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Financial Services Law Insights and Observations

HUD Updates Pre-Foreclosure and Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure Requirements, Extends Unemployment Forbearance

Foreclosure Mortgage Servicing HUD

Lending

On July 9, HUD issued Mortgagee Letter 2013-23, which updates pre-foreclosure sale (PFS) and deed-in-lieu (DIL) foreclosure requirements for FHA-approved mortgagees. For a standard PFS, the letter details (i) the deficit income test that mortgagees must use to determine hardship, (ii) the supporting documentation required for such tests, (iii) the method for calculating cash reserve contributions, and (iv) the requirements for approving a PFS based on imminent default. The letter also explains the eligibility requirements for streamlined PFS and DIL, including with regard to military servicemembers. Among numerous other policy changes, HUD also updated the disclosure requirements for all PFS and DIL transactions and outlined certain arms-length requirements for PFS transactions. Mortgagees must implement the new policies by October 1, 2013. Recently, HUD also issued Mortgagee Letter 2013-22 to extend indefinitely its policy to provide special forbearance for unemployed borrowers. That policy, detailed in Mortgagee Letter 2011-23, was set to expire on August 1, 2013.