This Article Is About The Reserves Requirement On Home Loan By Mortgage Lenders

Reserves are recommended for all homeowners but are not required on files that gotten an approve/eligible per automated underwriting system findings on single-family homes. All FHA and VA manual underwrites require one month’s reserves. Multi-family family homes require reserves. Reserves cannot be gifted and need to be the borrower’s own funds. In this article, we will discuss and cover the reserve requirements on home loans required by lenders.

When Do Lenders Require Reserves

When Do Underwriters Ask For Reserves Requirement On Home Loan?

Reserves Requirement On Home Loan is normally not required. Reserves are highly recommended for home buyers even though it is not conditioned by mortgage lenders. When a borrower applies for a home loan, the mortgage loan originator will submit the applicant’s mortgage application and credit reports to Fannie Mae’s and/or Freddie Mac’s Automated Underwriting System for automated approval. If it is run through Freddie Mac, then the results will be approve/eligible per LP FINDINGS. If it is submitted through Fannie Mae, then the results will render an approve/eligible per DU FINDINGS. Most lenders favor Fannie Mae’s Automated Underwriting System.

Reserves Requirement On Home Loan By AUS

There are times when the Automated Underwriting System will require reserves. Reserves required by lenders are monthly payments of the new housing expenses. Reserves are one month’s principal, interest, taxes, and insurance (PITI). The Automated Underwriting System may require anywhere between one to six-month reserves. The amount of reserves requirement on a home loan depends on how weak the borrower’s financial profile is. Reserves Requirement On Home Loan is also mandatory on multi-unit home purchases.

Why Are There Reserves Requirement On Home Loan?

For the majority of mortgage applications, reserves are not required. However, if the Automated Underwriting System recognizes borrowers with weak financial and credit profiles. Reserves requirement on home loan may be conditioned for weaker credit profile borrowers.

Cases where reserves requirement on a home loan is conditioned on the following types of borrowers:

• has very little and no assets
• down payment is 100% gifted
• borrowers with outstanding collections and charged-off accounts
• borrowers with late payments after bankruptcy and/or housing event
• home buyers buying 2 to 4 unit properties

How AUS View Gifted Funds For Down Payment

HUD allows home buyers to receive 100% gift funds for their down payment. Gift funds for a down payment are not normally looked at favorably by Automated Underwriting System. The Automated Underwriting System likes to see that the home buyer has some skin in the game where they can have their own money. Borrowers with 100% gift funds towards their down payment and has $40,000 in a retirement account in his or her own name, then the chances of the Automated Underwriting System requesting reserves is not likely. However, if borrowers have credit scores under 600 and no retirement funds or any other account with their own funds, then the likelihood of the Automated Underwriting System conditioning reserves is likely.

When Reserves Requirement On Home Loan Is Required By AUS

As mentioned earlier, reserve requirements vary anywhere between one to six months. One month’s reserves are one month of principal, interest, taxes, and insurance as well as homeowner association dues if applicable. If the mortgage loan applicant gets 100% gift funds and has poor credit scores, the Automated Underwriting System may require reserves. Reserves cannot be gifted. Reserves need to be the mortgage applicant’s own funds. What happens if the mortgage applicant has no reserves? Borrowers with automated approval per DU FINDINGS and the AUS conditions reserves, those reserves need to come from their own funds and cannot be gifted. Borrowers who do not have their own funds for reserves, then mortgage loan originator can see if he can run LP FINDING, the Automated Underwriting System of Freddie Mac.

There are times when Fannie Mae conditions for reserves and Freddie Mac does not and vice versa.

Fannie Mae And Freddie Mac Reserves Guidelines

Freddie Mac may not require reserves. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have their own separate guidelines.  Borrowers conditioned for reserves from both Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac mortgage loan originators may downgrade automated approval to a manual underwrite. Manual Underwriting is where the mortgage underwriter will manually underwrite mortgage loan applications.

Creative Solutions To Reserves Requirement On Home Loan

Creative ways of getting reserves may be by adding borrowers’ names to a family member’s bank account. It now becomes a joint account with a family member and yourself. Adding a name to a family member’s account often gives immediate assets where you can claim is a joint account holder and have funds in a separate bank account. Reserves are recommended for home buyers. Being homeowner is a huge responsibility. Homeowners no longer can depend on landlords for repairs. Maintenance costs money. However, in the event, the HVAC system breaks down or appliances break down, these are high-cost repairs. Although lenders do not ask for reserves, always put away a portion of income aside for reserves in the event of an emergency.