will provide compensation based on one half of the dollar difference between the monthly payment for a 31% Front-End DTI Ratio and the lesser of (i) the monthly payment for a 38% Front-End DTI Ratio or (ii) the borrower’s current monthly payment. This compensation will be provided for up to five years or until the loan is paid off.
Upon a modification becoming effective following successful completion of the Trial Period by a borrower who was current prior to the start of the Trial Period, lenders/investors will be paid a $1,500 Current Borrower One-Time Incentive, subject to certain de minimis constraints (discussed below). No monthly lender/investor payments will be made during the Trial Period. Monthly lender/investor payments will begin after the Trial Period is successfully completed, the servicer signs a service agreement with Treasury, and formal modification begins. No monthly lender/investor payments will be made if the Trial Period is not completed successfully.
Borrower Compensation: Borrowers will be eligible to accrue up to $1,000 each year in Pay-for-Performance Success Payments for up to five years, a total of up to $5,000 over five years, subject to certain de minimis constraints (discussed below). Accruals are based on on-time payment performance. The first annual principal balance reduction will be effective 12 months after entering the Trial Period as long as the borrower is not terminated from the program. In any given month, the borrower’s mortgage payment must be made on time, accounting for standard servicer grace periods, in order to accrue the monthly Pay for Performance Success Payment. The borrower will receive information on a monthly basis regarding the accrual of these payments.
The payment will be directed to the servicer, who will reduce the principal balance by the payment amount (but not by more than $1,000 per year) for five years if the borrower continues in the program. Payments are to be applied directly and entirely to reduce the principal balance, and any applicable prepayment penalties on partial principal prepayment made by the government must be waived. The equivalent of three months of Pay-for-Performance Success Payments will be made upon successful completion of the Trial Period, contingent upon the servicer signing a service agreement with the Treasury.
Borrowers who are terminated from the program lose their right to outstanding accruals.
De Minimis Constraint: To qualify for servicer Pay for Success payments and borrower Pay for Performance Success Payments, the modification must reduce the monthly payment by a minimum of 6 %. The monthly payment is the PITIA payment, as used in defining DTI, with the loan fully indexed and fully amortized.
When paid, servicer annual Pay for Success payments and borrower Pay for Performance Success Payments will be the lesser of (i) $1,000 or (ii) half the reduction in the borrower’s annualized monthly payment.
The de minimis constraint does not apply to the up-front Servicer Incentive Payment, the Payment Reduction Cost Share, or the Home Price Depreciation Reserve Payment.
Disclosure: When promoting or describing loan modifications, servicers should provide borrowers with information designed to help them understand the modification terms that are being offered and the modification process. Servicers also must provide borrowers with clear and understandable written information about the material terms, costs, and risks of the modified mortgage loan in a timely manner to enable borrowers to make informed decisions.
Fair Lending: Servicers’ modifications under this program must comply with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Fair Housing Act, which prohibit discrimination on a prohibited basis in connection with mortgage transactions. Loan modification programs are subject to the fair lending laws, and servicers and lenders should ensure that they do not treat a borrower less favorably than other borrowers on grounds such as race, religion, national origin, sex, marital or familial status, age, handicap, or receipt of public assistance income in connection with any loan modification. These laws also prohibit redlining.
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints: Servicers should have procedures and systems in place to be able to respond to inquiries and complaints relating to loan modifications. Servicers should ensure that such inquiries and complaints are provided fair consideration, and timely and appropriate responses and resolution.
Home Price Depreciation Payments. To encourage lenders/investors to modify more mortgages, compensation will be provided to partially offset probable losses from home price declines. This will be structured as a simple cash payment on each modified loan while the loan remains active in the program.
Payments for Short Sales and Deeds-in-Lieu: Compensation will be provided to servicers and borrowers in order to facilitate short sales or deeds-in-lieu in those cases in which borrowers either fail the net present value (NPV) test (described above) or fail to qualify for, or default under, the modification program.
Second Line Elimination Payments: To reduce the borrower’s overall indebtedness and improve loan performance, additional incentives will be provided to extinguish junior liens on homes with first-lien loans that are modified under the program.
Recent Comments