Underwriting Guideline Updates

Bulletin 2023-061 Underwriting Guideline Updates

Newrez LLC "Newrez" Approved Correspondent Clients; effective immediately, unless otherwise noted, for all loans in pipeline, the topics contained in this announcement have been updated in the Conventional Conforming, FHA, and VA Underwriting Guides.

 

Please use this announcement as guidance until all applicable underwriting guides are published.

 

Conventional Conforming Updates

 

Chapter 1D Property Types 

 

Manufactured Housing Eligibility

 

Update aligns with Freddie Mac Bulletin 2023-13 to remove eligibility requirement for singlewide manufactured homes to be 10 years old or newer.

 

Complete guidelines can be found in the Conventional Underwriting Guide, Chapter 1D, Property Types, 1D.1 (i)(i) Manufactured Housing Eligibility

 

Chapter 1E Underwriting

 

Data and Delivery Information Accuracy  

 

Resubmission policies clarified for both DU and LPA automated underwriting decisions to support debt income, income decrease or interest rate increase to support loan eligibility.

 

Complete guidelines can be found in the Conventional Underwriting Guide, Chapter 1E, Underwriting:

 

  • 2 (e) Desktop Underwriter Data and Delivery Information Accuracy
  • 3 (c) Loan Product Advisor Data and Delivery Information Accuracy

 

Chapter 1F Credit

 

Inquiries and Undisclosed Liabilities  

 

Guidance provided to support methods for undisclosed debt from application through loan closing impacting loan qualification including:

 

  • Letters of explanation for recent inquiries and evidence of any new debt
  • Soft Credit Pull or Undisclosed Debt monitoring (UDM) Report
  • Review MERS report

 

Complete guidelines can be found in the Conventional Underwriting Guide, Chapter 1F, Credit, 1F.6 Inquiries and Undisclosed Liabilities

 

Chapter 1G Assets

 

Newrez has implemented an overlay for account statements must be dated within 45 days of application for either a DU or LPA underwriting decision. 

 

Complete guidelines can be found in the Conventional Underwriting Guide, Chapter 1G, Assets, 1G.3(a) Financial Institution Accounts

 

Chapter 1I Employment and Income

 

Identified a three year continuance of income is required for restricted stock and restricted stock units subject to time based vesting provisions.

 

Complete guidelines can be found in the Conventional Underwriting Guide, Chapter 1I Employment and Income, 1I.13(x) Restricted Stock Units  

 

Government Underwriting Updates

 

FHA Update

 

Clarified a manufactured home with a manufactured home ADU on the property is not eligible whether it is or is not used for storage purposes.

 

Complete guidelines can be found in the FHA Underwriting Guide, Chapter 2D Property Types, 2D.1(i)(vii) Ineligible Manufactured Home Property Types

 

VA Update

 

Borrower eligibility updated to remove reference stating non-occupant coborrowers are ineligible.

 

Complete guidelines can be found in the VA Underwriting Guide, Chapter 3A, Eligibility, 3A.14 Borrower Eligibility.