Freddie Mac published a Guide Bulletin on Aug. 26 that imposes new requirements on mortgages originated on or after Oct. 1, 2025. These requirements should be familiar to those who also originate Fannie Mae loans. Freddie Mac now requires that Optigo Lenders deliver the following items in the full delivery package:
- For acquisitions loans:
- Copies of any property-seller-side settlement statements
- For all loans:
- Copies of all documents that evidence the chain of title for the 36-month period preceding the mortgage origination;
- A copy of the closing statement and any escrow instructions letter provided by lender or lender’s counsel to the escrow agent; and
- A receipts and disbursements ledger for the transaction, along with evidence of all corresponding wires and/or checks received or sent concerning the mortgage and, if applicable, the acquisition.
Since these requirements include the delivery of information out of the control of borrower and lender, clients should consider updating their form applications or term sheets to include a requirement to deliver seller-side documents in acquisitions to ensure they are able to meet their delivery requirements to Freddie Mac. Production teams also can raise the seller-side information requirements with their Sponsors at the outset of any acquisition transactions so the delivery requirements can be incorporated into the purchase and sale agreements.
Freddie Mac has also fully phased in the additional screening requirements for certain First-Time, Limited Experience and Rapid Growth Sponsors, including internal mark-to-market valuations of such Sponsors’ SREOs to validate net worth calculations. Optigo Lenders should collect this information in a timely manner to allow time for such screening to occur without delaying the transaction.
As part of its continued focus on combating fraud, Freddie Mac is requiring additional analysis of funds delivered by Sponsors in all transactions, not just those involving First-Time, Limited Experience and Rapid Growth Sponsors. If you have a transaction that is expected to result in cash in from the Borrower/Sponsor, Optigo Lenders should ensure they have collected the information needed to complete the analysis required by 55.2 of the Guide.
Opinions and conclusions in this post are solely those of the authors unless otherwise indicated. The information contained in this blog is general in nature and is not offered and cannot be considered as legal advice for any particular situation. The authors have provided the links referenced above for information purposes only and by doing so, do not adopt or incorporate the contents. Any federal tax advice provided in this communication is not intended or written by the authors to be used, and cannot be used by the recipient, for the purpose of avoiding penalties which may be imposed on the recipient by the IRS. Please contact the authors if you would like to receive written advice in a format which complies with IRS rules and may be relied upon to avoid penalties.
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