Don't Lose Your Home to Foreclosure. As a Licensed Real Estate Broker, Certified Loan Originator, Certified Distressed Property Expert, Short Sale Specialist,
I Can Help You!
HAFA, Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program
In early
2009, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) urged the U.S.
Treasury Department, the Federal Housing
Finance Agency, Fannie Mae and
Freddie Mac to improve the short sales process.
NAR's concerns
were first addressed on May 14, 2009, when the Obama Administration
announced the outline of a program to
provide incentives and uniform
procedures for short sales and deeds-in-lieu (DIL) of foreclosure under
the Making Home
Affordable Program.
The Obama Administration released guidelines and uniform forms for its Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program
(HAFA) on November 30, 2009 and released an updated version on March 26, 2010. April 5, 2010 is the effective date for the
program.
Modified HAFA rules for loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac are being developed (check
www.realtor.org/shortsales for updates). HAFA does not apply to FHA or VA loans.
About HAFA
HAFA, which will help homeowners who are unable to retain their home
under the Home Affordable Modification Program
(HAMP), provides
incentives in connection with short sales and deeds-in-lieu of
foreclosure.
The program:
Complements HAMP by providing a
viable alternative for borrowers (the current homeowners) who are HAMP
eligible but
nevertheless unable to keep their home.
Uses borrower financial and hardship information already collected under HAMP.
Allows
borrowers to receive pre-approved short sales terms before listing the
property (including the minimum acceptable net
proceeds and acceptable
closing costs).
Requires borrowers to be fully released from
future liability for the first mortgage debt and, if the subordinate
lien holders receives
an incentive under HAFA, those debt as well (no
cash contribution, promissory note, or deficiency judgment is allowed).
Uses a standard process, uniform documents, and timeframes/deadlines.
Provides
financial incentives: $3,000 for borrower relocation assistance; $1,500
for servicers to cover administrative and
processing costs; and up to a
$2,000 match for investors for allowing a total of up to $6,000 in
short sale proceeds to be
distributed to subordinate lien holders.
Requires
all servicers participating in HAMP to implement HAFA in accordance
with their own written policy, consistent with
investor guidelines. The
policy may include factors such as the severity of the potential loss,
local markets, timing of pending
foreclosure actions, and borrower
motivation and cooperation.
The deadline for implementation by servicers is April 5, 2010. The program sunsets on December 31, 2012.
TIMELINE
Determination of Eligibility and Notification
Servicers must consider HAMP-eligible borrowers for HAFA within 30 days after the borrower does at least one of the following:
Does not qualify for a HAMP trial period plan
Does not successfully complete a HAMP trial period plan
Is delinquent on a HAMP modification (misses at least 2 consecutive payments)
Requests a short sale or DIL
If
the servicer determines a borrower is eligible based on its written
policy and the program rules, the servicer follows the following
steps.
If a servicer has not already discussed a short sale or DIL with the
borrower, it must notify the borrower in writing of these options
and
give the borrower 14 calendar days to respond, orally
or in writing. If the borrower does not respond, that ends the
servicer's
duty to give a HAFA offer. If the borrower asked for
consideration but a short sale or DIL is not available, the servicer
must inform
the borrower with an explanation and provide a toll-free
number.
Short Sale Agreement
The borrower has 14 calendar days from
the date of the Short Sale Agreement (SSA) to sign and return it to the
servicer. The
SSA must give the borrower an initial period of 120 days to sell the house (servicers may extend up to a total of 12 months, if
agreed to by the borrower).
Purchase Offer
Within 3 business days of
receiving an executed purchase offer, the borrower (or agent) must
submit a completed Request for
Approval of Short Sale (RASS) to the
servicer, including
A copy of the sale contract and all addenda
Buyer documentation of funds or pre-approval/commitment letter from a lender
All information on the status of subordinate liens and/or negotiations with subordinate lien holders.
Servicer Approval
Within 10 business days after
the servicer receives the RASS and all required attachments, the
servicer must approve or deny
the request and advise the borrower (with a
statement of the reasons in the case of disapproval).
Closing and Lien Release
The servicer may require the closing to take place within a reasonable period after it approves the RASS, but not sooner than
45 days from the date of the sales contract unless the borrower agrees.
The servicer must follow local or state laws to time the release of its
first mortgage lien. If local or state law does not require
release
within a specified time, the servicer must release its first mortgage
lien within 30 days. Investors must waive rights to seek
deficiency
judgments and may not require a promissory note for any deficiency.
Rules also apply to participating junior lien
holders.
NAR FAQs
HAFA is a complex program with nearly 50 pages of guidelines and forms.
To help you better understand the process, NAR has
prepared some
frequently asked questions that address the basics. For more information
on HAFA and more detailed NAR
FAQs, please visit www.realtor.org/shortsales
Who is eligible for HAFA?
The borrower must meet the basic eligibility criteria for HAMP:
Principal
residence. The property may be vacant up to 90 days before the date of
the Short Sale Agreement (SAA), Alternative
Request for Approval of
Short Sale, or DIL but only if the borrower documents they were required
to relocate at least 100 miles
from their home for purposes of
employment and they have not purchased another property in the 90 day
period.
First lien originated before 2009 Mortgage delinquent or default is reasonably foreseeable
Unpaid
principal balance no more than $729,750 (higher limits for two- to
four-unit dwellings) Borrower's total monthly payment
exceeds 31% of
gross income
How is the program being implemented?
Supplemental Directive 09-09 (revised March 26, 2010) gives servicers guidance for carrying out the program. Check
www.realtor.org/shortsales for future updates.
A short sale agreement (SSA) will be sent by the servicer to the
borrower after determining the borrower is interested in a short
sale
and the property qualifies. It informs the borrower how the program
works and the conditions that apply.
After the borrower
contracts to sell the property, the borrower submits a "Request for
Approval of Short Sale" (RASS) to the
servicer within 3 business days
for approval. If the borrower already has an executed sales contract and
asks the servicer to
approve it before an SSA is executed, the
Alternative RASS is used instead. The servicer must still consider the
borrower for a
loan modification.
What are the steps for evaluating a loan to see if it is a candidate for HAFA?
1. Borrower solicitation and response
2.
Assess expected recovery through foreclosure and disposition compared
to a HAFA short sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure (DIL)
3. Use of borrower financial information from HAMP
4. Property valuation
5. Review of title
6. Borrower notice if short sale or DIL not available (to borrowers that have expressed interest in HAFA).
What are the HAFA rules regarding real estate commissions?
Under
updated guidelines and forms issued on March 26, 2010, the servicer
sets the amount of commission in the SSA as a
"reasonable and customary"
closing cost. NAR is challenging this change to the November 30, 2009,
guidelines that had set the
commission at the amount in the listing
agreement, not to exceed 6 percent.
However, if the Alternative
Request for Approval of Short Sale is used (where an executed sales
contract is submitted to the
servicer for approval before a SSA is
executed), the amount of the commission continues to be the amount in
the listing
agreement, not to exceed 6 percent.
At the urging of
NAR, the Treasury guidelines issued on March 26 rescinded the November
30, 2009 policy authorizing the
servicer to reduce the real estate
commission by a specified amount to pay a vendor/negotiator hired to
assist the listing broker.
This is a major improvement.
Neither
buyers nor sellers may earn a commission in connection with the short
sale, even if they are licensed real estate brokers
or agents. They may
not have any side deals to receive commission indirectly.
What else should I know?
The
deal must be "arms length." Borrowers can't list the property or sell
it to a relative or anyone else with whom they have a close
personal or
business relationship.
The amount of debt forgiven might be
treated as income for tax purposes. Under a law expiring at the end of
2012, however,
forgiven debt will not be taxed if the amount does not
exceed the debt that was used for acquisition, construction, or
rehabilitation
of a principal residence. Check with a tax advisor or the
IRS.
The servicer will report to the credit reporting agencies
that the mortgage was settled for less than full payment, which may hurt
credit scores.
Buyers may not reconvey the property for 90 days.
March 30, 2010
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised March 26, 2010 Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives - Short
Sale and Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure Update
Background
In Supplemental Directive 09-01, the Treasury Department (Treasury)
announced the eligibility, underwriting and servicing
requirements for
the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). Under HAMP, the
servicers apply a uniform loan
modification process to provide eligible
borrowers with sustainable monthly payments for their first lien
mortgage loans. While
HAMP program guidelines are intended to reach a
broad range of at-risk borrowers, it is expected that servicers will
encounter
situations where they are unable to approve a HAMP
modification request, a HAMP modification is offered and not accepted by
the borrower, or the borrower falls out of a HAMP modification. In
these instances, the borrower may benefit from an alternative
that helps
the borrower transition to more affordable housing and avoid the stigma
of a foreclosure.
This Supplemental Directive replaces in its entirety Supplemental Directive 09-09 and is effective
as of April 5, 2010. This
Supplemental Directive provides guidance to
servicers for adoption and implementation of the Home Affordable
Foreclosure
Alternatives Program (HAFA). HAFA is part of HAMP and
provides financial incentives to servicers and borrowers who utilize a
short sale or a deed-in-lieu to avoid a foreclosure on an eligible loan
under HAMP.
Both of these foreclosure alternatives reduce the need
for potentially lengthy and expensive foreclosure proceedings. The
options
help preserve the condition and value of the property by
minimizing the time a property is vacant and subject to vandalism and
deterioration. In addition, these options generally provide a
substantially better outcome than a foreclosure sale for borrowers,
investors and communities.
This Supplemental Directive provides
guidance to servicers for adoption and implementation of HAFA for first
lien mortgage
loans that are not owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or
Freddie Mac (Non-GSE Mortgages). In order for a servicer to
participate
in HAFA for Non-GSE Mortgages, the servicer must execute a servicer
participation agreement and related
documents (SPA) with Fannie Mae in
its capacity as financial agent for the United States (as designated by
Treasury) to
participate in HAMP on or before October 3, 2010. In
certain circumstances, Supplemental Directive 09-01 requires
participating
servicers to consider borrowers for other foreclosure
prevention options, including short sale and deed-in-lieu programs. As a
result, servicers already participating in HAMP must follow the
guidance set forth in this Supplemental Directive, which provides
servicers with the option to determine the extent to which short sales
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 2
or deeds-in-lieu will be offered under this program. Servicers of
mortgage loans that are owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or
Freddie Mac
should refer to the HAFA announcement issued by the applicable GSE. A
loan must be HAMP eligible and meet the
other requirements stated herein
to be eligible for incentive compensation under HAFA.
A
servicer may elect to implement this Supplemental Directive prior to
April 5, 2010, provided that the servicer is able to collect
and report
all required information as described in the Reporting Requirements section
of this Supplemental Directive.
Borrowers may be accepted into HAFA if a
Short Sale Agreement or DIL Agreement, as described in this
Supplemental
Directive, is fully-executed by the borrower and received
by the servicer on or before December 31, 2012.
To help servicers implement HAFA, this Supplemental Directive covers the following topics:
- General Terms and Conditions
Foreclosure Alternatives
In a short sale, the servicer allows the borrower to list and sell the
mortgaged property with the understanding that the net
proceeds from the
sale may be less than the total amount due on the mortgage. The short
sale must be an arm's length
transaction with the net sale proceeds
(after deductions for reasonable and customary selling costs) being
applied to a
discounted ("short") mortgage payoff acceptable to the
servicer. The servicer accepts the short payoff in full satisfaction of
the
total amount due on the first mortgage.
In a deed-in-lieu of
foreclosure (DIL), the borrower voluntarily transfers ownership of the
mortgaged property to the servicer in full
satisfaction of the total
amount due on the first mortgage. The servicer's willingness to approve
and accept a DIL is contingent
upon the borrower's ability to provide
marketable title, free and clear of mortgages, liens and encumbrances.
Generally, servicers
require the borrower to make a good faith effort to
sell the property through a short sale before agreeing to accept the
DIL.
However, under circumstances acceptable to the investor, the
servicer may accept a DIL without the borrower first attempting to
sell
the property. With either the HAFA short sale or DIL, the servicer may
not require a cash contribution or promissory note from
the borrower and
must forfeit the ability to pursue a deficiency judgment against the
borrower.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 3
Short sales and DILs are complex transactions involving coordination and
cooperation among a number of parties including, but
not limited to,
servicers, appraisers, borrowers (sellers), buyers, real estate brokers
and agents, title agencies, and often
mortgage insurance companies and
subordinate and other lien holders. The HAFA program simplifies and
streamlines the use of
short sales and DIL options by incorporating the
following unique features:
- Complements HAMP by providing viable alternatives for borrowers who are HAMPeligible.
- Utilizes borrower financial and
hardship information collected in conjunction with HAMP, eliminating the
need for additional eligibility analysis.
- Allows the borrower to receive pre-approved short sale terms prior to the property listing.
- Prohibits the servicer from
requiring, as a condition of approving the short sale, a reduction in
the real estate commission agreed upon in the listing agreement.
- Requires that borrowers be fully released from future liability for the debt.
- Uses standard processes, documents and timeframes.
- Provides financial incentives to borrowers, servicers and investors.
HAFA Consideration
Each participating servicer must develop a written policy, consistent
with investor guidelines, that describes the basis on which
the servicer
will offer the HAFA program to borrowers. This policy may incorporate
such factors as the severity of the loss
involved, local market
conditions, the timing of pending foreclosure actions and borrower
motivation and cooperation.
Servicers may not solicit a borrower for HAFA until the borrower has been evaluated for a HAMP
modification in accordance with
the provisions of Supplemental
Directive 09-01 and any supplemental HAMP guidance. Borrowers that meet
the eligibility criteria
for HAMP but who are not offered a Trial Period
Plan, do not successfully complete a Trial Period Plan, or default on a
HAMP
modification should first be considered for other loan
modification or retention programs offered by the servicer prior to
being
evaluated for HAFA.
In accordance with the provisions of
Supplemental Directive 09-01, a loan meets the basic eligibility
criteria if all of the following
conditions are met:
- The property is the borrower's
principal residence, except that the property can be vacant up to 90
days prior to the date of the Short Sale Agreement (SSA), Alternative
Request for Approval of Short Sale (Alternative (RASS) or DIL Agreement
if the borrower
provides
documentation that the borrower was required to relocate at least 100
miles from the property to accept new
employment or was transferred by
the current employer and there is no evidence indicating that the borrower has purchased a
one- to four-unit property 90 days prior to the date of the SSA, Alternative RASS or DIL Agreement;
- The mortgage loan is a first lien mortgage originated on or before January 1, 2009;
- The mortgage is delinquent or default is reasonably foreseeable; Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 4
- The current unpaid principal balance is equal to or less than $729,7501; and
- The borrower's total monthly
mortgage payment (as defined in Supplemental Directive 09-01) exceeds 31
percent of the borrower's gross income.
Pursuant to the servicer's policy, every potentially eligible borrower
must be considered for HAFA before the borrower's loan is
referred to
foreclosure or the servicer allows a pending foreclosure sale to be
conducted. Servicers must consider possible
HAMP eligible borrowers for
HAFA within 30 calendar days of the date the borrower:
- Does not qualify for a Trial Period Plan;
- Does not successfully complete a Trial Period Plan;
- Is delinquent on a HAMP modification by missing at least two consecutive payments; or
- Requests a short sale or DIL.
The
date and outcome of the HAFA consideration must be documented in the
servicer's file. When a borrower, who was not
previously evaluated for a
HAMP modification, requests a short sale or DIL, the servicer must
determine the basic eligibility of the
borrower as described in the HAFA Consideration section
of this Supplemental Directive. In addition, the servicer must obtain a
completed Request for Modification and Affidavit (RMA)2 and evidence of
the borrower's income sufficient to determine that the
borrower meets
the 31 percent income eligibility requirement and has experienced a
hardship. The servicer is not required to
obtain an IRS Form 4506-T nor
4506-EZ, unless it is necessary to verify the borrower's income; to
evaluate the mortgage loan
using the NPV test; or, to apply the standard
modification waterfall set out in Supplemental Directive 09-01. The
servicer must
notify the borrower verbally or in writing of the
availability of a HAMP modification and allow the borrower 14 calendar
days from
the date of the notification to contact the servicer by verbal
or written communication and request consideration for a HAMP
modification. If the borrower does not wish to be considered for a
modification, this does not trigger a non-approval notice under
Supplemental Directive 09- 08, Borrower Notices.
Borrowers in active Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases must be
considered for HAFA if the borrower,3 borrower's
counsel or bankruptcy
trustee submits a request to the servicer. With the borrower's
permission, a bankruptcy trustee may contact
the servicer to request a
short sale or DIL under HAFA. Servicers are not required to solicit
these borrowers proactively for
HAFA. The servicer and its counsel must
work with the borrower or borrower's counsel to obtain any court and/or
trustee
approvals required in accordance with local court rules and
1 This amount refers to 1 unit properties. Higher amounts apply to 2 to 4 unit dwellings. See Supplemental Directive 09-01.
2 Servicers may elect to use a proprietary financial information form
substantially similar to the RMA and a hardship affidavit in
lieu of the
RMA.
3 Where the borrower filed the bankruptcy pro se, (without
an attorney), it is recommended that the servicer provide information
relating to the availability of a HAMP modification and foreclosure
alternatives to the borrower with a copy to the bankruptcy
trustee. This
communication should not imply that it is in any way an attempt to
collect a debt. Servicers must consult their legal
counsel for
appropriate language.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 5
procedures. Servicers should extend HAFA timeframes as necessary to
accommodate delays in obtaining court approvals or
receiving any
periodic payment when they are made to a trustee.
Evaluation
If the servicer determines that a borrower is eligible for a HAFA offer
based on its written policy and this Supplemental Directive,
the
servicer must follow the steps below to determine if a short sale or DIL
offer will be extended to the borrower.
Borrower Solicitation and Response. If
the servicer has not already discussed a short sale or DIL with the
borrower, the
servicer must proactively notify the borrower in writing
of the availability of these options and allow the borrower 14 calendar
days
from the date of the notification to contact the servicer by verbal
or written communication and request consideration under HAFA.
If the
borrower fails to contact the servicer within the timeframe or at any
time indicates that he or she is not interested in these
options, the
servicer has no further obligation to extend a HAFA offer.
Expected Recovery through Foreclosure and Disposition. Though
not a HAFA requirement, it is expected that servicers
will, in
accordance with investor guidelines, perform a financial analysis to
determine if a short sale or DIL is in the best interest of
the
investor, guarantor and/or mortgage insurer. The results of any analysis
must be retained in the servicing file. The HAMP base
NPV model does
not project investor cash flows from either a short sale or DIL and
should be used only to determine borrower
eligibility for a HAMP
modification.
Use of Borrower Financial Information. Verified
borrower financial information obtained in conjunction with HAMP may be
relied upon to determine a borrower's eligibility for HAFA. If
financial and hardship information is documented and verified, no
additional financial or hardship assessment is required by HAFA.
However, in accordance with investor guidelines, the servicer
may
request updated financial information to evaluate the borrower. If a
borrower was evaluated for HAMP based on verbal
financial data, the
servicer may send the borrower a Short Sale Agreement (SSA) and must
require the borrower to deliver the
financial information required under
HAMP when the borrower returns the executed SSA. The servicer must
verify a borrower's
financial information through documentation and
obtain a signed Hardship Affidavit prior to approving a short sale or
accepting a
DIL under HAFA.
Property Valuation. The
servicer must, independent of the borrower and any other parties to the
transaction, assess the current
value of the property in accordance
with the investor's guidelines. The servicer may not require the
borrower to pay in advance for
the valuation, but may add the cost to
the outstanding debt in accordance with the borrower's mortgage
documents and
applicable law in the event the short sale or DIL is not
completed.
Review of Title. The servicer must
review readily available information provided by the borrower, the
borrower's credit report, the
loan file or other sources to identify
subordinate liens and other claims on title to determine if the borrower
will be able to deliver
clear, marketable title to a prospective
purchaser or the investor. Although not required by HAFA, the servicer
may order a title
search or preliminary title report. The servicer may
not charge the borrower in Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 6
advance for any cost incurred in the title review, but may add the cost
to the outstanding debt in accordance with the borrower's
mortgage
documents and applicable law in the event the short sale or DIL is not
completed.
Borrower Notice. When a HAFA short
sale or DIL is not available, the servicer must communicate this
decision in writing to any
borrower that requested consideration. The
notice must explain why a short sale or DIL under HAFA cannot be
offered, provide a
toll free telephone number that the customer may call
to discuss the decision and otherwise comply with the notice
requirements
of Supplemental Directive 09-08, Borrower Notices.
Short Sale
The HAFA short sale process employs standard form documents and defined
performance timeframes to facilitate clear
communication between the
parties to the listing and sale transaction. Servicers must adhere to
the following guidelines in
connection with the issuance of an SSA.
Minimum Acceptable Net Proceeds.
Prior to approving a borrower to participate in a HAFA short sale, the
servicer must
determine the minimum acceptable net proceeds (minimum
net) that the investor will accept from the transaction. Each servicer
must develop a written policy, consistent with investor guidelines, that
describes the basis on which the minimum net will be
determined.
However, the minimum net proceeds must be at least equal to or less than
the list price minus the sum of allowable
costs that may be deducted
from gross sale proceeds (or the acceptable sale proceeds). This policy
may incorporate such
factors as local market conditions, customary
transactional costs of such sales, and the amounts that may be required
to release
any subordinate liens on the property. A servicer's policy
for determining the minimum net must be consistently applied for all
loans serviced for that investor. The minimum net may be expressed as a
fixed dollar amount, as a percentage of the current
market value of the
property, or as a percentage of the list price as approved by the
servicer. Once determined, the servicer must
document the minimum net in
the servicing file for each property subject to HAFA. After signing an
SSA, the servicer may not
increase the minimum net requirement until the
initial SSA termination date is reached (not less than 120 calendar
days).
Subsequent changes to the minimum net when the SSA is extended
must be documented.
Allowable Transaction Costs. In
determining the minimum net, the servicer must consider reasonable and
customary real
estate transaction costs for the community in which the
property is located and determine which of these costs the servicer or
investor is willing to pay from sale proceeds. The servicer must
describe the costs that may be deducted from the gross sale
proceeds in
the SSA.
Short Sale Agreement. The HAFA SSA,
which is attached as Exhibit A, outlines the roles and responsibilities
of the servicer
and borrower in the short sale listing process and
provides key marketing terms, such as a list price or acceptable sale
proceeds
and the duration of the SSA. The HAFA Request for Approval of a
Short Sale (RASS), which must accompany the SSA, is
attached as Exhibit
A1. The RASS is submitted to the servicer when an offer is received to
provide the terms and conditions of
the short sale and together with the
sales contract, provides Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 7
settlement
instructions to the settlement agent. Either proactively, or
at the request of an eligible borrower, the servicer will prepare and
send
an SSA to the borrower after determining that the proposed sale is
in the best interest of the investor. A borrower may not
participate in a
HAMP Trial Period Plan and agree to a HAFA SSA simultaneously. The
servicer will also provide the borrower a
RASS, pre-populated with
contact information for the servicer, the property address and the loan
number. In the event that a
borrower has an executed sales contract
and requests the servicer to approve a short sale under HAFA before an
SSA has been
executed, the servicer must evaluate the borrower for HAFA
as described in the Alternative Request for Approval of a Short Sale
Alternative RASS) section.
While servicers may amend the terms
of the SSA in accordance with investor requirements, applicable laws or
local real estate
practice, at a minimum the SSA must include the
following:
- A fixed termination date not less
than 120 calendar days from the effective date of the SSA ("Effective
Date"). The Effective Date must be stated in the SSA and is the date the
SSA is mailed to the borrower. The term of the SSA may be extended at
the discretion of the servicer up to a total term of 12 months if agreed
to by the borrower, in accordance with the requirements of the
investor.
- A requirement that the property
be listed with a licensed real estate professional who is regularly
doing business in the community where the property is located.
- Either a list price approved by
the servicer or the acceptable sale proceeds, expressed as a net amount
after subtracting allowable costs that the servicer will accept from the
transaction.
- The amount of closing costs or
other expenses the servicer will permit to be deducted from the gross
sale proceeds expressed as a dollar amount, a percentage of the list
price or a list by category of reasonable closing costs and other
expenses that the servicer will permit to be deducted from the gross
sale proceeds.
- The amount of the real estate
commission that may be paid, not to exceed 6% of the contract sales
price, and when applicable, notification that the servicer retained a
contractor to assist the listing broker with the transaction along with
the payment amount (expressed as a fixed dollar amount or percentage of
the contract sales price) if paid from sale proceeds.
- A statement by the borrower
authorizing the servicer to communicate the borrower's personal
financial information to other parties (including Treasury and its
agents) as necessary to complete the transaction.
- Cancellation and contingency
clauses that must be included in listing and sale agreements notifying
prospective purchasers that the sale is subject to approval by the
servicer and/or third parties.
- Notice that the sale must
represent an arm's length transaction and that the purchaser may not
sell the property within 90 calendar days of closing, including
certification language regarding the arm's length transaction that must
be included in the sales contract.
- An agreement that upon successful
closing of a short sale acceptable to the servicer, the borrower will
be released from all liability for repayment of the first mortgage debt.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 8
- An agreement that upon successful
closing of a short sale acceptable to the servicer the borrower will be
entitled to a relocation incentive of $3,000, which will be deducted
from the gross sale proceeds at closing.
- Notice that the servicer will
allow a portion of gross sale proceeds to be paid to subordinate lien
holders in exchange for release and full satisfaction of their liens.
- Notice that a short sale may have
income tax consequences and/or may have a derogatory impact on the
borrower's credit score and a recommendation that the borrower seek
professional advice regarding these matters.
- The amount of the monthly
mortgage payment, if any, that the borrower will be required to pay
during the term of the SSA, which amount must not exceed 31% of the
borrower's gross monthly income.
- An agreement that so long as the
borrower performs in accordance with the terms of the SSA, the servicer
will not complete a foreclosure sale.
- Terms under which the SSA can be terminated.
Borrower Obligations. The
borrower must sign and return the SSA within 14 calendar days from its
Effective Date along with a
copy of the real estate broker listing
agreement and information regarding any subordinate liens. In returning
and signing the SSA
the borrower agrees to:
- Provide all information and sign documents required to verify program eligibility.
- Cooperate with the listing broker to actively market the property and respond to servicer inquiries.
- Maintain the interior and exterior of the property in a manner that facilitates marketability.
- Work to clear any liens or other impediments to title that would prevent conveyance.
- Make the monthly payment stipulated in the SSA, if applicable.
Monitoring Marketing Activity / Cause for Termination. During the term of the SSA, the servicer may terminate the SSA
before its expiration due to any of the following events:
- The borrower's financial
situation improves significantly, the borrower qualifies for a
modification, or the borrower brings the account current or pays the
mortgage in full.
- The borrower or the listing
broker fails to act in good faith in listing, marketing and/or closing
the sale, or otherwise fails to abide by the terms of the SSA.
- A significant change occurs to the property condition and/or value.
- There is evidence of fraud or misrepresentation.
- The borrower files for bankruptcy and the Bankruptcy Court declines to approve the SSA.
- Litigation is initiated or threatened that could affect title to the property or interfere with a valid conveyance.
- The borrower fails to make the monthly payment stipulated in the SSA, if applicable.
Request for Approval of Short Sale. Within
three business days following receipt of an executed purchase offer,
the borrower
or the listing broker should deliver to the servicer a
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 9
completed RASS describing the terms of the sale transaction. With the RASS, the borrower must submit to the servicer:
- A copy of the executed sales contract and all addenda.
- Buyer's documentation of funds or buyer's pre-approval or commitment letter on letterhead from a lender.
- All information regarding the status of subordinate liens and/or negotiations with subordinate lien holders.
Approval or Disapproval of Sale. Within ten business days of receipt of the RASS and all
required attachments, the servicer must indicate its approval or
disapproval of the proposed sale by signing the appropriate
section of
the RASS and mailing it to the borrower.
The servicer must approve a
RASS if the net sale proceeds available for payment to the servicer
equal or exceed the minimum
net determined by the servicer prior to the
execution or extension of the SSA and all other sales terms and
conditions in the SSA
have been met. Additionally, the servicer may not
require, as a condition of approving a short sale, a reduction in the
real estate
commission below the commission stated in the SSA.
The
servicer may require that the sale closing take place within a
reasonable period following acceptance of the RASS, but in no
event may
the servicer require that a transaction close in less than 45 calendar
days from the date of the sales contract without the
consent of the
borrower.
Alternative Request for Approval of Short Sale. If
the borrower has an executed sales contract and requests the servicer
to
approve a short sale under HAFA before an SSA has been executed, then
the borrower must submit the request to the servicer in
the form of the
Alternative
Request for Approval of Short Sale (Alternative
RASS), attached as Exhibit B. Upon receipt of the Alternative RASS, the
servicer
must determine the basic eligibility of the borrower as
described in the HAFA Consideration section of this
Supplemental
Directive. If the borrower appears to be eligible and was
not previously considered for a Trial Period Plan, the servicer must
notify
the borrower verbally or in writing of the availability of a HAMP
modification and allow the borrower 14 calendar days from the
date of
the notification to contact the servicer by verbal or written
communication and request consideration for a HAMP
modification. If the
borrower does not wish to be considered for a modification, this does
not trigger a nonapproval notice under
Supplemental Directive 09-08, Borrower Notices and
the servicer may consider the Alternative RASS in accordance with this
Supplemental Directive without first having to enter into a SSA with the
borrower. In such cases, the servicer should obtain a
completed RMA4
and evidence of income prior to completing the short sale. The IRS Form
4506-T or 4506-EZ is not required,
unless it is necessary to verify the
borrower's income and the servicer is not required to evaluate the
mortgage loan using the
NPV test or to apply the standard modification
waterfall set out in Supplemental Directive 09-01. If the servicer
approves the short
sale using the Alternative RASS, the loan will
qualify for HAFA program incentives.
4 Servicers may elect to
use a proprietary financial information form substantially similar to
the RMA and a hardship affidavit in
lieu of the RMA.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 10
Deed-in-Lieu
In accordance with investor requirements, servicers have the discretion
to accept a HAFA DIL, which requires a full release of the
debt and
waiver of all claims against the borrower. The borrower must agree to
vacate the property by a date certain, leave the
property in broom clean
condition and deliver clear, marketable title.
Typically, servicers
require that the borrower make a good faith effort to list and market
the property before the servicer will agree
to accept a DIL. Under
circumstances acceptable to the investor, servicers may agree to accept a
DIL without requiring a
marketing period. In either circumstance, the
transaction will be eligible for incentives as described in the Incentive
Compensation section of this Supplemental Directive if the borrower meets the HAFA eligibility criteria.
SSA. The
SSA contains optional DIL language that may be included or deleted by
the servicer prior to execution of the SSA. If the
DIL language is
included, the investor is obligated to accept a DIL in accordance with
the terms of the SSA if the term of the SSA
expires without resulting n
a sale of the property. If the servicer offers the DIL option
separately from the SSA or without a
marketing period, the servicer must
provide the Deed-in-Lieu Agreement form ("DIL Agreement"), attached as
Exhibit C.
DIL Terms. The following terms apply to a HAFA DIL:
- Marketable Title.
The borrower must be able to convey clear, marketable title to the
servicer or investor. The requirements for extinguishment of subordinate
liens as described in the Release of Subordinate Liens section of this Supplemental Directive apply to DIL transactions.
- Written Agreement.
The conditions for acceptance of a DIL must be in writing and signed by
both the servicer and borrower. They may be set forth in the SSA if
approved with the short sale, or in the DIL Agreement.
- Vacancy Date.
The SSA or DIL Agreement must specify the date by which the borrower
must vacate the property, which in no event shall be less than 30
calendar days from the date of the termination date of the SSA or the
date of a separate DIL Agreement, unless the borrower voluntarily agrees
to an earlier date.
- Relocation Assistance. Borrowers who participate in a HAFA DIL transaction are eligible for $3,000 in relocation assistance as described in the Incentive Compensation section of this Supplemental Directive.
General Terms and Conditions
Suspension of Foreclosure Sales. At
the servicer's discretion, the servicer may initiate foreclosure or
continue with an existing
foreclosure proceeding during the HAFA
process, but may not complete a foreclosure sale:
- While determining the borrower's eligibility and qualification for HAFA.
- While awaiting the timely return of a fully executed SSA.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 11
- During the term of a fully executed SSA.
- Pending transfer of property ownership based on an approved sales contract per the RASS or Alternative RASS.
- Pending transfer of property ownership via a DIL by the date specified in the SSA or DIL Agreement.
Payment Forbearance. The servicer will identify in the SSA, Alternative RASS or DIL
Agreement
the amount of the monthly mortgage payment, if any, that the borrower
is required to make during the term of the
applicable agreement and
pending transfer of property ownership, as applicable. In no event may
the amount of the borrower's
monthly payment exceed the equivalent of 31
percent of the borrower's gross monthly income. Servicers must develop a
written
policy in accordance with investor requirements that identifies
the circumstances under which they will require monthly payments
and
how that payment will be determined. Any requirement for the borrower to
make monthly payments must be in accordance
with applicable laws, rules
and regulations.
Release of Subordinate Liens. It
is the responsibility of the borrower to deliver clear marketable title
to the purchaser or
investor and to work with the listing broker,
settlement agent and/or lien holders to clear title impediments. The
servicer may, but is
not required to, negotiate with subordinate lien
holders on behalf of the borrower. The servicer, on behalf of the
investor, will
authorize the settlement agent to allow a portion of the
gross sale proceeds as payment(s) to subordinate mortgage/lien holder(s)
in exchange for a lien release and full release of borrower liability.
Each lien holder, in order of priority, may be paid no more than
six
percent (6%) of the unpaid principal balance of their loan, until the
$6,000 aggregate cap is reached. Payments will be made
at closing from
the gross sale proceeds and must be reflected on the HUD-1 Settlement
Statement. Investors are eligible for
incentive reimbursement for up to
one-third of the cost to extinguish subordinate liens as described in
the Incentive
Compensation section of this
Supplemental Directive.
Prior to releasing any funds to subordinate mortgage/lien holder(s),
the servicer through its agent must obtain written commitment
from the
subordinate lien holder that it will release the borrower from all
claims and liability relating to the subordinate lien in
exchange for
receiving the agreed upon payoff amount. Although servicers have
discretion to draft policies and procedures for
ensuring that the
commitment of subordinate lien holders is documented prior to closing
and such documentation is retained in
the servicing file, they would be
in compliance with HAFA guidelines if they further required the closing
attorney or agent to either
confirm that they are in receipt of this
commitment from subordinate lien holders on the HUD-1 Settlement
Statement, or request
that a copy of the written commitment provided by
the subordinate lien holder be sent to the servicer with the HUD-1
Settlement
Statement which is provided in advance of the closing.
Subordinate mortgage/lien holder(s) may not require contributions from
either the real estate agent or borrower as a condition for
releasing
its lien and releasing the borrower from personal liability. In
addition, any payments to subordinate mortgage/lien
holder(s) related to
the short sale or DIL must be reflected on the HUD-1 Settlement
Statement, as applicable.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 12
Release of First Mortgage Lien. The
servicer should follow local or state laws or regulations to time the
release of its first
mortgage lien after receipt of sale proceeds from a
short sale or delivery of the deed and property in a DIL transaction.
If local or
state law does not require release within a specified time
from the date the servicer receives payment and satisfies the
mortgage,
the servicer must release it first mortgage lien within 30 business
days. Additionally, the investor must waive all rights
to seek a
deficiency judgment and may not require the borrower to sign a
promissory note for the deficiency.
Borrower Fees. Servicers
may not charge the borrower any administrative processing fees in
connection with HAFA. The
servicer must pay all out-of-pocket expenses,
including but not limited to notary fees, recordation fees, release
fees, title costs,
property valuation fees, credit report fees, or other
allowable and documented expenses, but the servicer may add these costs
to
the outstanding debt in accordance with borrower's mortgage
documents and applicable laws in the event the short sale or DIL is
not
completed. Servicers may require borrowers to waive reimbursement of any
remaining escrow, buy down funds or prepaid
items, and assign any
insurance proceeds to the investor, if applicable. Those funds will not
be applied to reduce the total net
proceeds from the sale.
Mortgage Insurer Approval. For
loans that have mortgage insurance coverage, the servicer/investor must
obtain mortgage
insurer approval for HAFA foreclosure alternatives. A
mortgage loan does not qualify for HAFA unless the mortgage insurer
waives any right to collect additional sums (cash contribution or a
promissory note) from the borrower.
Incentive Compensation
Treasury will provide reimbursements and incentives as set forth below.
However, no incentives will be paid to the borrower,
servicer or
investor if the net proceeds from a sale exceed the total amount due on
the first mortgage when title is transferred. The
amount of any
contribution paid by a mortgage insurer or other provider of credit
enhancement shall not be considered in
determining whether the mortgage
was paid in full and whether servicers are eligible for such incentive
compensation.
Borrowers, servicers and investors will be eligible for HAFA incentives upon successful completion of the short sale or DIL if an
SSA, Alternative RASS or DIL Agreement, as applicable,
was executed on or before December 31, 2012. Servicers will be
reimbursed by Treasury upon reporting the completed HAFA transaction as
described in the Reporting
Requirements section of this Supplemental Directive. For a short sale or DIL, incentives will be paid as follows:
Borrower Relocation Assistance. Following
the successful closing of a short sale or DIL, the borrower shall be
entitled to an
incentive payment of $3,000 to assist with relocation
expenses. In a short sale transaction, the servicer must instruct the
settlement agent to pay the borrower from sale proceeds at the same
time that all other payments, including the payoff to the servicer, are
disbursed by the settlement agent. The amount paid to the
borrower must
appear on the HUD-1 Settlement Statement.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 13
If the servicer conducts a formal closing for a DIL transaction and the
borrower has vacated the property, the borrower relocation
incentive of
$3,000 must be paid at closing and reflected on the HUD-1 Settlement
Statement. If at the time of closing the
borrower has not vacated the
property, the servicer must mail a check to the borrower within five
business days of the borrower's
vacancy and delivery of keys to the
servicer or the servicer's agent. Similarly, if the DIL transaction is
not conducted as a formal
closing, the servicer must mail a check to the
borrower within five business days from the later of the borrower's
execution of the
deed or the borrower's vacancy and delivery of keys to
the servicer or servicer's agent.
Servicers will be reimbursed for the full amount of this incentive payment after the HAFA
transaction is reported as described in Reporting Requirements section of this Supplemental Directive.
Servicer Incentive. The
servicer will be paid $1,500 to cover administrative and processing
costs for a short sale or DIL
completed in accordance with the
requirements of HAFA and the applicable documents. Investors may elect
to pay additional
incentive compensation to servicers which will not
affect the HAFA servicer incentive.
Investor Reimbursement for Subordinate Lien Releases. The
investor will be paid a maximum of $2,000 for allowing a
portion of the
short-sale proceeds to be distributed to or paid to subordinate lien
holders. This reimbursement will be earned on a
one-for-three matching
basis. For each three dollars an investor pays to secure release of a
subordinate lien, the investor will be
entitled to one dollar of
reimbursement up to the maximum reimbursement of $2,000. To receive an
incentive, subordinate lien
holders must agree to release their liens
and waive all future claims against the borrower. The servicer is not
responsible for any
future actions or claims against the borrower by
such subordinate lien holders or creditors.
Standard Form Documents
Servicers are required to use the HAFA documents attached to this
Supplemental Directive or forms that are substantially similar
in
content to the forms provided, except that the servicer may amend the
terms of the SSA or DIL Agreement in accordance with
investor
requirements, applicable laws or local real estate practice and may
customize the forms with servicer specific logos. This
Supplemental
Directive increases incentives provided in Supplemental Directive 09-
09, which may impact servicers' HAFA
documents, therefore, servicers may
manually note changes to their existing HAFA documents until their
current supply of forms
are exhausted, however, use of the revised HAFA
documents or forms that are substantially similar in content is required
by June
1, 2010.
Document Retention. Servicers
must retain all documents and information received during the process of
determining borrower
eligibility and qualification for HAFA.
For a period of seven years from the date of the document collection,
servicers must retain detailed records of borrower
solicitations or
borrower-initiated inquiries regarding HAFA, the outcome of the
evaluation for foreclosure alternatives under
HAFA and specific
justification with supporting details if foreclosure alternatives were
denied. Records must also be retained to
Supplemental Directive 09-09
Revised Page 14 document the reasons for termination of the SSA or
expiration of HAFA
transactions without a completed short sale or
acceptance of a DIL.
Signatures and Electronic Documents. All HAFA documentation must be signed by an authorized representative of the
servicer and reflect the actual date of signature by the servicer's representative. Unless
a borrower or co-borrower is deceased or
a borrower and a co-borrower
are divorced, all parties who signed the original loan documents or
their duly authorized
representatives must execute the HAFA documents.
If a borrower and a co-borrower are divorced and the property has been
transferred to one spouse in the divorce decree, the spouse who no
longer has an interest in the property is not required to
execute the
HAFA documents. Servicers may evaluate requests on a case-by-case basis
when the borrower is unable to sign
due to circumstances such as mental
incapacity or military deployment.
Any party to a document utilized in HAFA may, subject to applicable law and any investor requirements
or restrictions, prepare,
sign and send the document through electronic
means provided: (a) appropriate technology is used to store an
authentic record
of the executed document and the technology otherwise
ensures the security, confidentiality and privacy of the transaction,
(b) the
document is enforceable under applicable law, (c) the servicer
obtains the borrower's consent to use electronic means to enter
into the
document, (d) the servicer ensures that the borrower is able to retain a
copy of the document and provides a copy to the
borrower that the
borrower may download, store and print, and (e) the borrower, at any
time, may elect to enter into the document
through paper means or to
receive a paper copy of the document.
Reporting Requirements
As a condition to receiving the incentive payments offered through
HAFA, servicers are required to provide periodic HAFA loan
level data to
Fannie Mae, in its capacity as program administrator. The data
submitted must be accurate, complete, timely, and
agree with the
servicer's records. Data will be reported by a servicer at key
milestones in the transaction:
- Notification - when the SSA or DIL Agreement is signed and executed, or updated following an extension of the marketing terms;
- Short Sale/DIL Loan Set Up - at the transfer of property ownership (closing of a short sale or acceptance of DIL); and/or
- Termination - when the SSA or DIL Agreement expires or when the SSA or DIL
Agreement
is terminated by the servicer. Each milestone is a separate data
transmission and must be reported no later than the
fourth business day
of the month following the event. The required data elements are
attached to this Supplemental Directive as
Exhibit D. In addition, HAFA
reporting requirements will be posted on the servicer web portal at www.hmpadmin.com.
Note also
that the reporting information required under Supplemental
Directive 09-06 must be provided by the servicer for all HAFA
transactions.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 15
The HAFA reporting and payment processes are currently under
development by Fannie Mae, in its capacity as program
administrator.
Subsequent guidance will be provided describing when the HAFA reporting
and processes will be available.
Servicers will not be required to
report HAFA data until the reporting process is in place, but in this
interim period servicers must
collect and store information on all HAFA
transactions so that the necessary data can be reported when the
processes become
available. In addition, HAFA incentives will not be
paid until the payment process is available; borrowers, servicers and
investors
will be reimbursed for all incentives relating to HAFA
transactions closed prior to the reporting and payment processes
becoming
available.
Credit Bureau Reporting. The
servicer should continue to report a "full file" status to the major
credit repositories for each loan
under the HAFA program in accordance
with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Consumer Data Industry
Association's
("CDIA's") Metro 2 Format credit bureau requirements.
"Full file" reporting means that the servicer must describe the exact
status
of each mortgage it is servicing as of the last business day of
each month. The Payment Rating code should be the code that
properly
identifies whether the account is current or past due within the
activity period being reported - prior to completion of the
HAFA
transaction. Because CDIA's Metro 2 format does not provide an Account
Status Code allowable value for a short sale, a
short sale should
identified with the reporting of Special Comment Code "AU". The
information below is consistent with "CDIA
Mortgage and Home Equity
Reporting Guidelines in Response to Current Financial Conditions" (May
2009).
Reporting should be as follows:
Short Sales
- Account Status Code = 13 (paid or closed/zero balance)
- Payment Rating = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6
- Special Comment Code = AU (account paid in full for less than the full balance)
- Date of Last Payment = MMDDYYYY
Deed-in-Lieu
- Account Status Code = 89 (deed-in-lieu of foreclosure on a defaulted loan)
- Payment Rating = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6
- Date of Last Payment = MMDDYYYY
Compliance
Servicers must comply with the HAFA short sale and DIL requirements specified in this Supplemental
Directive and any
subsequent policy guidance. Servicers must have
adequate Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 16 staffing and
resources for responding to borrower requests for participation, for
receiving and processing HAFA documents in accordance
with program
guidelines and for ensuring that inquiries and complaints about HAFA
receive fair consideration, along with timely
and appropriate response
and resolution.
Treasury has selected Freddie Mac to serve as its
compliance agent for HAFA. In its role as compliance agent, Freddie Mac
will
utilize Freddie Mac employees and contractors to conduct
independent compliance assessments. The scope of the assessments
will
include, among other things, an evaluation of documented evidence to
confirm adherence (e.g., accuracy and timeliness) to
HAFA requirements
with respect to the following:
- Assessment of the process for evaluating and approving borrowers for a HAFA short sale or DIL.
- Adherence to the standard policies and guidelines for completing HAFA short sales and DIL and consistent application of same.
- Determining fair market value, recommended list price, approved sale proceeds and approved minimum net proceeds, as applicable.
- Guidelines for allowable payoffs to junior lien holders.
- Use of standard documents and document retention.
- Completion of borrower, servicer and investor incentive payments.
The
review will also confirm the existence and evaluate the effectiveness of
the servicer's quality assurance program; such
evaluation will include,
without limitation, the timing and size of the sample selection, the
scope of the quality assurance reviews,
and the reporting and
remediation process.
There will be two types of compliance
assessments: on-site and remote. Both on-site and remote reviews will
include the
following activities (among others): notification,
scheduling, selfassessments, documentation submission, interviews, file
reviews,
and reporting.
For on-site reviews, Freddie Mac will
strive to provide the servicer with (i) a 30-day advance notification of
a pending review and
(ii) subsequent confirmation of the dates of the
review; however, Freddie Mac reserves the right to arrive at the
servicer's site
unannounced. Freddie Mac will request the servicer to
make available documentation, including, without limitation, policies
and
procedures, management reports, loan files and a risk control self
assessment ready for review. Moreover, Freddie Mac may
request
additional loan files during the review.
Interviews will usually
be conducted in-person. During the review window, Freddie Mac will
review loan files and other requested
documentation to evaluate
compliance with HAFA terms. Upon the completion of the review, Freddie
Mac will conduct an exit
interview with the servicer to discuss
preliminary assessment results.
For remote reviews, Freddie Mac
will request the servicer to send documentation, including, without
limitation, policies and
procedures, management reports, loan files and a
risk control self assessment within 30 calendar days of the request. In
addition,
time will be scheduled for phone
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page 17
interviews, including a results summary call after the compliance review is completed to discuss preliminary results.
The
targeted time frame for publishing the servicer assessment report is 30
calendar days after the completion of the review.
Treasury will receive
a copy of the report five business days prior to the release of the
report to the servicer. There will be an
issue/resolution appeal process
for servicer assessments. Servicers will be able to submit concerns or
disputes to an
independent quality assurance team within Freddie Mac.
A draft rating and implication methodology for the compliance
assessments will be published in a subsequent Supplemental
Directive and
servicer feedback will be solicited prior to the finalization of the
methodology.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A-1
[Name of Servicer] [Name of Borrower]
[Address of Servicer] [Name of Co‐Borrower]
[Address of Borrower]
[Loan #]
[Servicer FAX] [Borrower Phone]
[Servicer Email] [Borrower Email]
[Date]
Dear [borrower and co‐borrower name(s)]:
If you are looking for help selling your home and avoiding foreclosure, the federal government has introduced the Home
Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA)
Program to help you. As your mortgage servicer, we are offering you the
opportunity to participate in this program by utilizing HAFA's short
sale option.
Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program - Short Sale
A "short sale" is specifically designed to help borrowers who are
unable to afford their first mortgage and want to sell their home
to
avoid foreclosure, even if the sale price may not pay off the amount
owed on their mortgage. A short sale requires a number of
parties (you,
the buyer, your real estate broker, and sometimes mortgage insurance
companies and other lenders) to work
together to make this option
successful. However, it could be a good solution for your current
situation.
How Does a Short Sale Work?
- Pre‐Sale-We
will start by approving a list price for your home or give you the
acceptable sale proceeds (the minimum amount that we must receive after
sales costs) from the sale of your home. We will also identify the sales
costs (broker commissions and closing costs) that may be deducted from
the final sales price. You then list your property (like any home sale)
with a local real estate broker at the approved price.
- Offer-When you
get an offer on your home, you will submit the required documentation
and we will approve the sale if it is in line with what we agreed to.
- Closing-Once the
sale closes, we will release you from all responsibilities for repaying
your mortgage. Plus, you will receive $3,000 to help pay some of your
moving expenses. (The check will be paid to you by the settlement agent
as part of the closing.) In the event there is any money left over from
the sale after paying the entire amount you owe on the mortgage plus the
approved sale costs, you will not be eligible to receive the $3,000.
To Participate in the Short Sale Program
Please note, there is no guarantee that your home will sell under this
program, and you are responsible for determining whether
you want to
sell your home for the price and terms described in this letter. The
following pages detail your responsibilities,
additional information on
the short sale process and the Terms and Conditions.
Additionally, this letter constitutes an agreement between us and you ("Agreement") so please read it carefully and
completely.
If you agree to the terms of the Agreement and want to proceed with a
short sale, you must complete, sign and return the
Agreement back to us.
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of
[insert
hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Sincerely,
[Servicer Name]
Exhibit A - Short Sale Agreement
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A-2
Short Sale Program-Your Responsibilities
You have until [insert date 120 calendar days from the date of this letter]
to sell your house. After that date, this Agreement
terminates, unless
it is extended by us. During this time you have certain
responsibilities. You must:
- Keep your house and your property in good condition and repair and cooperate with your broker to show it to potential buyers.
- [Insert only if applicable:]
Make partial mortgage payments of $_________ by the first day of each
month beginning on __________ 1, 20___ until your house is sold and
title is transferred. While you are selling your house, you still
legally owe the full amount of your current monthly mortgage payment.
However, as part of this Agreement, we will accept this reduced payment
until the house is sold and closes or this Agreement expires. These
payments do not constitute a modification of your mortgage.
- Be able to provide the buyer of
your home with clear title. To start, determine if you have other loans,
judgments or liens secured by your home, such as a home‐equity line of
credit or a second mortgage. If there are such liens, you will need to
either pay these loans off in full or negotiate with the lien holders to
release them before the closing date. Under this program, you must make
sure other lien holders will agree not to pursue other legal action
related to the pay off of their lien, such as a deficiency judgment. You
can get help from your broker to negotiate with the other lien holders.
- We may allow up to 6% of the
unpaid principal balance of each loan (not to exceed an aggregate of
$6,000 for all the loans in total) to be paid from the sale proceeds to
help get a lien release. If you have these types of liens or loans on
your home, please gather any paperwork you have (such as your last
statement) and send it to us when you return this signed Agreement.
Remember, clearing these other liens and delivering clear and marketable
title is your responsibility.
- At several stages of the short
sale process, such as after an offer is received, you will need to
complete some paperwork. You are responsible for returning all documents
within the time allowed in this Agreement.
If you fulfill these responsibilities, we will postpone any foreclosure sale during the period of this Agreement.
To Accept This Offer
- Please sign and return this Agreement. All owners of the property must sign this Agreement.
- Obtain your broker's signature to acknowledge this Agreement, because your broker plays an
important role selling your property. The Short Sale Program sections
(pages 2‐4) contain important information that you and your broker will
need to review and discuss.
- Include a copy of your signed listing agreement.
- Include information on other liens
secured by your home (such as home equity loans, homeowner association
liens, tax liens or judgments).
- [Insert only if applicable:] Complete and sign the Hardship Affidavit form.
We must have these documents by [insert date 14 calendar days from this request]. Please send us these documents at the
following address: [insert servicer address].
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A-3
Short Sale Program-Additional Information
- You can't list the property with
or sell it to anyone that you are related to or have a close personal or
business relationship with. In legal language, it must be an "arm's
length transaction." If you have a real estate license you can't earn a
commission by listing your own property. You may not have any agreements
to receive a portion of the commission or the sales price after
closing. Any buyer of your property must agree to not sell the home
within 90 calendar days of the date it is sold by you. You may not have
any expectation that you will be able to buy or rent [servicer may delete "or rent" in accordance with investor guidelines]
your house back after the closing. Any knowing violation of the arm's
length transaction prohibition may be a violation of federal law.
- We will need to talk to your
broker and others involved in the sale. By signing this Agreement, you
are authorizing us to communicate and share personal financial
information about your mortgage, credit history, subordinate liens, and
plans for relocation with your broker and other third parties that could
be involved in the transaction including employees of the United States
Treasury and its financial agents, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
- The difference between the
remaining amount of principal you owe and the amount that we receive
from the sale must be reported to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on
Form 1099C, as debt forgiveness. In some cases, debt forgiveness could
be taxed as income. The amount we pay you for moving expenses may also
be reported as income. We suggest that you contact the IRS or your tax
preparer to determine if you may have any tax liability.
- We will follow standard industry
practice and report to the major credit reporting agencies that your
mortgage was settled for less than the full payment. We have no control
over, or responsibility for the impact of this report on your credit
score. To learn more about the potential impact of a short sale on your
credit you may want to go to http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre24.shtm.
[Insert optional Deed‐in‐Lieu language if applicable:
If by the termination date of this Agreement, you have complied with
all your responsibilities but are unable to sell your home, we
will
allow you to convey ownership of your home and all real property secured
by your mortgage loan (your "Property"). While this
action, called a
deed‐in‐lieu of foreclosure, will not allow you to keep your Property,
it will prevent you from going through a
foreclosure sale and it will
release you from all responsibility to repay the mortgage debt.
Additionally, you will still be eligible to
receive $3,000 to help with
your moving expenses.
You and all other occupants must vacate your
Property and provide clear and marketable title with a general warranty
deed or
local equivalent by [insert date at least 30 days after the date of this Agreement].
You must leave the house in broom clean
condition, free of interior and
exterior trash, debris or damage, and all personal belongings must be
removed from the Property.
The yard must be clean and neat and you must
deliver all the keys and controls, such as garage door openers, to us.
You may be
required to sign standard pre‐closing documents as well as
attend a closing of the conveyance of your Property where all
borrowers
on the mortgage must be present.
You must also be able to deliver
marketable title free of any other liens. We will allow up to six
percent (6%) of the unpaid principal
balance of each subordinate lien,
in order of priority, not to exceed $6,000 in aggregate for all
subordinate liens, to be deducted
from the sale proceeds to pay
subordinate lien holders to release their liens. We require each
subordinate lien holder to release
you from personal liability for the
loans in order for the sale to qualify for this program, but we do not
take any responsibility for
ensuring that the lien holders do not seek
to enforce personal liability against you. Therefore, we recommend that
you take steps
to satisfy yourself that the subordinate lien holders
release you from personal liability.
By signing this letter, you are
agreeing not only to a short sale but also to a deed‐in‐lieu of
foreclosure if a short sale is not
successful. If you have any questions
about the deed‐in‐lieu of foreclosure, please call us before signing
and returning this letter.]
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A-4
Short Sale Program-Receiving/Accepting an Offer
When you receive an offer on your home, within the next 3 business
days, you will send us a Request to Approve a Short Sale
(RASS) form, a
copy of which is attached to this Agreement as Exhibit A1. You will also
need to send along a copy of the signed
purchase offer and evidence
that the buyer has funds to purchase the home, such as a letter that the
buyer is approved for a
mortgage loan. Within 10 business days of our
receipt of these documents, we will approve the sale if it is within the
terms and
conditions of this Agreement and any other liens are
released.
When the sale closes in accordance with this Agreement, we
will accept the net sale proceeds (all the funds that remain after the
approved sales costs have been paid) in full satisfaction of your
mortgage with us and will release you from all future liability.
We
hope you decide to take advantage of this short sale option. If you or
your broker have any questions about this Agreement
please call us at
[insert servicer phone number].
If you would like to speak with a counselor about this program, call the Homeowner's HOPETM Hotline 1‐888‐995‐HOPE (4673). The Homeowner's HOPETM
Hotline offers free HUD‐certified counseling services and is available
24/7 in English and Spanish.
Other languages are available by
appointment.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A-5
Short Sale Agreement Terms and Conditions
1. List Price or Acceptable Sale Proceeds. [Choose one and delete unnecessary text.]
[You agree to list the property in "as
is" condition for [dollar
amount].] OR [We will accept a sales contract where the proceeds from
the sale, less the expenses stated
in paragraph 5. Allowable Costs,
nets [dollar amount].] We are not responsible for the accuracy of the
list price and have no
responsibility to you in the event the property
is not sold. We may require you to adjust the list price or other offer
terms.
2. Listing Agreement. The listing agreement must include the following clauses:
a. Cancellation Clause. "Seller
may cancel this Agreement prior to the ending date of the listing
period without advance notice
to the broker, and without payment of a
commission or any other consideration, if the property is conveyed to
the mortgage
insurer or the mortgage holder."
b. Listing Agreement Contingency Clause.
"Sale of the property is contingent on written agreement to all sale
terms by the
mortgage holder and the mortgage insurer (if applicable)."
3. Property Maintenance and Expenses. You
are responsible for all property maintenance and expenses during the
listing
period including utilities, assessments, association dues and
costs for interior and exterior upkeep required to show the property
to
its best advantage. Additionally, until ownership is transferred, you
must report any and all property damage to us and file a
hazard
insurance claim for covered damage. Unless insurance proceeds are used
to pay for repairs or personal property losses
as provided in the
mortgage documents, we may require that they be applied to reduce the
mortgage debt.
4. [Insert only if applicable:] Partial Mortgage Payments. Beginning
on ___________ 1, 20___, you will be required to make
partial mortgage
payments of $_________ by the first day of each month during the term of
the Agreement and pending transfer
of property ownership. You are
legally obligated to make the full amount of your current monthly
mortgage payments. However, we
will accept this reduced partial payment
until the house is sold or this Agreement expires. The partial mortgage
payments do not
constitute a modification of your mortgage.
5. Allowable Costs that May be Deducted from Gross Sale Proceeds
a. Closing Costs. The closing costs paid by you or on your behalf as seller must be reasonable and customary for the market.
[Choose one and delete unnecessary text.]
[Acceptable closing costs, including the commission, which may be
deducted from
the gross sale proceeds may not exceed $__________.] OR [Acceptable
closing costs, including the commission, which may be
deducted from the
gross sale proceeds may not exceed ____% of the list price.] OR [Closing
costs which may be deducted from
the gross sale proceeds are limited to
title search and escrow expenses usually paid by the seller; reasonable
settlement
escrow/attorney's fees; transfer taxes and recording fees
usually paid by the seller; termite inspection and treatment as required
by law or custom; pro‐rated real property taxes; and, real estate
commissions of ____ percent of the contract sales price [add
other
closing costs that may be included].]
b. Subordinate Liens. We
will allow up to six percent (6%) of the unpaid principal balance of
each subordinate lien in order of
priority, not to exceed a total of
$6,000, to be deducted from the gross sale proceeds to pay subordinate
lien holders to release
their liens. We require each subordinate lien
holder to release you from personal liability for the loans in order for
the sale to
qualify for this program, but we do not take any
responsibility for ensuring that the lien holders do not seek to enforce
personal
liability against you. Therefore, we recommend that you take
steps to satisfy yourself that the subordinate lien holders release
you
from personal liability.
c. Real Estate Commissions. We
will allow to be paid from sale proceeds, real estate commissions of
_____ percent of the
contract sales price, to be paid to the listing and
selling brokers involved in the transaction. Neither you nor the buyer
may receive
a commission. Any commission that would otherwise be paid to
you or the buyer must be reduced from the commission due on
sale. [Optional text:]
Please note: We have retained a vendor to assist your listing broker
with the sale. The vendor and your listing
broker will work together on
your behalf to facilitate the sale process. [Choose one and
delete unnecessary text.] [The vendor will be paid from sale proceeds [$ ________] OR [an amount equal to ____% of the sales
price].] OR [The vendor will be paid by us outside of the sales transaction.]
d. Borrower Relocation Assistance. If
the closing of the short sale occurs in accordance with this Agreement,
you will be
entitled to an incentive payment of $3,000 to assist with
relocation expenses. We will instruct the settlement agent to pay you
from
the sale proceeds at the same time that all other payments,
including the payoff of our first
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A-6
mortgage, are disbursed by the settlement agent. Only one payment per
household is provided for the relocation assistance,
regardless of the
number of borrowers.
6. Sales Contracts. Within
three business days of a bona‐fide purchase offer, you must submit a
Request for Approval of a Short
Sale, which is attached as Exhibit A1,
along with a copy of a fully executed Sales Contract, all addenda and
Buyer's
documentation of funds or Buyer's pre‐approval or commitment
letter on letterhead from a lender.
7. Parties to the Sale.
The Sales Contract must contain the following clauses: "Seller and
Buyer each represent that the sale is
an "arm's length" transaction and
the Seller and Buyer are unrelated to each other by family, marriage or
commercial enterprise."
"The Buyer agrees not to sell the property
within 90 days of closing of this sale."
8. Closing. The closing must occur within ____ calendar days of the Sales Contract execution date.
9. Foreclosure Sale Suspension.
We may initiate or continue the foreclosure process as permitted by the
mortgage
documents; however, we will suspend any foreclosure sale date
until the expiration date of this Agreement or the date of closing
of an
approved short sale, whichever is later, provided you continue to abide
by the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
10. Satisfaction and Release of Liability. If
all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement are met, upon sale
and settlement
of the property, servicer will prepare and send for
recording a lien release in full satisfaction of the mortgage, foregoing
all rights
to personal liability or deficiency judgment.
11. [Insert only if applicable.] Mortgage Insurer or Guarantor Approval. The terms and conditions of the sale are subject to the
written approval of the mortgage insurer or guarantor.
12. Termination of this Agreement. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, this Agreement will terminate on [insert date]. We
may also terminate this Agreement at any time if:
a.
Your financial situation improves significantly, you qualify for loan
modification, you bring the account current or you pay off the
mortgage
in full.
b. You or your broker fails to act in good faith in
marketing and /or closing on the sale of the property, or otherwise
fails to abide by
the terms of this Agreement.
c. A significant change occurs to the property condition or value.
d. There is evidence of fraud or misrepresentation.
e. You file for bankruptcy and the Bankruptcy Court declines to approve the Agreement.
f. Litigation is initiated or threatened that could affect title to the property or interfere with a valid conveyance.
g. [Insert only if applicable:] You do not make the payments required under this Agreement.
13. Settlement of a Debt.
The proposed transaction represents our attempt to reach a settlement
of the delinquent mortgage.
You are choosing to enter into this
Agreement even though there is no guarantee that the transaction will be
successful. In the
event this transaction is unsuccessful, we may
exercise our remedies under the mortgage, including foreclosure.
Signature of Servicer Representative Title
Printed Name of Servicer Representative Date
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A-7
Short Sale Agreement
PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU SIGN, BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS.
Borrower Acknowledgement of Risks, Conditions and Contingencies.
In signing and returning this Short Sale Agreement, I/we agree to all the stated terms and conditions.
Borrower Signature Date Co‐ Borrower Signature Date
Printed Name Printed Name
Acknowledgement by Listing Broker
The undersigned listing broker ("Broker") is not a party of the Short
Sale Agreement ("Agreement") above, but acknowledges that
the Broker:
1. Has been retained by the borrower for the sale of the property.
2. Has reviewed the terms and conditions of the Agreement above.
4. Agrees that in the event of a conflict between the terms of the
listing agreement and the terms agreed to by the borrower in the
Agreement above, the listing agreement will be deemed amended to conform
to the terms of the Agreement.
5. Acknowledges that pursuant to
the Agreement, the Servicer will not review a sales contract unless a
Request for Approval of
Short Sale, attached as Exhibit A1, is
completed.
Listing Broker Name Listing Broker Signature
Address: License #:
Office Phone:
Cell Phone:
Date: E‐mail Address:
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number].
If you would like to speak with a counselor about this program, call the Homeowner's HOPETM Hotline 1‐888‐995‐HOPE (4673). The Homeowner's HOPETM
Hotline offers free HUD‐certified counseling services and is available
24/7 in English and Spanish.
Other languages are available by
appointment.
NOTICE TO BORROWER
Be
advised that by signing this document you understand that any documents
and information you submit to your servicer in
connection with the
Making Home Affordable Program are under penalty of perjury. Any
misstatement of material fact made in the
completion of these documents
including but not limited to misstatement regarding your occupancy in
your home, hardship
circumstances, and/or income, expenses, or assets
will subject you to potential criminal investigation and prosecution
for the
following crimes: perjury, false statements, mail fraud, and
wire fraud. The information contained in these documents is subject to
examination and verification. Any potential misrepresentation will be
referred to the appropriate law enforcement authority for
investigation
and prosecution. By signing this document you certify, represent and
agree that:" Under penalty of perjury, all
documents and information I
have provided to Lender in connection with the Making Home Affordable
Program, including the
documents and information regarding my
eligibility for the program, are true and correct."
If you are
aware of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement or misrepresentations
affiliated with the Troubled Asset Relief Program,
please contact the
SIGTARP Hotline by calling 1‐877‐SIG‐2009 (toll‐free), 202‐622‐4559
(fax), or www.sigtarp.gov.
Mail can be
sent Hotline Office of the Special Inspector General for
Troubled Asset Relief Program, 1801 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20220.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A1-1
[Name of Servicer] [Name of Borrower]
[Address of Servicer] [Name of Co‐Borrower]
[Address of Borrower]
[Loan #]
[Servicer FAX] [Borrower Phone]
[Servicer Email] [Borrower Email]
[Date]
RE: Request for Approval of Short Sale Pursuant to Agreement Dated [Date of SSA]
This is a Request for Approval of the Short Sale Pursuant to Agreement
Dated [Date of SSA] between the above referenced
Servicer ("Servicer")
and the borrower and co‐borrower ("Borrower" or "you"). Under penalty of
perjury you certify that:
1) the sale of the property is an
"arm's length" transaction, between parties who are unrelated and
unaffiliated by family, marriage,
or commercial enterprise;
2)
there are no agreements or understandings between you and the Buyer that
you will remain in the property as a tenant or later
obtain title or
ownership of the property;
3) neither you nor the Buyer will receive any funds or commissions from the sale of the property; and
4) there are no agreements or offers relating to the sale or subsequent
sale of the property that have not been disclosed to the
Servicer.
Please complete, sign and return the Terms of Sale on the following page.
Exhibit A1 - Request for Approval of Short Sale
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A1-2
If you would like to speak with a counselor about this program, call the Homeowners HOPETM Hotline 1‐888‐995‐HOPE (4673). The Homeowner's HOPETM
Hotline offers free HUD‐certified counseling services and is available
24/7 in English and Spanish.
Other languages are available by
appointment.
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Terms of Sale [All blanks to be completed by Borrower]:
1. Contract Sales Price $ 6. Closing Date:
2. Less Total Allowable Closing Costs $
a. Commissions $
b. Settlement Escrow/Attorney
Fees
$
7. Approved Buyer(s):
c. Seller's Title and Escrow Fees $
d. Subordinate Lien Payoff $
e. Real Property Taxes $
8. Settlement Agent:
f. Real Property Taxes $
g. Termite Inspection/Repair $
h. Borrower Relocation Assistance $ 3,000
i. Other (attach explanation) $
3. Net Proceeds to Servicer $
9. Settlement Agent's Address:
4. Earnest Money Deposit $ 10. Settlement Agent's Office Phone:
5. Down Payment $ 11. Settlement Agent's Office Fax:
As required by the Short Sale Agreement, copies of the following documents are attached:
- Sales contract and all addenda
- Buyer's documentation of funds or Buyer's pre‐approval or commitment letter on letterhead from lender
The
Borrower represents that the information provided in this Request is
true and accurate and authorizes the Servicer to
disclose to the U.S.
Department of the Treasury or other government agency, Fannie Mae and/or
Freddie Mac any information
provided in connection with the Making Home
Affordable program.
Borrower Signature Date Co‐ Borrower Signature Date
Printed Name Printed Name
NOTICE TO BORROWER
Be advised that by signing this document you understand that any
documents and information you submit to your servicer in
connection with
the Making Home Affordable Program are under penalty of perjury. Any
misstatement of material fact made in the
completion of these documents
including but not limited to misstatement regarding your occupancy in
your home, hardship
circumstances, and/or income, expenses, or assets
will subject you to potential criminal investigation and prosecution
for the
following crimes: perjury, false statements, mail fraud, and
wire fraud. The information contained in these documents is subject to
examination and verification. Any potential misrepresentation will be
referred to the appropriate law enforcement authority for
investigation
and prosecution. By signing this document you certify, represent and
agree that:" Under penalty of perjury, all
documents and information I
have provided to Lender in connection with the Making Home Affordable
Program, including the
documents and information regarding my
eligibility for the program, are true and correct."
If you are
aware of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement or misrepresentations
affiliated with the Troubled Asset Relief Program,
please contact the
SIGTARP Hotline by calling 1‐877‐SIG‐2009 (toll‐free), 202‐622‐4559
(fax), or www.sigtarp.gov. Mail can be
sent Hotline Office of the Special
Inspector General for Troubled Asset Relief Program, 1801 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20220.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A1-3
To be Completed by Your Servicer
Approval of Short Sale ‐ The
Servicer consents to this Request for Approval of Short Sale and agrees
to accept all net
proceeds from the settlement as full and final
satisfaction of the first mortgage indebtedness on the referenced
property. This
agreement is subject to the following:
A. Terms -
The sale and closing comply with all terms and conditions of the Short
Sale Agreement between the Servicer and the
Borrower as well as all
terms and representations provided herein by the Borrower.
B. Changes -
Any change to the terms and representations contained in this Request
for Approval of Short Sale or the attached
sales contract between you
and the buyer must be approved by the Servicer in writing. The Servicer
is under no obligation to
approve such changes.
C. Subordinate Liens -
Prior to releasing any funds to holders of subordinate liens/mortgages,
the closing agent must obtain a
written commitment from the subordinate
lien holder that it will release Borrower from all claims and liability
relating to the
subordinate lien in exchange for receiving the agreed
upon payoff amount.
D. HUD‐1 -
A HUD‐1 Settlement Statement, which will be signed by you and the buyer
at closing, must be provided to the
Servicer not later than one
business day before the date indicated in Line 4, Closing Date.
E. Bankruptcy -
If you are currently in bankruptcy or you file bankruptcy prior to
closing, you must obtain any required consent or
approval of the
Bankruptcy Court.
F. Tax Consequences - A short
payoff of the mortgage may have tax consequences. You are advised to
contact a tax
professional to determine the extent of tax liability, if
any.
G. Credit Bureau Reporting - We will
follow standard industry practice and report to the major credit
reporting agencies that
your mortgage was settled for less than the full
payment. We have no control over or responsibility for the impact of
this report on
your credit score. To learn more about the potential
impact of a short sale on your credit you may want to go to
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre24.shtm.
H. Payment Instructions -
Payoff funds and a final HUD‐1 Settlement Statement must be received by
the Servicer within 48
hours of closing in accordance with the attached
wiring instructions. [include instructions]
I. Closing Instructions - [include proprietary closing instructions, if any]
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Signature of Servicer Representative Title
Printed Name of Servicer Representative Date
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page A1-4
To be Completed by Your Servicer
Disapproval of Short Sale ‐ The Servicer disapproves this Request for Approval of Short Sale, for the following reasons (check
all applicable reasons):
- You did not comply with all terms and conditions of the Short Sale Agreement between Servicer and
Borrower dated _____/______/_______ as it relates to section/s: __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
- The Request for Approval of Short Sale was not complete and/or fully executed.
- Failure to provide executed sales contract or addenda
- Failure to provide buyer's documentation of funds to close or buyer's pre‐approval or commitment letter on letterhead from lender
- The net proceeds available to pay off the first mortgage loan are insufficient, due to:
- Contract sales price is below list price stated in Short Sale Agreement
- Net proceeds amount is less than acceptable net proceeds stated in Short Sale Agreement
- Excessive financial concessions
- Excessive payments to subordinate liens/mortgages OR release of subordinate liens did not occur
- The mortgage insurer did not approve the short sale.
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Signature of Servicer Representative Title
Printed Name of Servicer Representative Date
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page B-1
[Name of Servicer] [Name of Borrower]
[Address of Servicer] [Name of Co‐Borrower]
[Address of Borrower]
[Loan #]
[Servicer FAX] [Borrower Phone]
[Servicer Email] [Borrower Email]
[Date]
RE: Request for Approval of Short Sale
You have taken an important step toward selling your home and avoiding
foreclosure by participating in the federal government's
Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) Program. This letter is a Request for Approval of a Short Sale and
contains important information.
Read the following pages carefully and complete, sign and return the Terms and Conditions.
If you have not previously contacted us regarding eligibility for a
loan modification, you should consider this alternative. Under the
Home
Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), you may qualify for a
modification with affordable and sustainable monthly
payments that would
allow you to keep your home. Please contact us by [insert date 14 calendar days from date of this request] if
you wish to be considered for a loan modification.
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Sincerely,
[Servicer Name]
Exhibit B - Alternative Request for Approval of Short Sale
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page B-2
The borrower and co‐borrower, if applicable ("Borrower" or "you"), of
the above loan contacted the Servicer ("Servicer" or "we")
because your
mortgage payments are no longer affordable and you would like to avoid
foreclosure. After listing your house for
sale, an offer was received.
However, the sale may not be sufficient to pay off the loan. This is a
Request for Approval of a Short
Sale ("Request") of the subject
property, the net sale proceeds from which we agree to accept as the
payoff of the mortgage loan
even though the proceeds are expected to be
less than the full amount due.
Short Sale Program-Terms and Conditions of the Request are as follows:
1. Allowable Costs that May be Deducted from Gross Sale Price
a. Closing Costs. The
closing costs paid by you or on your behalf as seller must be
reasonable and customary for the market.
[Choose one and delete
unnecessary text.] [Acceptable closing costs, including the
commission, which may be deducted from the gross sale proceeds may not
exceed $__________.] OR [Acceptable closing
costs, including the
commission, which may be deducted from the gross sale proceeds may not
exceed ____% of the list price.]
OR [Closing costs which may be deducted
from the gross sale proceeds are limited to title search and escrow
expenses usually
paid by the seller; reasonable settlement
escrow/attorney's fees; transfer taxes and recording fees usually paid
by the seller;
termite inspection and treatment as required by law or
custom; pro‐rated real property taxes; and, negotiated real estate
commissions not to exceed six percent (6%) of the contract sales price
[add other closing costs that may be included].]
b. Subordinate Liens. We
will allow up to six percent (6%) of the unpaid principal balance of
each subordinate lien in order of
priority, not to exceed a total of
$6,000, to be deducted from the gross sale proceeds to pay subordinate
lien holders to release
their liens. We require each subordinate lien
holder to release you from personal liability for the loans in order for
the sale to
qualify for this program, but we do not take any
responsibility for ensuring that the lien holders do not seek to enforce
personal
liability against you. Therefore, we recommend that you take
steps to satisfy yourself that the subordinate lien holders release you
from personal liability.
c. Real Estate Commissions. We
will allow to be paid from sale proceeds, real estate commissions as
stated in the listing
agreement between you and your broker, not to
exceed six percent (6%) of the contract sales price, to be paid to the
listing and
selling brokers involved in the transaction. Neither you nor
the buyer may receive a commission. Any commission that would
otherwise
be paid to you or the buyer mustb be reduced from the commission due on
sale. [Optional text:] Please note: We have
retained a vendor to assist
your listing broker with the sale. The vendor and your listing broker
will work together on your behalf to
facilitate the sale process.
[Choose one and delete unnecessary text.] [The vendor will be paid from
sale proceeds [$ ________]
OR [an amount equal to ____% of the sales
price]. OR [The vendor will be paid by us outside of the sales
transaction.]
d. Borrower Relocation Assistance. If
the closing of the short sale occurs in accordance with this Agreement,
you will be
entitled to an incentive payment of $3,000 to assist with
relocation expenses. We will instruct the settlement agent to pay you
from
the sale proceeds at the same time that all other payments,
including the payoff of our first mortgage, are disbursed by the
settlement agent. Only one payment per household is provided for the
relocation assistance, regardless of the number of
borrowers.
2. Property Maintenance and Expenses. You
are responsible for all property maintenance and expenses of your home
until
you convey your Property to us, including utilities, assessments,
association dues, and costs for interior and exterior maintenance.
Additionally, you must report any and all property damage to us and file
a hazard insurance claim for covered damage. Unless
insurance proceeds
are used to pay for repairs or personal property losses, we may require
that they be applied to reduce the
mortgage debt.
3. [Insert only if applicable:] Partial Mortgage Payments.
Beginning on ___________ 1, 20___, you will be required to make
partial
mortgage payments of $_________ by the first day of each month during
the term of the Request and pending transfer of
property ownership. You
are legally obligated to make the full amount of your current monthly
mortgage payments. However, we
will accept this reduced partial payment
until the Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page B-3 house is sold or
this
Agreement expires. The partial mortgage payments do not constitute
a modification of your mortgage.
4. Parties to the Sale.
The Sales Contract must include the following clauses: "Seller and
Buyer each represent that the sale is
an "arm's length" transaction and
the Seller and Buyer are unrelated to each other by family, marriage or
commercial enterprise."
"The Buyer agrees not to sell the property
within 90 days of closing of this sale."
5. Foreclosure Sale Suspension.
We may initiate or continue the foreclosure process as permitted by the
mortgage
documents; however, we will suspend any foreclosure sale date
until the expiration date of this Request or the date of closing of
an
approved short sale, whichever is later, provided that you abide by its
terms and conditions.
6. Satisfaction and Release of Liability. If
all of the terms and conditions of this Request are met, upon sale and
settlement of
the property, we will prepare and send to the settlement
agent for recording, a lien release in full satisfaction of the
mortgage,
foregoing all rights to pursue a deficiency judgment.
7. [Insert only if applicable.] Mortgage Insurer or Guarantor Approval. The terms and conditions of the purchase contract are
subject to the written approval of the mortgage insurer or guarantor.
8. Termination of This Request. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, this Request will terminate on [insert date] if the sale
does not close. This Request may be terminated earlier if:
a. You fail to provide all the required documents listed above.
b. Your financial situation improves significantly, you qualify for a
modification, you bring the account current or you pay off the
mortgage
in full.
c. You or your broker fails to act in good faith in
closing on the sale of the property or otherwise fails to abide by the
terms of this
Request.
d. A significant change occurs to the property condition or value.
e. There is evidence of fraud or misrepresentation.
f. You file for bankruptcy and the Bankruptcy Court declines to approve the Request.
g. Litigation is initiated or threatened that could affect title to the property or interfere with a valid conveyance.
h. [Insert only if applicable:] You do not make the payments required under this Request.
9. Settlement of a Debt.
The proposed transaction represents the Servicer's attempt to reach a
settlement of the delinquent
mortgage. You are choosing to enter into
this transaction even though there is no guarantee that the transaction
will be successful.
In the event this transaction is unsuccessful, the
Servicer may exercise all remedies under the mortgage, including
foreclosure.
Under penalty of perjury, you certify that:
1. the sale of the property is an "arm's‐length" transaction, between
parties who are unrelated and unaffiliated by family, marriage,
or
commercial enterprise;
2. there are no agreements or
understandings between you and the Buyer that you will remain in the
property as a tenant or later
obtain title or ownership of the property;
3. neither you nor the Buyer will receive any funds or commissions from the sale of the property; and
4. there are no agreements or offers relating to the sale or subsequent
sale of the property that have not been disclosed to the
Servicer.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page B-4
The Borrower represents that the information provided in this Request
is true and accurate and authorizes the Servicer to
disclose to the U.S.
Department of the Treasury or other government agency, Fannie Mae
and/or Freddie Mac any information
provided in connection with the
Making Home Affordable program.
Borrower Signature Date Co‐ Borrower Signature Date
Printed Name Printed Name
If you would like to speak with a counselor about this program, call the Homeowner's HOPETM Hotline 1‐888‐995‐ HOPE (4673). The Homeowner's HOPETM
Hotline offers free HUD‐certified counseling services and is available
24/7 in English and Spanish.
Other languages are available by
appointment.
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Terms of Sale [All blanks to be completed by Borrower]:
1. Contract Sales Price $ 6. Closing Date:
2. Less Total Allowable Closing Costs $
a. Commissions $
b. Settlement Escrow/Attorney
Fees
$
7. Approved Buyer(s):
c. Seller's Title and Escrow Fees $
d. Subordinate Lien Payoff $
e. Real Property Taxes $
8. Settlement Agent:
f. Real Property Taxes $
g. Termite Inspection/Repair $
h. Borrower Relocation Assistance $ 3,000
i. Other (attach explanation) $
3. Net Proceeds to Servicer $
9. Settlement Agent's Address:
4. Earnest Money Deposit $ 10. Settlement Agent's Office Phone:
5. Down Payment $ 11. Settlement Agent's Office Fax:
As required by the Short Sale Program, copies of the following documents are attached:
- Copy of a signed listing agreement with a real estate broker, if applicable;
- Executed copy of the sales contract and all addenda;
- Buyer's documentation of funds or Buyer's pre‐approval or commitment letter on letterhead from a lender;
- Information about other liens secured by your home such as home‐equity loans;
- [Insert only if applicable:] Completed and signed Hardship Affidavit form; and
- Servicer must have these documents no later than [insert date 14 calendar days from date of this request] or we will not be able to respond to this request. Please send us these documents at the following address: [insert servicer address].
NOTICE TO BORROWER
Be advised that by signing this document you understand that any
documents and information you submit to your servicer in
connection with
the Making Home Affordable Program are under penalty of perjury. Any
misstatement of material fact made in the
completion of these documents
including but not limited to misstatement regarding your occupancy in
your home, hardship
circumstances, and/or income, expenses, or assets
will subject you to potential criminal investigation and prosecution for
the
following crimes: perjury, false statements, mail fraud, and wire
fraud. The information contained in these documents is subject to
examination and verification. Any potential misrepresentation will be
referred to the appropriate law enforcement authority for
investigation
and prosecution. By signing this document you certify, represent and
agree that:" Under penalty of perjury, all
documents and information I
have provided to Lender in connection with the Making Home Affordable
Program, including the
documents and information regarding my
eligibility for the program, are true and correct."
If you are
aware of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement or misrepresentations
affiliated with the Troubled Asset Relief Program,
please contact the
SIGTARP Hotline by calling 1‐877‐SIG‐2009 (toll‐free), 202‐622‐4559
(fax), or www.sigtarp.gov.
Mail can be
sent Hotline Office of the Special Inspector General for
Troubled Asset Relief Program, 1801 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20220.
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page B-5
To be Completed by Your Servicer
Approval of Short Sale ‐ The
Servicer consents to this Request for Approval of Short Sale and agrees
to accept all net
proceeds from the settlement as full and final
satisfaction of the first mortgage indebtedness on the referenced
property. This
approval is subject to the following:
A. Terms -
The sale and closing comply with all terms and conditions of the
Request as well as all terms and representations
provided herein by the
Borrower.
B. Changes - Any change to the terms
and representations contained in the Request or the attached sales
contract between you
and the buyer must be approved by the Servicer in
writing. The Servicer is under no obligation to approve such changes.
C. Subordinate Liens -
Prior to releasing any funds to holders of subordinate liens/mortgages,
the closing agent must obtain a
written commitment from the subordinate
lien holder that it will release Borrower from all claims and liability
relating to the
subordinate lien in exchange for receiving the agreed
upon payoff amount.
D. HUD‐1 -
A HUD‐1 Settlement Statement, which will be signed by you and the buyer
at closing, must be provided to the
Servicer not later than one
business day before the date indicated in Line 4, Closing Date.
E. Bankruptcy -
If you are currently in bankruptcy or you file bankruptcy prior to
closing, you must obtain any required consent or
approval of the
Bankruptcy Court.
F. Tax Consequences - A short
payoff of the mortgage may have tax consequences. You are advised to
contact a tax
professional to determine the extent of tax liability, if
any.
G. Credit Bureau Reporting - We will
follow standard industry practice and report to the major credit
reporting agencies that
your mortgage was settled for less than the full
payment. We have no control over or responsibility for the impact of
this report on
your credit score. To learn more about the potential
impact of a short sale on your credit you may want to go to
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre24.shtm.
H. Payment Instructions -
Payoff funds and a final HUD‐1 Settlement Statement must be received by
the Servicer within 48
hours of closing in accordance with the attached
wiring instructions. [include instructions]
I. Closing Instructions - [include proprietary closing instructions, if any]
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Signature of Servicer Representative Title
Printed Name of Servicer Representative Date
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page B-6
To be Completed by your Servicer
Disapproval of Short Sale ‐ The Servicer disapproves this Request for Approval of Short Sale, for the following reasons (check
all applicable reasons):
- You did not comply with all terms and conditions of the Request for Approval of Short Sale as it relates to
section/s: __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
- The Request for Approval of Short Sale was not complete and/or fully executed.
- Failure to provide executed sales contract or addenda
- Failure to provide buyer's documentation of funds to close or buyer's pre‐approval or
commitment letter on letterhead from lender
- The net proceeds available to pay off the first mortgage loan are insufficient, due to:
- Contract sales price is below list price stated in Short Sale Agreement
- Net proceeds amount is less than acceptable net proceeds stated in Short Sale Agreement
- Excessive financial concessions
- Excessive payments to subordinate liens/mortgages OR release of subordinate liens did not occur
- The mortgage insurer, investor or guarantor of the loan did not approve the short sale.
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Signature of Servicer Representative Title
Printed Name of Servicer Representative Date
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page C-1
[Name of Servicer] [Name of Borrower]
[Address of Servicer] [Name of Co‐Borrower]
[Address of Borrower]
[Loan #]
[Servicer FAX] [Borrower Phone]
[Servicer Email] [Borrower Email]
[Date]
Dear [borrower and co‐borrower name(s)]:
As your mortgage servicer, we are offering you the opportunity to participate in the federal government's Home Affordable
Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) Program by the utilizing the Deed‐in‐Lieu of Foreclosure (DIL) option to avoid foreclosure.
Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program - Deed‐in‐Lieu of Foreclosure
A "deed‐in‐lieu of foreclosure" is specifically designed to help
borrowers who are unable to afford their first mortgage and want to
avoid foreclosure. With a DIL, you voluntarily transfer ownership of
your home and all real property secured by your mortgage loan
(Property)
to us to satisfy the total amount due on the first mortgage.
[Include or delete as appropriate.] While
you previously entered into a Short Sale Agreement (and you complied
with all your
responsibilities), your Property did not sell. The DIL
option will not allow you to keep your Property, however, it will
prevent you
from going through a foreclosure sale and it will release
you from all responsibility to repay the mortgage debt. Additionally,
you
will be eligible to receive an assistance payment of $3,000 to help
with your moving expenses.
How Does a DIL Work?
- Title-You and all
other occupants must vacate your Property and provide clear and
marketable title with a general warranty deed or local equivalent by [insert date at least 30 days after the date of this Agreement].
You must also be able to deliver marketable title free of any other
liens. We will contribute up to six percent (6%) of the unpaid principal
balance of each subordinate lien, not to exceed a total of $6,000,
toward payin off any subordinate lien holders.
We
require each subordinate lien holder to release you from personal
liability for the loans in order for the sale to qualify for this
program, but we do not take any responsibility for ensuring that the
lien holders do not seek to enforce personal liability against
you.
Therefore, we recommend that you take steps to satisfy yourself that the
subordinate lien holders release you from personal
liability.
- Property Condition-You
must leave the house in broom‐clean condition, free of interior and
exterior trash, debris or damage, and all personal belongings must be
removed from the Property. The yard must be clean and neat and you must
deliver all the keys and controls (e.g., garage door openers) to us.
- Transfer/Closing-You
may be required to sign standard pre‐closing documents as well as
attend a closing of the transfer of your Property where all borrowers on
the mortgage must be present. The following pages detail your
responsibilities, additional information on the DIL process and the
Terms and Conditions. Additionally, this letter constitutes an agreement between us and you ("Agreement").
If you agree to the terms of the Agreement and want to proceed with a
DIL, you must complete, sign and return the Agreement back to us. If you
have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert
hours] at [insert toll free
number.]
Sincerely,
[Servicer Name]
Exhibit C - DIL Agreement
Supplemental Directive 09-09 Revised Page C-2
DIL Program-Terms and Conditions
Other terms and conditions to the Deed‐in‐Lieu Agreement ("Agreement"):
1. Property Maintenance and Expenses. You
are responsible for all property maintenance and expenses of your
Property until
you convey it to us including utilities, assessments,
association dues, and costs for interior and exterior maintenance.
Additionally,
you must report any and all property damage to us and file
a hazard insurance claim for covered damage. Unless insurance
proceeds
are used to pay for repairs or personal property losses, we may require
that they be applied to reduce the mortgage
debt.
2. [Insert only if applicable:] Partial Mortgage Payments. You
will be required to make partial mortgage payments of
$_________ by the
first day of each month, beginning on __________ 1, 20___, until title
to your house is transferred to us. You
are legally obligated to make
the full amount of your current monthly mortgage payments. However, we
will accept the new partial
payment until you have conveyed your
Property. The partial mortgage payments do not constitute a modification
of your mortgage.
3. Borrower Relocation Assistance. If
you comply with all your responsibilities under the Agreement, you will
be entitled to an
incentive payment of $3,000 to assist with relocation
expenses. If there is a formal closing and you have vacated your
Property,
you will receive your incentive payment at closing. If at the
time of closing you have not vacated your Property, we will mail you a
check within 5 business days from when you vacate your Property and
deliver the keys to us. Similarly, if a formal closing is not
conducted,
we will mail you a check within 5 business days from the later of when
you execute the deed to us or when you vacate
your Property and deliver
the keys to us. Only one payment per household is provided for the
relocation assistance, regardless of
the number of borrowers.
4. Foreclosure Sale Suspension.
We may initiate or continue the foreclosure process as permitted by the
mortgage
documents; however, we will suspend any foreclosure sale date
until the conveyance of your Property has been completed,
provided you
continue to abide by the terms and conditions of this Agreement.
5. Satisfaction and Release of Liability. If
all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement are met, upon
conveyance of your
Property to us by General Warranty deed or the
equivalent in the state where your Property is located, we will prepare
and record
a lien release in full satisfaction of the mortgage,
foregoing all rights to pursue a deficiency judgment.
6. [Insert only if applicable] Mortgage Insurer or Guarantor Approval. The terms and conditions of the Agreement are subject
to the written approval of the mortgage insurer or guarantor.
7. Termination of This Agreement. We may terminate this Agreement at any time if:
a. Your financial situation improves significantly, you qualify for
loan modification, you bring the account current or you pay off the
mortgage in full.
b. You fail to act in good faith with the Agreement.
c. A significant change occurs to the property condition or value.
d. There is evidence of fraud or misrepresentation.
e. You file for bankruptcy and the Bankruptcy Court declines to approve the agreement.
f. Litigation is initiated or threatened that could affect title to the property or interfere with a valid conveyance.
g. [Insert only if applicable:] You do not make the payments required under this Agreement.
8. Settlement of a Debt.
The proposed transaction represents our attempt to reach a settlement
of the delinquent mortgage. You
are choosing to enter into this
Agreement even though there is no guarantee that the transaction will be
successful. In the event
this transaction is unsuccessful, we may
exercise our remedies under the mortgage, including foreclosure.
9. Possible Income Tax Considerations. The
difference between the remaining amount of principal you owe and the
current
market value of the property must be reported to the Internal
Revenue Service (IRS) on Form 1099‐C as debt forgiveness. In
some cases,
debt forgiveness could be taxed as income.
The amount we pay you for
moving expenses may also be reported as income. We suggest that you
contact the IRS or your tax
preparer to determine if you may have any
tax liability.
10. Credit Bureau Reporting. We
will follow standard industry practice and report to the major credit
reporting agencies that
your mortgage was settled for less than the full
payment. We have no control over, or responsibility for the impact of
this report on
your credit score. To learn more about the Supplemental
Directive 09-09 Revised Page C-3
potential impact of a deed‐in‐lieu on your credit, you may want to go to
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre24.shtm.
DIL Program-Agreement
By signing this Agreement, you are agreeing to a deed‐in‐lieu of
foreclosure. If you have any questions about the deed‐in‐lieu of
foreclosure, please call us before signing and returning this Agreement.
PLEASE READ THIS AGREEMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU SIGN, BECAUSE IT AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS.
Borrower Acknowledgement of Risks, Conditions and Contingencies. In signing and returning this Deed‐in‐Lieu
Agreement I/we agree to all the stated terms and conditions.
Borrower Signature Date Co‐ Borrower Signature Date
Printed Name Printed Name
If you would like to speak with a counselor about this program, call the Homeowner's HOPETM Hotline 1‐888‐995‐HOPE (4673). The Homeowner's HOPETM
Hotline offers free HUD‐certified counseling services and is available
24/7 in English and Spanish.
Other languages are available by
appointment.
If you have questions, please contact us directly between the hours of [insert hours] at [insert toll free number.]
Signature of Servicer Representative Title Printed Name of Servicer Representative Date
NOTICE TO BORROWER
Be advised that by signing this document you understand that any
documents and information you submit to your servicer in
connection with
the Making Home Affordable Program are under penalty of perjury. Any
misstatement of material fact made in the
completion of these documents
including but not limited to misstatement regarding your occupancy in
your home, hardship
circumstances, and/or income, expenses, or assets
will subject you to potential criminal investigation and prosecution for
the
following crimes: perjury, false statements, mail fraud, and wire
fraud. The information contained in these documents is subject to
examination and verification. Any potential misrepresentation will be
referred to the appropriate law enforcement authority for
investigation
and prosecution. By signing this document you certify, represent and
agree that:" Under penalty of perjury, all
documents and information I
have provided to Lender in connection with the Making Home Affordable
Program, including the
documents and information regarding my
eligibility for the program, are true and correct."
If you are
aware of fraud, waste, abuse, mismanagement or misrepresentations
affiliated with the Troubled Asset Relief Program,
please contact the
SIGTARP Hotline by calling 1‐877‐SIG‐2009 (toll‐free), 202‐622‐4559
(fax), or www.sigtarp.gov.
Mail can be
sent Hotline Office of the Special Inspector General for
Troubled Asset Relief Program, 1801 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20220.
Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives Program: Overview
The
information contained on this Web site is provided for informational
purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject
matter. The links are to be accessed at the user's own risk, and the
author of this Web site make no representations or warranties about the
content of these links.
|