Safeguard Properties

Fannie Mae: SVC-2016-09: Servicing Guide Updates

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 19, 2016

Looking for more certainty and simplicity? Find out how to get it at MBA Annual 2016

Certainty — you need it to operate your business confidently. Simplicity — you need it to operate your business efficiently. If you want more of both, we can help! Visit us in the center of THE HUB at the MBA’s Annual Convention & Expo 2016 on October 23-26 in Boston. We’ll tell you all about our exciting new plans and solutions that will make your process simple and certain — and give you more freedom.

There’s more!
Our MBA Annual speakers are excited to talk to you about the tools you need to make it happen. We just added two new speakers to the lineup:

  • Tim Mayopoulos, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), A Conversation with GSE Leadership. (Monday, October 24, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Second Level Auditorium)
  • Malloy Evans, Vice President, Single-Family Servicing and Making Home Affordable (MHA), #MOVEFORWARD: One-Mod, Life after HAMP. (Tuesday, October 25, 1:30 p.m.-2:30 p.m., Third Level, Ballroom C)
  • Jonathan Lawless, Vice President-Single-Family Product Development and Affordable Housing, Rebuilding the Affordable Lending Ecosystem. (Wednesday, October 26, 9 a.m.-10:30 a.m., Third Level, Ballroom A)
  • NEW! Drop by THE SIDE STAGE to hear Quick Tips: Fannie Mae HomeReady®. Jonathan Lawless will fill you in on how you can help more potential homebuyers with HomeReady. And you’ll hear about the value of homebuyer education from Framework® representatives. (Tuesday, October 25, 11:10 a.m.-11:25 a.m., Plaza Level, Exhibit Hall A)
  • NEW! Learn about opportunities in the up-front credit risk transfer market from Rob Schaefer, Vice President Credit Enhancement Strategy & Management, during #MOVEFORWARD: Credit Risk Transfer Today and Tomorrow. (Monday,
    October 24, 2 p.m.-3 p.m., Third Level, Ballroom C)

Tell us what you think.
We can’t wait to see you. In the meantime, tell us what you want freedom to look like in your loan process on Twitter @FannieMae, and follow our #MBAAnnual16 updates.
 
Announcement SVC-2016-09: Servicing Guide Updates

The Servicing Guide has been updated to include changes related to the following:

  • Remitting Duplicate MI Premium Refunds
  • Protecting Property Interest After Foreclosure Sale
  • Clarification of Non-Recoverable Expenses Related to Reinstatements and Payoffs
  • Promissory Note (Form 190) Updates
  • Servicing eMortgages

Read the Announcement for full details.

For a summary of key updates in this Servicing Guide Announcement, view the video presented by Bill Cleary, Vice President of Single-Family Servicing Policy & Solutions, or check out the Guide Update Presentation here. 

Access the STAR Performance Scorecard Report in Fannie Mae Connect

On October 3, the STAR Performance Scorecard Report was migrated from the Servicing Management Portal to Fannie Mae Connect. The report will be available in the Servicing Management Portal through November, but after November 30, can be accessed exclusively in Fannie Mae Connect. The transition of reports is part of a larger effort to centralize reporting, and to retire the Service Management Portal on November 30. Please contact your Customer Delivery Team or STAR Team with questions, review the available resources at the Fannie Mae Connect web page, and visit the STAR web page.  

Looking for information on working with Bank of NY Mellon?

A new tip sheet provides important guidance for lenders when working with Fannie Mae’s designated document custodian, Bank of New York Mellon (BNYM). Learn about how to get started with BNYM, guidance on using their WebDCS system, requests for exception clearing activities, how to avoid special processing of loans, and much more. 

One HFI InDepth class remaining for 2016

Do you have new hires or other employees who need to complete development goals by the end of the year? There is one more HFI™ Investor Reporting-related session left in 2016 and it’s not too late to register!

Fannie Mae’s Housing Finance Institute® series, HFI InDepth, offers training in custodial accounting and reconciling actual/actual loans. If you’re involved with investor reporting for your company, register for the last HFI InDepth class for 2016 today:

The ABCs of Managing MBS Cash Flow for Fannie Mae

You’ll learn tips for reporting on your loans and have access to an expert instructor to answer your questions.

All HFI InDepth courses provide:

  • two hours of interactive, instructor-led training held in a virtual classroom,
  • limited class sizes that maximize interaction and allow for individualized attention,
  • access to recorded tutorials that prepare you with foundational knowledge prior to taking the course, and
  • a certificate of completion.

Course details and class schedules are available on the Fannie Mae Training page. Sign up today!

You may also be interested in…

Focus on customers drives best-practice performance
Servicers are working with Fannie Mae to improve how they operate. Read more

4 reasons the mortgage business may stay brisk this fall
With the fall real estate season upon us, evidence suggests the mortgage business could keep busy to close out 2016. Read more

Receive regular content updates by registering at the sites.
 
We want to know your thoughts

Do you read The Home Story or the Housing Industry Forum, Fannie Mae’s sources for news about housing and the housing finance industry? If so, we would like your feedback to make sure we are giving you all the news you need. All responses are completely confidential. Please click here to take a five-minute survey.
 
Recent tweets

New research: Owner-occupied starter homes down by 1M since onset of housing bust — but renter-occupied up by 2M:
http://bit.ly/2e56ZZv

October 18
 
Decent – but not great – economic growth expected in second half of 2016. Oct. Econ. + Housing Outlook:
http://bit.ly/2e4lkpf

October 18

Source: Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae Single Family Servicing News: Retirement of MyCity Modification and HAMP

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 13, 2016

Let’s start the MBA Annual 2016 conversation now!

Boston fans expect their teams to bring their A-games to the field every day. At the MBA’s Annual Convention & Expo 2016 on October 23-26 in historic Boston, we’re bringing ours. Stop by and visit us in the center of THE HUB. Learn about our new, innovative solutions that will make doing business simpler and more certain. You’ll also:

  • Hear what Tim Mayopoulos, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), has to say about today’s mortgage market during A Conversation with GSE Leadership. (Monday, October 24, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Second Level Auditorium)
  • Learn from Malloy Evans, Vice President, Single-Family Servicing and Making Home Affordable (MHA), about loss mitigation and foreclosure prevention offerings in One Mod, Life after HAMP. (Tuesday, October 25, 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Third Level, Ballroom C)
  • Find out about the opportunities, myths, and challenges lenders and investors face while Rebuilding the Affordable Lending Ecosystem from Jonathan Lawless, Vice President, Single-Family Product Development and Affordable Housing. Learn how to successfully rise to this challenge, and hear about non-traditional, scalable programs that may meet your needs. (Wednesday, October 26, 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Third Level, Ballroom A)

We can’t wait to talk to you. In fact, we want to hear your thoughts on these topics, and more, right away. Join the conversation today on Twitter @FannieMae, and follow our #MBAAnnual16 updates.
 
MyCity Modification retirement

Servicers are reminded that, for the servicer to offer a Fannie Mae MyCity Modification Trial Period Plan, the first Trial Period Plan payment due date must be on or before December 1, 2016. 

Fannie Mae HAMP retirement

Servicers are reminded that, for the servicer to offer a Trial Period Plan for a Fannie Mae HAMP Modification, the servicer’s evaluation must be based on the borrower’s submission of a complete BRP on or before December 30, 2016; and the Modification Effective Date must be on or before December 1, 2017. 

Providing assistance to borrowers following a disaster

Lenders are reminded that Fannie Mae has selling and servicing policies to assist impacted borrowers (or potential borrowers) following a disaster, such as the recent hurricane on the Atlantic coast. Refer to Assistance in Disasters for information on where to find Fannie Mae’s policies for providing assistance to borrowers impacted by a disaster. View the press release. 

Looking for information on working with a document custodian?

Fannie Mae requires all loans be certified by Fannie Mae-approved document custodians. A new tip sheet provides important guidance for lenders when working with their document custodian, including some specific tips for those who use Fannie Mae’s designated custodian, Bank of NY Mellon (BNYM). Learn about how to establish a custodian relationship, guidance on using BNYM’s WebDCS system, requests for exception clearing activities, how to avoid special processing of loans, and much more.. 

Enhancements to SF Form 1072 and MF Form 1055, Authorization for Automatic Transfer of Funds

Single-Family Form 1072 and Multifamily Form 1055, Authorization for Automatic Transfer of Funds, have been consolidated and updated to be more streamlined. This form is used to authorize Fannie Mae to initiate electronic debits and credits via Automated Clearing House (ACH) for direct deposit of funds owed to the lender or direct payment of funds owed to Fannie Mae. The form is effective immediately, and previous versions will not be accepted after November 30. Changes to the form simplify remittance options and include:

  • Checkboxes at the top to indicate whether one is submitting SF Form 1072 or MF Form 1055.
  • Separate option for MF DMBS-only requests.
  • Identification of Master Servicer from Subservicer.
  • SF customers can choose a different account for Buy-Ups and Buy-Downs separate from Guaranty Fees.
  • Ability to electronically sign with an image of the signature.

Three HFI InDepth classes remaining for 2016

Do you have new hires or other employees who need to complete development goals by the end of the year? There are just three HFI™ Investor Reporting-related sessions left in 2016 and it’s not too late to register!

Fannie Mae’s Housing Finance Institute® series, HFI InDepth, offers training in custodial accounting and reconciling actual/actual loans. If you’re involved with investor reporting for your company, register for one of these HFI InDepth classes today:

Bank vs. Book! Reconciling Actual/Actual Custodial Accounts
Investor Reporting with Confidence: Best Practices for Reconciling Actual/Actual Loans 
The ABCs of Managing MBS Cash Flow for Fannie Mae

You’ll learn tips for reporting on your loans and have access to an expert instructor to answer your questions.

All HFI InDepth courses provide:

  • two hours of interactive, instructor-led training held in a virtual classroom,
  • limited class sizes that maximize interaction and allow for individualized attention,
  • access to recorded tutorials that prepare you with foundational knowledge prior to taking the course, and
  • a certificate of completion.

Course details and class schedules are available on the Fannie Mae Training page. Sign up today!
 
You may also be interested in…

Finance execs make the business case for diversity
Diversity is more than a nice-to-have in the financial market; it’s a must have, say these business leaders. Read more

Professor behind well-known Case-Shiller Housing Index remembered
Economist Karl Case, a founder of the “Case-Shiller” housing index, was just known as “Chip” by his students. Read more

4 reasons the mortgage business may stay brisk this fall
With the fall real estate season upon us, evidence suggests the mortgage business could keep busy to close out 2016. Read more

Receive regular content updates by registering at the sites.
 
We want to know your thoughts

Do you read The Home Story or the Housing Industry Forum, Fannie Mae’s sources for news about housing and the housing finance industry? If so, we would like your feedback to make sure we are giving you all the news you need. All responses are completely confidential. Please click here to take a five-minute survey.
 
Recent Tweets

Home Purchase Sentiment Index drops. Fewer consumers say they expect mortgage rates to drop over the next 12 months:
http://bit.ly/2dH5uk9

October 10
 
Servicers, have questions about principal reduction? Check out this FAQ page:
http://bit.ly/2dE6IN0

October 9

Source: Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae Single Family Servicing News: Message Manager Report Migration to Fannie Mae Connect Completed

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 5, 2016

Visit us at MBA Annual 2016 — let’s talk about exciting new solutions for your business

We can’t wait to meet with you at MBA’s Annual Convention and Expo 2016, October 23-26! Come visit us front and center in THE HUB and let us show you how we’re committed to delivering smart and innovative solutions that make doing business with us simpler and more certain. Let’s talk about:

  • Access to Credit. Expand sustainable homeownership opportunities, while limiting risk and enhancing profitability.
  • Capital Markets. Enhance your execution options with our simple and efficient products.
  • Desktop Underwriter® 10.0. Streamline your mortgage origination process, and achieve greater certainty, with exciting new features like trended credit data.
  • Innovative Technologies. Grow your business and reduce risk when you power your mortgage business — from origination to delivery to servicing — with our proven solutions.

Now’s the perfect time to take advantage of our tools. Consumer demand is up, the mortgage market is moving forward — and so can you.

Stop by. Our door is open! You can’t miss us. Join the conversation on Twitter @FannieMae, and follow our #MBAAnnual16 updates.
 
Message Manager report migration to Fannie Mae Connect is now complete

The migration of all reports from Message Manager to Fannie Mae Connect™ is now complete. The Fannie Mae Connect reporting portal streamlines and centralizes key Fannie Mae data from multiple reporting applications, and uses business intelligence tools to provide unique analytics. With the completed migration, Message Manager will be retired at open of business on October 31.

The following reports are new or enhanced in Fannie Mae Connect:

  • Data Validation Center Loan Review: migrated from Message Manager.
  • STAR Performance Scorecard: migrated from Servicing Management Portal.
  • Collateral Underwriter® Usage Metrics: new report that provides summary CU™ usage statistics.
  • Collateral Underwriter Appraisal Findings: enhanced to include information from the retired CU Submission Metrics report.
  • Buy Up/Buy Down Report: added monthly view to existing report.
  • Additional LASER Report: redesigned to load faster, easier navigation and easy to export to print.
  • Technology Billing and Profile Management: redesigned for simpler and cleaner user experience.

In addition to centralizing all reporting into a single application, we’re continuing to make Fannie Mae Connect easier to use. On October 3, we launched an improved user interface and an upgraded version of Tableau™. For more information on Fannie Mae Connect, including demos, quick tips and training, please visit the Fannie Mae Connect web page. 

Foreclosure Time Frames and Compensatory Fee Allowable Delays Exhibit updated

The Foreclosure Time Frames and Compensatory Fee Allowable Delays Exhibit has been revised to reflect that the increase in allowable days for New Mexico applies to all applicable LPI due dates. 

Three HFI InDepth classes remaining for 2016

Do you have new hires or other employees who need to complete development goals by the end of the year? There are just three HFI™ Investor Reporting-related sessions left in 2016 and it’s not too late to register!

Fannie Mae’s Housing Finance Institute® series, HFI InDepth, offers training in custodial accounting and reconciling actual/actual loans. If you’re involved with investor reporting for your company, register for one of these HFI InDepth classes today:

Bank vs. Book! Reconciling Actual/Actual Custodial Accounts
Investor Reporting with Confidence: Best Practices for Reconciling Actual/Actual Loans 
The ABCs of Managing MBS Cash Flow for Fannie Mae

You’ll learn tips for reporting on your loans and have access to an expert instructor to answer your questions.

All HFI InDepth courses provide:

  • two hours of interactive, instructor-led training held in a virtual classroom,
  • limited class sizes that maximize interaction and allow for individualized attention,
  • access to recorded tutorials that prepare you with foundational knowledge prior to taking the course, and
  • a certificate of completion.

Course details and class schedules are available on the Fannie Mae Training page. Sign up today!

You may also be interested in…

Passion for helping Hispanic customers spurs Alterra’s meteoric growth
Alterra Home Loans, of Las Vegas, Nevada, is on a mission to help underserved consumers, primarily Hispanics, become homeowners. Read more

5 cities where working class families can still find affordable homes
These former manufacturing hubs may be making a comeback and offering affordable housing to the working class. Read more

2016 is busy year so far for real estate
The real estate sector is the third-busiest in M&A activity so far this year globally. Read more

Receive regular content updates by registering at the sites.
 
Recent Tweets

We’re now using trended credit data to better evaluate a borrower’s risk. @nytimes has the story:
https://t.co/m4pXwvKfJk

October 4
 
Stay on top of our latest servicing announcements, lender letters, and notices:
http://bit.ly/2dFuF1L

October 3
 
Source: Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae Reminds Homeowners and Servicers of Mortgage Assistance Options for Atlantic Coastal Areas Impacted by Hurricane Matthew

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 7, 2016

WASHINGTON, DC – Fannie Mae (FNMA/OTC) is reminding those in the Atlantic coastal areas impacted by Hurricane Matthew of the options available for mortgage assistance. Under Fannie Mae’s guidelines for single-family mortgages, servicers have the ability to grant an initial period of forbearance to any borrower they believe has been affected by this natural disaster. Additional forbearance is available with approval from Fannie Mae. In addition, Fannie Mae guidelines authorize servicers to delay foreclosure sales and other legal proceedings in these areas.

“We understand that many families and communities are hurting as they deal with the damage caused by Hurricane Matthew. Fannie Mae and our servicers stand with homeowners who have been impacted by these extremely challenging conditions,” said Malloy Evans, Vice President of Servicing at Fannie Mae. “We are working with our servicers to ensure assistance is offered to borrowers and communities in need. Our thoughts are with all of those who have been impacted.”

Under Fannie Mae’s disaster relief guidelines, a servicer may temporarily suspend or reduce a homeowner’s mortgage payments for up to ninety days if the servicer believes a natural disaster has adversely affected the value or habitability of the property or if the natural disaster has temporarily impacted the homeowner’s ability to make payments on their mortgage. Since these events can make it difficult to reach homeowners, Fannie Mae allows servicers to grant this temporary relief even if they cannot contact the impacted homeowner immediately. If a servicer establishes contact with a homeowner, the servicer may offer forbearance for up to six months, which may be extended for an additional six months, for those homeowners that were current or ninety days or less delinquent when the disaster occurred.

In addition, lenders who are originating loans that will be sold to Fannie Mae are reminded that they must verify the condition of the property if it is in the area affected by the hurricane. Additional lender guidelines can be found here.

Borrowers should reach out to their servicer as soon as possible for assistance. In addition, homeowners can reach out to Fannie Mae directly by calling 1-800-2FANNIE. For more information, visit http://www.knowyouroptions.com/relief.

Source: Fannie Mae

Fannie Mae: Prepare for Future Changes to Investor Reporting by Attending a Live Forum

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 26, 2016

Future Changes to Investor Reporting

Fannie Mae is changing investor reporting requirements, which affect all loans and servicers, in addition to eliminating the Single-Family MBS “call-in” requirement. Servicers must implement these policy changes when reporting borrower activity that occurs on or after February 1, 2017. These are welcome steps toward industry-standard best practices that will save servicers time and effort.

Source: Fannie Mae (full web page)

Fannie Mae: New Know Your Options Customer CARE Webinars

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 26, 2016

Know Your Options™ Customer CARE (Connect, Assess, Resolve, and Execute) provides participating servicers with free loss mitigation training that leverages a servicer’s ownership model to:

  • Develop rapport and establish consultative customer relationships.
  • Maintain quality right party contact throughout the default management process.
  • Properly position available workout solutions.

Learn more about this transformational re-design of the loss mitigation process at the next Know Your Options Customer CARE Call Flow & Script Training webinars (November 3 and 4). These two-hour sessions will provide program information and training on the Know Your Options Customer Care 7-Step Call Flow scripts and job aids.

Click here to register today. 
 
One HFI InDepth class remaining for 2016

Do you have new hires or other employees who need to complete development goals by the end of the year? There is one more HFI™ Investor Reporting-related session left in 2016 and it’s not too late to register!

Fannie Mae’s Housing Finance Institute® series, HFI InDepth, offers training in custodial accounting and reconciling actual/actual loans. If you’re involved with investor reporting for your company, register for the last HFI InDepth class for 2016 today:

The ABCs of Managing MBS Cash Flow for Fannie Mae

You’ll learn tips for reporting on your loans and have access to an expert instructor to answer your questions.

All HFI InDepth courses provide:

  • two hours of interactive, instructor-led training held in a virtual classroom,
  • limited class sizes that maximize interaction and allow for individualized attention,
  • access to recorded tutorials that prepare you with foundational knowledge prior to taking the course, and
  • a certificate of completion.

Course details and class schedules are available on the Fannie Mae Training page. Sign up today!
 
You may also be interested in…

Focus on customers drives best-practice performance
Servicers are working with Fannie Mae to improve how they operate. Read more

4 reasons the mortgage business may stay brisk this fall
With the fall real estate season upon us, evidence suggests the mortgage business could keep busy to close out 2016. Read more

Receive regular content updates by registering at the sites.
 
We want to know your thoughts

Do you read The Home Story or the Housing Industry Forum, Fannie Mae’s sources for news about housing and the housing finance industry? If so, we would like your feedback to make sure we are giving you all the news you need. All responses are completely confidential. Please click here to take a five-minute survey.
 
Recent tweets

Heard the NEWS? We announced #Day1Certainty – a major initiative and a big win for our customers at #MBAAnnual16:
http://bit.ly/2eCoGen

October 25
 
Need a #housing forecast for the rest of 2016? We’ve got you covered:
https://t.co/LacOqgLd1l

October 20

Source: Fannie Mae

VA Circular 26-16-31 Special Relief Following Hurricane Matthew

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 11, 2016

1. Purpose. This Circular expresses concern about Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) home loan borrowers affected by Hurricane Matthew, and describes measures mortgagees may employ to provide relief. Mortgage servicers and borrowers alike should review VA’s Guidance on Natural Disasters to ensure Veterans receive the assistance they need. (http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/documents/docs/va_policy_regarding_natural_disasters.pdf)

2. Forbearance Request. VA encourages holders of guaranteed loans to extend forbearance to borrowers in distress as a result of the hurricane. Careful counseling with borrowers should help determine whether their difficulties are related to this disaster, or whether they stem from other sources that must be addressed. The proper use of authorities granted in VA regulations may be of assistance in appropriate cases. For example, Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), section 36.4311 allows the reapplication of prepayments to cure or prevent a default. Also, 38 CFR 36.4315 allows the terms of any guaranteed loan to be modified without the prior approval of VA, provided conditions in the regulation are satisfied.

3. Moratorium on Foreclosure. Although the loan holder is ultimately responsible for determining when to initiate foreclosure, and for completing termination action, VA has requested on its website (http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans) that holders establish a 90-day moratorium from the date of a disaster on initiating new foreclosures on loans affected by major disasters. VA regulation 38 CFR 36.4324(a)(3)(ii) allows additional interest on a guaranty claim when eventual termination has been delayed due to circumstances beyond the control of the holder, such as VA-requested forbearance. Because of the widespread impact of Hurricane Matthew, holders should review all foreclosure referrals to ensure that borrowers have not been affected significantly enough to justify delay in referral. Any questions about impact should be discussed with the VA Regional Loan Center (RLC) of jurisdiction.

4. Late Charge Waivers. VA believes that many servicers plan to waive late charges on affected loans, and encourages all servicers to adopt such a policy for any loans that may have been affected.

5. Credit and VA Reporting. In order to avoid damaging credit records of Veteran borrowers, servicers are encouraged to suspend credit bureau reporting on affected loans. VA will not penalize affected servicers for any late default reporting to VA as a result. Please contact the appropriate RLC with any questions.

6. Activation of the National Guard. Members of the National Guard may be called to active duty to assist in recovery efforts. VA encourages servicers to extend special forbearance to National Guard members who experience financial difficulties as a result of their service.

7. Rescission: This Circular is rescinded October 1, 2018.

By Direction of the Under Secretary for Benefits

Jeffrey F. London
Deputy Director, Loan Guaranty Service

Source: VA

CFPB Announces Changes to Senior Leadership

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 13, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today announced leadership changes within the Bureau. The positions being announced today are: the Assistant Director for the Office for Older Americans; the Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and Oversight; and the Deputy General Counsel for General Law and Ethics.

“I am delighted to announce today’s changes to three of the leadership positions here,” said CFPB Director Richard Cordray. “These people have played important roles in fulfilling our mission to protect consumers, and I look forward to continuing to work alongside them here at the Bureau.”

The following individuals were announced today as joining the CFPB leadership team:

Stacy Canan will serve as the CFPB’s Assistant Director for the Office for Older Americans. Ms. Canan has been working as the deputy assistant director for the Office for Older Americans since joining the Bureau in November 2012. Prior to joining the CFPB, Ms. Canan was the managing attorney at the AARP Foundation Litigation group where she handled consumer protection and healthcare cases nationwide. Ms. Canan began her career as a legal services’ lawyer at the Legal Counsel for the Elderly and University Legal Services. Ms. Canan received her B.A. from State University of New York at Buffalo and her J.D. from the Antioch School of Law.

John Coleman will serve as the CFPB’s Deputy General Counsel for Litigation and Oversight in the Legal Division. Since joining the Bureau in November 2010, Mr. Coleman has served as the assistant general counsel for litigation, and as senior litigation counsel. Prior to joining the Bureau, Mr. Coleman worked as a trial attorney in the Department of Justice’s Federal Programs Branch. Earlier in his career, Mr. Coleman clerked for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Mr. Coleman received his B.A. from Dartmouth College and his J.D. from the University of Virginia.

Sonya White will serve as the CFPB’s Deputy General Counsel for General Law and Ethics in the Legal Division. Ms. White previously served as the Bureau’s assistant general counsel for general law and ethics. Prior to joining the CFPB in February 2013, Ms. White worked as the deputy chief counsel at the U.S. Treasury Department, Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Before working at the Treasury Department, Ms. White represented federal clients in employment and labor litigation. Ms. White received both her B.S. and J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Source: CFPB

Additional Resource:
HousingWire: CFPB Announces Several Leadership Changes

Freddie Mac: Business Requirements to Support Investor Reporting Changes

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 18, 2016

Today, we published business requirements to support our Investor Reporting Change Initiative, which was announced in Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (Guide) Bulletin 2016-15. This detailed document, available on our web page, provides you with developmental guidance so you can successfully implement these changes in October 2018.
 
Get Started Now
 
These changes affect all Freddie Mac Seller/Servicers, regardless of whether you use a vendor, proprietary systems or the Freddie Mac Service Loans application.
 
To make sure that you hit the ground running in 2018, you should:

  • Analyze the business requirements document [pdf], in conjunction with your vendor (if applicable), to assess potential impacts to your processes, procedures and other business units within your organization (not limited to investor reporting). This document, which includes illustrative examples of borrower activities and reporting scenarios, will help you plan and allocate the necessary resources in 2017 and 2018.
  • Review our updated FAQs [pdf]. If you have additional questions, contact your Freddie Mac representative or email us directly.
  • Look for an email invite from us to a briefing session where we’ll deep dive into the requirements and provide you the opportunity to submit questions for us to review. We’ll schedule a follow-up session to address your questions and provide an open Q&A.

Stay Informed
 
Remember to visit and bookmark our Investor Reporting Change Initiative web page, your central hub for the latest details and frequently asked questions. We’ll continue to post updated and new collateral here, such as training materials and technical specifications to support our requirements, as they become available.
 
For More Information

Source: Freddie Mac

And the Clock Starts Now: CFPB Servicing Rules Published

Posted on by Safeguard

Investor Update
October 19, 2016

All provisions of the CFPB’s mortgage servicing final rule and interpretive rule will be published in the Federal Register on October 19th, most becoming effective 12 months after the date of publication with the exception of the “successor in interest provisions” and “bankruptcy periodic statement” that will become effective 18 months from the date of publication.

The 900-page finalized set of rules on mortgage servicing, unveiled in early August, were designed to ensure that homeowners, struggling borrowers, and property heirs are treated fairly by mortgage servicers. CFPB officials Laurie Maggiano, Manager for Servicing and Securitization Markets, Research, and Regulation, and Laura Johnson, Senior Counsel in the Office of Regulations, presented an overview of policy and programs that impact the mortgage industry based on these rules at the Five Star Conference and Expo in Dallas in September. This was one of the first times the Bureau provided an in-depth, in-person training since the promulgation of the new servicing rules.

CFPB Director Richard Cordray said, “These updates to the rule will give greater protections to mortgage borrowers, particularly surviving family members and other successors in interest, who often are especially vulnerable.”

The finalized rules dictate that servicers must provide certain borrowers with foreclosure protections more than once over the life of the loan. According to the CFPB, this change will be particularly helpful for borrowers who obtain a permanent loan modification and later suffer an unrelated hardship, such as the loss of a job or the death of a family member, that could otherwise cause them to face foreclosure. Servicers must also clarify borrower protections when the servicing of a loan is transferred and provide important loan information to borrowers in bankruptcy.

The updated rules also more clearly define various roles in the foreclosure process. For those who inherit property, the potential foreclosure process has been especially perilous. The updated rules establish a broad definition of “successor in interest” that generally includes persons who receive property upon the death of a relative or joint tenant, via divorce or legal separation, through certain trusts, or from a spouse or parent and gives them, generally, the same protections outlined under the CFPB’s mortgage servicing rules as the original borrower.

These amendments also require servicers to notify borrowers when loss mitigation applications are complete and provide greater protection for struggling borrowers during servicing transfers. The rules also clarify servicers’ obligations to avoid dual-tracking and prevent wrongful foreclosures, as well as when a borrower becomes delinquent.

To learn more about these rules, click HERE.

Source: DS News