Identification of Significant Derogatory Credit Events in the Credit Report

Underwriters must review the credit report and the Declarations in the loan application to identify instances of significant derogatory credit events. Underwriter must review the public records section of the credit report and all tradelines, including mortgage accounts (first liens, second liens, home improvement loans, HELOCs, and manufactured home loans), to identify previous foreclosures, deeds-in-lieu, preforeclosure sales, charge-offs of mortgage accounts, and bankruptcies. The underwriter must carefully review the current status of each tradeline, manner of payment codes, and remarks to identify these types of significant derogatory credit events. Remarks Codes are descriptive text or codes that appear on a tradeline, such as “Foreclosure,” “Forfeit deed-in-lieu of foreclosure,” and “Settled for less than full balance.”

Significant derogatory credit events may not be accurately reported or consistently reported in the same manner by all creditors or credit reporting agencies. If not clearly identified in the credit report, the underwriter must obtain copies of appropriate documentation. The documentation must establish the completion date of a previous foreclosure, deed-in-lieu or preforeclosure sale, or date of the charge-off of a mortgage account; confirm the bankruptcy discharge or dismissal date; and identify debts that were not satisfied by the bankruptcy. Debts that were not satisfied by a bankruptcy must be paid off or have an acceptable, established repayment schedule.

Note: Timeshare accounts are considered installment loans and are not subject to the waiting periods described below.