The Nuts and Bolts of HAFA – Which lenders are participating? Part 3 of 3
As we come to the final part of the series, and have learned about the details and the eligibility of the HAFA program; we have learned that it is beneficial to the homeowner who cannot qualify for loan modifications. And because the lenders typically will net more through a short sale than foreclosure, it makes financial sense for them to participate, especially in conjunction with the bonus components which have increase dramatically as of March 26, 2010.
So without further adieu, the list of lenders and servicers who have agreed to participate with the HAFA program are posted below. For the full detailed list, please click on the final link below.
Who is Supporting HAFA?
Lender and loan servicers participating in HAFA must have signed a servicer participation agreement with Fannie Mae – the program administrator and financial agent representing the United States in this case – to participate in HAMP by December 31, 2009. Therefore, most lenders are participating. As April 5 approaches, lenders are developing comprehensive programs in order to prepare for the expected flood of applications for short sale agreements and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure that HAFA will unleash.
Bank of America
- Bank of America announced in March its commitment to participate in HAFA when it activates. It has been preparing for a more streamlined process for months though its support of HAMP.
- Bank of America’s short sale processor Equator has announced the launch of a brand-new best practices software workflow solutions directly related to HAFA.
Citibank
- Citibank is participating in HAMP which is a requirement for participating in HAFA
GMAC Financial Services
- GMAC has started a program to preemptively contact borrowers who are not eligible for loan modifications under HAMP and offering discussing alternatives through HAFA and claims a three-day turnaround on short sale applications
Lenders Asset Management Corporation (LAMCO)
- LAMCO has been training teams of specialists to support mortgage servicers comply with HAFA and quickly negotiate short sales
Wachovia
- Wachovia is participating in HAMP which is a requirement for participating in HAFA
Wells Fargo
- Wells Fargo is participating in HAMP which is a requirement for participating in HAFA
- Wells Fargo has been ramping up efforts to assist homeowners by actively contacting those who are facing hardships
NATIONAL PARTICIPATING SERVICERS
Currently, the HAFA Program has not been activated. Therefore, there is not yet an official list of participating lenders. Generally speaking, lenders who participate in HAFA are also participating in HAMP. For a full list of servicers participating in HAMP, visit Making Home Affordable’s Participating Servicers List.
A new record: 20 days!
As a San Jose Short Sale Agent, one of the complaints I hear most often from both Realtors and the general populace is that Short Sales take too long to get approved by the lenders. And generally this is a legitimate gripe. It is quite typical to take 30-45 days to clear a phase 1 negotiator, then another 30-45 days to clear the phase 2 negotiator, then possibly another 30 days for investors to make the final decision if a loan servicing company is involved. I have a Bank of America file that we submitted a short sale package on 8/10/09 and as of today, they still have not given us a final approval (the second has agreed, but the first still has not gotten around to giving us a final written answer yet), so my bi-weekly calls to the negotiator continues. We put that house on the market in June. Hence, most files fall somewhere in between these two extremes.
This record breaking file involved CitiMortgage on the first and CitiBank on the second and it involved an investor too! The key is doing the right prep work initially and getting the requisite documents over to the lender on the first try, so there is no time wasted going back and forth to complete the file. After you do this as a specialty for a while, you know what the lenders need to make their decisions.
Needless to say, CitiMortgage is now another favorite lender besides Wachovia. If these are your lenders, please contact me.
