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Understanding the Assignment of Mortgages: What You Need To Know

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A mortgage is a legally binding agreement between a home buyer and a lender that dictates a borrower's ability to pay off a loan. Every mortgage has an interest rate, a term length, and specific fees attached to it.

Written by Attorney Todd Carney .  Updated November 26, 2021

If you’re like most people who want to purchase a home, you’ll start by going to a bank or other lender to get a mortgage loan. Though you can choose your lender, after the mortgage loan is processed, your mortgage may be transferred to a different mortgage servicer . A transfer is also called an assignment of the mortgage. 

No matter what it’s called, this change of hands may also change who you’re supposed to make your house payments to and how the foreclosure process works if you default on your loan. That’s why if you’re a homeowner, it’s important to know how this process works. This article will provide an in-depth look at what an assignment of a mortgage entails and what impact it can have on homeownership.

Assignment of Mortgage – The Basics

When your original lender transfers your mortgage account and their interests in it to a new lender, that’s called an assignment of mortgage. To do this, your lender must use an assignment of mortgage document. This document ensures the loan is legally transferred to the new owner. It’s common for mortgage lenders to sell the mortgages to other lenders. Most lenders assign the mortgages they originate to other lenders or mortgage buyers.

Home Loan Documents

When you get a loan for a home or real estate, there will usually be two mortgage documents. The first is a mortgage or, less commonly, a deed of trust . The other is a promissory note. The mortgage or deed of trust will state that the mortgaged property provides the security interest for the loan. This basically means that your home is serving as collateral for the loan. It also gives the loan servicer the right to foreclose if you don’t make your monthly payments. The promissory note provides proof of the debt and your promise to pay it.

When a lender assigns your mortgage, your interests as the mortgagor are given to another mortgagee or servicer. Mortgages and deeds of trust are usually recorded in the county recorder’s office. This office also keeps a record of any transfers. When a mortgage is transferred so is the promissory note. The note will be endorsed or signed over to the loan’s new owner. In some situations, a note will be endorsed in blank, which turns it into a bearer instrument. This means whoever holds the note is the presumed owner.

Using MERS To Track Transfers

Banks have collectively established the Mortgage Electronic Registration System , Inc. (MERS), which keeps track of who owns which loans. With MERS, lenders are no longer required to do a separate assignment every time a loan is transferred. That’s because MERS keeps track of the transfers. It’s crucial for MERS to maintain a record of assignments and endorsements because these land records can tell who actually owns the debt and has a legal right to start the foreclosure process.

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Assignment of Mortgage Requirements and Effects

The assignment of mortgage needs to include the following:

The original information regarding the mortgage. Alternatively, it can include the county recorder office’s identification numbers. 

The borrower’s name.

The mortgage loan’s original amount.

The date of the mortgage and when it was recorded.

Usually, there will also need to be a legal description of the real property the mortgage secures, but this is determined by state law and differs by state.

Notice Requirements

The original lender doesn’t need to provide notice to or get permission from the homeowner prior to assigning the mortgage. But the new lender (sometimes called the assignee) has to send the homeowner some form of notice of the loan assignment. The document will typically provide a disclaimer about who the new lender is, the lender’s contact information, and information about how to make your mortgage payment. You should make sure you have this information so you can avoid foreclosure.

Mortgage Terms

When an assignment occurs your loan is transferred, but the initial terms of your mortgage will stay the same. This means you’ll have the same interest rate, overall loan amount, monthly payment, and payment due date. If there are changes or adjustments to the escrow account, the new lender must do them under the terms of the original escrow agreement. The new lender can make some changes if you request them and the lender approves. For example, you may request your new lender to provide more payment methods.

Taxes and Insurance

If you have an escrow account and your mortgage is transferred, you may be worried about making sure your property taxes and homeowners insurance get paid. Though you can always verify the information, the original loan servicer is responsible for giving your local tax authority the new loan servicer’s address for tax billing purposes. The original lender is required to do this after the assignment is recorded. The servicer will also reach out to your property insurance company for this reason.  

If you’ve received notice that your mortgage loan has been assigned, it’s a good idea to reach out to your loan servicer and verify this information. Verifying that all your mortgage information is correct, that you know who to contact if you have questions about your mortgage, and that you know how to make payments to the new servicer will help you avoid being scammed or making payments incorrectly.

Let's Summarize…

In a mortgage assignment, your original lender or servicer transfers your mortgage account to another loan servicer. When this occurs, the original mortgagee or lender’s interests go to the next lender. Even if your mortgage gets transferred or assigned, your mortgage’s terms should remain the same. Your interest rate, loan amount, monthly payment, and payment schedule shouldn’t change. 

Your original lender isn’t required to notify you or get your permission prior to assigning your mortgage. But you should receive correspondence from the new lender after the assignment. It’s important to verify any change in assignment with your original loan servicer before you make your next mortgage payment, so you don’t fall victim to a scam.

Attorney Todd Carney

Attorney Todd Carney is a writer and graduate of Harvard Law School. While in law school, Todd worked in a clinic that helped pro-bono clients file for bankruptcy. Todd also studied several aspects of how the law impacts consumers. Todd has written over 40 articles for sites such... read more about Attorney Todd Carney

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Mortgage Assignment Laws and Definition

(This may not be the same place you live)

  What is a Mortgage Assignment?

A mortgage is a legal agreement. Under this agreement, a bank or other lending institution provides a loan to an individual seeking to finance a home purchase. The lender is referred to as a creditor. The person who finances the home owes money to the bank, and is referred to as the debtor.

To make money, the bank charges interest on the loan. To ensure the debtor pays the loan, the bank takes a security interest in what the loan is financing — the home itself. If the buyer fails to pay the loan, the bank can take the property through a foreclosure proceeding.

There are two main documents involved in a mortgage agreement. The document setting the financial terms and conditions of repayment is known as the mortgage note. The bank is the owner of the note. The note is secured by the mortgage. This means if the debtor does not make payment on the note, the bank may foreclose on the home. 

The document describing the mortgaged property is called the mortgage agreement. In the mortgage agreement, the debtor agrees to make payments under the note, and agrees that if payment is not made, the bank may institute foreclosure proceedings and take the home as collateral .

An assignment of a mortgage refers to an assignment of the note and assignment of the mortgage agreement. Both the note and the mortgage can be assigned. To assign the note and mortgage is to transfer ownership of the note and mortgage. Once the note is assigned, the person to whom it is assigned, the assignee, can collect payment under the note. 

Assignment of the mortgage agreement occurs when the mortgagee (the bank or lender) transfers its rights under the agreement to another party. That party is referred to as the assignee, and receives the right to enforce the agreement’s terms against the assignor, or debtor (also called the “mortgagor”). 

What are the Requirements for Executing a Mortgage Assignment?

What are some of the benefits and drawbacks of mortgage assignments, are there any defenses to mortgage assignments, do i need to hire an attorney for help with a mortgage assignment.

For a mortgage to be validly assigned, the assignment document (the document formally assigning ownership from one person to another) must contain:

• The current assignor name.
• The name of the assignee.
• The current borrower or borrowers’ names. 
• A description of the mortgage, including date of execution of the mortgage agreement, the amount of the loan that remains, and a reference to where the mortgage was initially recorded. A mortgage is recorded in the office of a county clerk, in an index, typically bearing a volume or page number. The reference to where the mortgage was recorded should include the date of recording, volume, page number, and county of recording.
• A description of the property. The description must be a legal description that unambiguously and completely describes the boundaries of the property.

There are several types of assignments of mortgage. These include a corrective assignment of mortgage, a corporate assignment of mortgage, and a mers assignment of mortgage. A corrective assignment corrects or amends a defect or mistake in the original assignment. A corporate assignment is an assignment of the mortgage from one corporation to another. 

A mers assignment involves the Mortgage Electronic Registration System (MERS). Mortgages often designate MERS as a nominee (agent for) the lender. When the lender assigns a mortgage to MERS, MERS does not actually receive ownership of the note or mortgage agreement. Instead, MERS tracks the mortgage as the mortgage is assigned from bank to bank. 

An advantage of a mortgage assignment is that the assignment permits buyers interested in purchasing a home, to do so without having to obtain a loan from a financial institution. The buyer, through an assignment from the current homeowner, assumes the rights and responsibilities under the mortgage. 

A disadvantage of a mortgage assignment is the consequences of failing to record it. Under most state laws, an entity seeking to institute foreclosure proceedings must record the assignment before it can do so. If a mortgage is not recorded, the judge will dismiss the foreclosure proceeding. 

Failure to observe mortgage assignment procedure can be used as a defense by a homeowner in a foreclosure proceeding. Before a bank can institute a foreclosure proceeding, the bank must record the assignment of the note. The bank must also be in actual possession of the note. 

If the bank fails to “produce the note,” that is, cannot demonstrate that the note was assigned to it, the bank cannot demonstrate it owns the note. Therefore, it lacks legal standing to commence a foreclosure proceeding.

If you need help with preparing an assignment of mortgage, you should contact a mortgage lawyer . An experienced mortgage lawyer near you can assist you with preparing and recording the document.

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Understanding how assignments of mortgage work.

The bank or other mortgage lender that provides a borrower with the funds to purchase a home often later transfers or assigns its interest in the mortgage to another firm. When this happens, the borrower will start sending monthly mortgage payments to the new owner of the mortgage instead of the original lender. Some other things, such as the available modes of payment, many also change.  However, the general terms of the mortgage, such as the interest rate and payment amounts, will stay the same.

If you need help with a mortgage, consider finding a financial advisor to work with .

Mortgage Assignment Basics

Mortgages are assigned using a document called an assignment of mortgage. This legally transfers the original lender’s interest in the loan to the new company. After doing this, the original lender will no longer receive the payments of principal and interest. However, by assigning the loan the mortgage company will free up capital. This allows the original lender to make more loans and generate additional origination and other fees.

At closing, borrowers sign a document granting the original lender the right to assign the mortgage elsewhere. This means the original lender doesn’t have to ask for permission to assign the mortgage but can do so whenever it wants to. Often this occurs within a few months after the closing, but it can happen at any time during the term of a mortgage. Once a loan has been assigned, it can be assigned again.

The assignment of mortgage document uses several pieces of information to accurately identify the specific mortgage that is being transferred. These generally include:

The name of the borrower

The date of the mortgage

The jurisdiction where it was recorded

The amount of money that was originally loaned

A legal description of the home or other property used as collateral to secure the loan.

Although a lender doesn’t need to request the borrower’s permission before assigning a mortgage, the lender does have to notify the borrower after the mortgage has been assigned. This notice will generally provide the new lender’s name, contact information and mailing address or other information need to make payments.

Effects of Mortgage Assignment

When a mortgage is assigned, the original terms of the mortgage remain unchanged. The monthly principal and interest, interest rate and total number of payments required to pay the loan off will be the same as on the mortgage when it was signed at closing.

A company assigned a mortgage may have different methods of accepting monthly payments, such as online payments, paper checks or money orders. A borrower who wants more payment methods may be able to get a new mortgage holder to provide them upon request.

Some things may change, however. For instance, the new owner of the mortgage may have a different method of handling escrow payments that are used to pay property taxes and the premiums for hazard insurance. The law requires mortgage companies to charge no more than one-twelfth the annual cost of property taxes and insurance each month. However, they can also require borrowers to maintain a cushion of up to one-sixth the annual total required to pay taxes and insurance. If a new mortgage company has a different policy on this cushion, it could change the total monthly payment.

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The borrower also does not need to notify the local taxing authorities or the hazard insurance provider about the assignment. The new holder of the mortgage is required to handle these notifications.

Borrowers should check the information about where payments are supposed to go. This need to be accurate so payments will be directed correctly to the holder of the mortgage and the borrower will receive credit for them.

Another important matter that may change when a loan is assigned is the procedure the mortgage company will follow in the event of default. Borrowers should make themselves familiar with the notification methods used by the new mortgage to let them know if payments are not being received and foreclosure is in the offing.

The Bottom Line

Home mortgages are often assigned by their original lenders to other companies. Assignment usually doesn’t change much for the borrower, except that the payments will go to a different address. The original loan amount, interest payment, term and monthly principal and interest part of the payment will stay the same. Assigning mortgages frees up money for the lenders to make more loans. Borrowers don’t have to be told a mortgage will be assigned, since they agree to this at closing. However, they must be notified after an assignment and told how to contact the new mortgage holder.

Mortgage Tips

A financial advisor can help you evaluate home buying and other important financial moves. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now .

Borrowers can find out whether and where their mortgage has been assigned through the Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS). This is an organization created by mortgage companies to track mortgage assignments. Borrowers can use a free online service provided by MERS to find out who owns their mortgage.

Mortgage rates are more volatile than they have been in a long time. Check out SmartAsset’s mortgage rates table to get a better idea of what the market looks like right now.

Photo credit: ©iStock.com/ArLawKa AungTun, ©iStock.com/ridvan_celik, ©iStock.com/damircudic

The post Understanding How Assignments of Mortgage Work appeared first on SmartAsset Blog .

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What is an Assignment of Mortgage?

In real estate, an assignment of mortgage is the transfer of a mortgage, or mortgage note , to another party which typically happens on the servicing side or lender side. This is commonly seen one when lender sells or transfers your mortgage to another lender. Lenders typically have the right to to sell mortgages and assign them to new parties, but don’t typically allow borrowers to do the same. When a borrower transfers their mortgage obligation to a new party, this is called an assumed mortgage.

Assignment of Mortgage Examples

Examples where you will find assignment of mortgages include:

• Example 1. A lender selling your mortgage to another lender for servicing.

Here’s Property Shark’s definition of assignment of mortgage .

ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.

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Assignments: The Basic Law

The assignment of a right or obligation is a common contractual event under the law and the right to assign (or prohibition against assignments) is found in the majority of agreements, leases and business structural documents created in the United States.

As with many terms commonly used, people are familiar with the term but often are not aware or fully aware of what the terms entail. The concept of assignment of rights and obligations is one of those simple concepts with wide ranging ramifications in the contractual and business context and the law imposes severe restrictions on the validity and effect of assignment in many instances. Clear contractual provisions concerning assignments and rights should be in every document and structure created and this article will outline why such drafting is essential for the creation of appropriate and effective contracts and structures.

The reader should first read the article on Limited Liability Entities in the United States and Contracts since the information in those articles will be assumed in this article.

Basic Definitions and Concepts:

An assignment is the transfer of rights held by one party called the “assignor” to another party called the “assignee.” The legal nature of the assignment and the contractual terms of the agreement between the parties determines some additional rights and liabilities that accompany the assignment. The assignment of rights under a contract usually completely transfers the rights to the assignee to receive the benefits accruing under the contract. Ordinarily, the term assignment is limited to the transfer of rights that are intangible, like contractual rights and rights connected with property. Merchants Service Co. v. Small Claims Court , 35 Cal. 2d 109, 113-114 (Cal. 1950).

An assignment will generally be permitted under the law unless there is an express prohibition against assignment in the underlying contract or lease. Where assignments are permitted, the assignor need not consult the other party to the contract but may merely assign the rights at that time. However, an assignment cannot have any adverse effect on the duties of the other party to the contract, nor can it diminish the chance of the other party receiving complete performance. The assignor normally remains liable unless there is an agreement to the contrary by the other party to the contract.

The effect of a valid assignment is to remove privity between the assignor and the obligor and create privity between the obligor and the assignee. Privity is usually defined as a direct and immediate contractual relationship. See Merchants case above.

Further, for the assignment to be effective in most jurisdictions, it must occur in the present. One does not normally assign a future right; the assignment vests immediate rights and obligations.

No specific language is required to create an assignment so long as the assignor makes clear his/her intent to assign identified contractual rights to the assignee. Since expensive litigation can erupt from ambiguous or vague language, obtaining the correct verbiage is vital. An agreement must manifest the intent to transfer rights and can either be oral or in writing and the rights assigned must be certain.

Note that an assignment of an interest is the transfer of some identifiable property, claim, or right from the assignor to the assignee. The assignment operates to transfer to the assignee all of the rights, title, or interest of the assignor in the thing assigned. A transfer of all rights, title, and interests conveys everything that the assignor owned in the thing assigned and the assignee stands in the shoes of the assignor. Knott v. McDonald’s Corp ., 985 F. Supp. 1222 (N.D. Cal. 1997)

The parties must intend to effectuate an assignment at the time of the transfer, although no particular language or procedure is necessary. As long ago as the case of National Reserve Co. v. Metropolitan Trust Co ., 17 Cal. 2d 827 (Cal. 1941), the court held that in determining what rights or interests pass under an assignment, the intention of the parties as manifested in the instrument is controlling.

The intent of the parties to an assignment is a question of fact to be derived not only from the instrument executed by the parties but also from the surrounding circumstances. When there is no writing to evidence the intention to transfer some identifiable property, claim, or right, it is necessary to scrutinize the surrounding circumstances and parties’ acts to ascertain their intentions. Strosberg v. Brauvin Realty Servs., 295 Ill. App. 3d 17 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 1998)

The general rule applicable to assignments of choses in action is that an assignment, unless there is a contract to the contrary, carries with it all securities held by the assignor as collateral to the claim and all rights incidental thereto and vests in the assignee the equitable title to such collateral securities and incidental rights. An unqualified assignment of a contract or chose in action, however, with no indication of the intent of the parties, vests in the assignee the assigned contract or chose and all rights and remedies incidental thereto.

More examples: In Strosberg v. Brauvin Realty Servs ., 295 Ill. App. 3d 17 (Ill. App. Ct. 1st Dist. 1998), the court held that the assignee of a party to a subordination agreement is entitled to the benefits and is subject to the burdens of the agreement. In Florida E. C. R. Co. v. Eno , 99 Fla. 887 (Fla. 1930), the court held that the mere assignment of all sums due in and of itself creates no different or other liability of the owner to the assignee than that which existed from the owner to the assignor.

And note that even though an assignment vests in the assignee all rights, remedies, and contingent benefits which are incidental to the thing assigned, those which are personal to the assignor and for his sole benefit are not assigned. Rasp v. Hidden Valley Lake, Inc ., 519 N.E.2d 153, 158 (Ind. Ct. App. 1988). Thus, if the underlying agreement provides that a service can only be provided to X, X cannot assign that right to Y.

Novation Compared to Assignment:

Although the difference between a novation and an assignment may appear narrow, it is an essential one. “Novation is a act whereby one party transfers all its obligations and benefits under a contract to a third party.” In a novation, a third party successfully substitutes the original party as a party to the contract. “When a contract is novated, the other contracting party must be left in the same position he was in prior to the novation being made.”

A sublease is the transfer when a tenant retains some right of reentry onto the leased premises. However, if the tenant transfers the entire leasehold estate, retaining no right of reentry or other reversionary interest, then the transfer is an assignment. The assignor is normally also removed from liability to the landlord only if the landlord consents or allowed that right in the lease. In a sublease, the original tenant is not released from the obligations of the original lease.

Equitable Assignments:

An equitable assignment is one in which one has a future interest and is not valid at law but valid in a court of equity. In National Bank of Republic v. United Sec. Life Ins. & Trust Co. , 17 App. D.C. 112 (D.C. Cir. 1900), the court held that to constitute an equitable assignment of a chose in action, the following has to occur generally: anything said written or done, in pursuance of an agreement and for valuable consideration, or in consideration of an antecedent debt, to place a chose in action or fund out of the control of the owner, and appropriate it to or in favor of another person, amounts to an equitable assignment. Thus, an agreement, between a debtor and a creditor, that the debt shall be paid out of a specific fund going to the debtor may operate as an equitable assignment.

In Egyptian Navigation Co. v. Baker Invs. Corp. , 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30804 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 14, 2008), the court stated that an equitable assignment occurs under English law when an assignor, with an intent to transfer his/her right to a chose in action, informs the assignee about the right so transferred.

An executory agreement or a declaration of trust are also equitable assignments if unenforceable as assignments by a court of law but enforceable by a court of equity exercising sound discretion according to the circumstances of the case. Since California combines courts of equity and courts of law, the same court would hear arguments as to whether an equitable assignment had occurred. Quite often, such relief is granted to avoid fraud or unjust enrichment.

Note that obtaining an assignment through fraudulent means invalidates the assignment. Fraud destroys the validity of everything into which it enters. It vitiates the most solemn contracts, documents, and even judgments. Walker v. Rich , 79 Cal. App. 139 (Cal. App. 1926). If an assignment is made with the fraudulent intent to delay, hinder, and defraud creditors, then it is void as fraudulent in fact. See our article on Transfers to Defraud Creditors .

But note that the motives that prompted an assignor to make the transfer will be considered as immaterial and will constitute no defense to an action by the assignee, if an assignment is considered as valid in all other respects.

Enforceability of Assignments:

Whether a right under a contract is capable of being transferred is determined by the law of the place where the contract was entered into. The validity and effect of an assignment is determined by the law of the place of assignment. The validity of an assignment of a contractual right is governed by the law of the state with the most significant relationship to the assignment and the parties.

In some jurisdictions, the traditional conflict of laws rules governing assignments has been rejected and the law of the place having the most significant contacts with the assignment applies. In Downs v. American Mut. Liability Ins. Co ., 14 N.Y.2d 266 (N.Y. 1964), a wife and her husband separated and the wife obtained a judgment of separation from the husband in New York. The judgment required the husband to pay a certain yearly sum to the wife. The husband assigned 50 percent of his future salary, wages, and earnings to the wife. The agreement authorized the employer to make such payments to the wife.

After the husband moved from New York, the wife learned that he was employed by an employer in Massachusetts. She sent the proper notice and demanded payment under the agreement. The employer refused and the wife brought an action for enforcement. The court observed that Massachusetts did not prohibit assignment of the husband’s wages. Moreover, Massachusetts law was not controlling because New York had the most significant relationship with the assignment. Therefore, the court ruled in favor of the wife.

Therefore, the validity of an assignment is determined by looking to the law of the forum with the most significant relationship to the assignment itself. To determine the applicable law of assignments, the court must look to the law of the state which is most significantly related to the principal issue before it.

Assignment of Contractual Rights:

Generally, the law allows the assignment of a contractual right unless the substitution of rights would materially change the duty of the obligor, materially increase the burden or risk imposed on the obligor by the contract, materially impair the chance of obtaining return performance, or materially reduce the value of the performance to the obligor. Restat 2d of Contracts, § 317(2)(a). This presumes that the underlying agreement is silent on the right to assign.

If the contract specifically precludes assignment, the contractual right is not assignable. Whether a contract is assignable is a matter of contractual intent and one must look to the language used by the parties to discern that intent.

In the absence of an express provision to the contrary, the rights and duties under a bilateral executory contract that does not involve personal skill, trust, or confidence may be assigned without the consent of the other party. But note that an assignment is invalid if it would materially alter the other party’s duties and responsibilities. Once an assignment is effective, the assignee stands in the shoes of the assignor and assumes all of assignor’s rights. Hence, after a valid assignment, the assignor’s right to performance is extinguished, transferred to assignee, and the assignee possesses the same rights, benefits, and remedies assignor once possessed. Robert Lamb Hart Planners & Architects v. Evergreen, Ltd. , 787 F. Supp. 753 (S.D. Ohio 1992).

On the other hand, an assignee’s right against the obligor is subject to “all of the limitations of the assignor’s right, all defenses thereto, and all set-offs and counterclaims which would have been available against the assignor had there been no assignment, provided that these defenses and set-offs are based on facts existing at the time of the assignment.” See Robert Lamb , case, above.

The power of the contract to restrict assignment is broad. Usually, contractual provisions that restrict assignment of the contract without the consent of the obligor are valid and enforceable, even when there is statutory authorization for the assignment. The restriction of the power to assign is often ineffective unless the restriction is expressly and precisely stated. Anti-assignment clauses are effective only if they contain clear, unambiguous language of prohibition. Anti-assignment clauses protect only the obligor and do not affect the transaction between the assignee and assignor.

Usually, a prohibition against the assignment of a contract does not prevent an assignment of the right to receive payments due, unless circumstances indicate the contrary. Moreover, the contracting parties cannot, by a mere non-assignment provision, prevent the effectual alienation of the right to money which becomes due under the contract.

A contract provision prohibiting or restricting an assignment may be waived, or a party may so act as to be estopped from objecting to the assignment, such as by effectively ratifying the assignment. The power to void an assignment made in violation of an anti-assignment clause may be waived either before or after the assignment. See our article on Contracts.

Noncompete Clauses and Assignments:

Of critical import to most buyers of businesses is the ability to ensure that key employees of the business being purchased cannot start a competing company. Some states strictly limit such clauses, some do allow them. California does restrict noncompete clauses, only allowing them under certain circumstances. A common question in those states that do allow them is whether such rights can be assigned to a new party, such as the buyer of the buyer.

A covenant not to compete, also called a non-competitive clause, is a formal agreement prohibiting one party from performing similar work or business within a designated area for a specified amount of time. This type of clause is generally included in contracts between employer and employee and contracts between buyer and seller of a business.

Many workers sign a covenant not to compete as part of the paperwork required for employment. It may be a separate document similar to a non-disclosure agreement, or buried within a number of other clauses in a contract. A covenant not to compete is generally legal and enforceable, although there are some exceptions and restrictions.

Whenever a company recruits skilled employees, it invests a significant amount of time and training. For example, it often takes years before a research chemist or a design engineer develops a workable knowledge of a company’s product line, including trade secrets and highly sensitive information. Once an employee gains this knowledge and experience, however, all sorts of things can happen. The employee could work for the company until retirement, accept a better offer from a competing company or start up his or her own business.

A covenant not to compete may cover a number of potential issues between employers and former employees. Many companies spend years developing a local base of customers or clients. It is important that this customer base not fall into the hands of local competitors. When an employee signs a covenant not to compete, he or she usually agrees not to use insider knowledge of the company’s customer base to disadvantage the company. The covenant not to compete often defines a broad geographical area considered off-limits to former employees, possibly tens or hundreds of miles.

Another area of concern covered by a covenant not to compete is a potential ‘brain drain’. Some high-level former employees may seek to recruit others from the same company to create new competition. Retention of employees, especially those with unique skills or proprietary knowledge, is vital for most companies, so a covenant not to compete may spell out definite restrictions on the hiring or recruiting of employees.

A covenant not to compete may also define a specific amount of time before a former employee can seek employment in a similar field. Many companies offer a substantial severance package to make sure former employees are financially solvent until the terms of the covenant not to compete have been met.

Because the use of a covenant not to compete can be controversial, a handful of states, including California, have largely banned this type of contractual language. The legal enforcement of these agreements falls on individual states, and many have sided with the employee during arbitration or litigation. A covenant not to compete must be reasonable and specific, with defined time periods and coverage areas. If the agreement gives the company too much power over former employees or is ambiguous, state courts may declare it to be overbroad and therefore unenforceable. In such case, the employee would be free to pursue any employment opportunity, including working for a direct competitor or starting up a new company of his or her own.

It has been held that an employee’s covenant not to compete is assignable where one business is transferred to another, that a merger does not constitute an assignment of a covenant not to compete, and that a covenant not to compete is enforceable by a successor to the employer where the assignment does not create an added burden of employment or other disadvantage to the employee. However, in some states such as Hawaii, it has also been held that a covenant not to compete is not assignable and under various statutes for various reasons that such covenants are not enforceable against an employee by a successor to the employer. Hawaii v. Gannett Pac. Corp. , 99 F. Supp. 2d 1241 (D. Haw. 1999)

It is vital to obtain the relevant law of the applicable state before drafting or attempting to enforce assignment rights in this particular area.

Conclusion:

In the current business world of fast changing structures, agreements, employees and projects, the ability to assign rights and obligations is essential to allow flexibility and adjustment to new situations. Conversely, the ability to hold a contracting party into the deal may be essential for the future of a party. Thus, the law of assignments and the restriction on same is a critical aspect of every agreement and every structure. This basic provision is often glanced at by the contracting parties, or scribbled into the deal at the last minute but can easily become the most vital part of the transaction.

As an example, one client of ours came into the office outraged that his co venturer on a sizable exporting agreement, who had excellent connections in Brazil, had elected to pursue another venture instead and assigned the agreement to a party unknown to our client and without the business contacts our client considered vital. When we examined the handwritten agreement our client had drafted in a restaurant in Sao Paolo, we discovered there was no restriction on assignment whatsoever…our client had not even considered that right when drafting the agreement after a full day of work.

One choses who one does business with carefully…to ensure that one’s choice remains the party on the other side of the contract, one must master the ability to negotiate proper assignment provisions.

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D2-3.4-03, Assignment of a Mortgage Loan to the Insurer or Guarantor (11/12/2014)

Assignment of a conventional mortgage loan to the mortgage insurer, assignment of a hud or va mortgage loan to the insurer or guarantor.

If the mortgage insurer exercises a right under the master policy to acquire a delinquent conventional first lien mortgage loan, the servicer must assign the mortgage loan to the mortgage insurer and take whatever action is necessary to obtain payment under the insurance policy.

If the mortgage insurer instructs the servicer to assign an insured delinquent second lien conventional mortgage loan to it rather than continuing the foreclosure process, the servicer must prepare the necessary legal documents to assign the second lien mortgage loan and file a claim under the insurance contract.

See the Investor Reporting Manual for reporting the assignment to Fannie Mae.

If the mortgage insurer or guarantor exercises its right under the policy to acquire a delinquent government mortgage loan or an assignment is the only way to liquidate a mortgage loan, the servicer must

assign the mortgage loan to the insurer or guarantor and take required follow-up actions in compliance with applicable regulations and procedures,

file a claim with the insurer or guarantor, and

report the assignment to Fannie Mae. See the Investor Reporting Manual for reporting the assignment to Fannie Mae.

Fannie Mae will hold the servicer accountable for any loss Fannie Mae incurs because it failed to assign a VA-guaranteed mortgage loan for refunding when the VA instructed it to do so.

There are no recently issued Announcements related to this topic.                      

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Servicing Guide

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(Published: July 10 2024 )

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• Copyright and Preface
• A1-1-01, Application and Approval of Seller/Servicer
• A1-1-02, Representation and Warranty Requirements
• A1-1-03, Evaluating a Servicer’s Performance
• A1-2-01, Servicer’s Termination of the Lender Contract
• A1-2-02, Fannie Mae’s Termination of the Lender Contract without Cause
• A1-3-01, Requirements for Voluntary Repurchase
• A1-3-02, Fannie Mae-Initiated Repurchases, Indemnifications, Make Whole Payment Requests and Deferred Payment Obligations
• A1-3-03, Repurchase Obligations Related to Bifurcated Mortgage Loans
• A1-3-04, Reporting the Repurchase
• A1-3-05, Redelivering a Mortgage Loan
• A1-3-06, Automatic Reclassification of MBS Mortgage Loans
• A1-4.1-01, Defining a Breach of Contract
• A1-4.1-02, Fannie Mae’s Remedies
• A1-4.2-01, Compensatory Fees Other Than Delays in the Liquidation Process
• A1-4.2-02, Compensatory Fees for Delays in the Liquidation Process
• A2-1-01, General Servicer Duties and Responsibilities
• A2-1-02, Servicer’s Duties and Responsibilities Related to MBS Mortgage Loans
• A2-1-03, Servicer's Duties and Responsibilities Related to Mortgage Loans with Resale Restrictions or Shared Equity Transactions
• A2-1-04, Execution of Legal Documents
• A2-1-05, Note Holder Status for Legal Proceedings Conducted in the Servicer’s Name
• A2-1-06, Use of Fannie Mae Trademarks
• A2-1-07, Subservicing
• A2-1-08, First Lien Mortgage Loan Requirements
• A2-1-09, Compliance with Requirements and Laws
• A2-2-01, Refinance and Lending Practices
• A2-3-01, Servicer Compensation
• A2-3-02, Servicing Fees for Portfolio and MBS Mortgage Loans
• A2-3-03, Yield Differential Adjustments
• A2-3-04, Late Charges as Compensation
• A2-3-05, Fees for Certain Servicing Activities
• A2-3-06, Prepayment Premiums
• A2-4-01, Quality Control Reviews
• A2-5-01, Ownership and Retention of Individual Mortgage Loan Files and Records
• A2-6-01, Custodial Documents
• A2-7-01, Concurrent Servicing Transfers
• A2-7-02, Pledge of Servicing Rights and Transfer of Interest in Servicing Income
• A2-7-03, Post-Delivery Servicing Transfers
• A2-8-01, Mortgage Electronic Registration System
• A2-9-01, General Requirements
• A2-9-02, Special Provision for Puerto Rico
• A3-1-01, Maintaining Fannie Mae Seller/Servicer Status
• A4-1-01, Staffing, Training, Procedures, and Quality Control Requirements
• A4-1-02, Establishing Custodial Bank Accounts
• A4-1-03, Addressing Borrower Inquiries and Disputes
• A4-2.1-01, Preventing Defaults and Managing Delinquencies
• A4-2.1-02, Property Inspection Vendor Management and Oversight
• A4-2.1-03, Managing Short Sales
• A4-2.1-04, Establishing Contact with the Borrower
• A4-2.1-05, Requirements for Collection and Foreclosure Prevention Strategies Unique to Second Lien Mortgage Loans
• A4-2.1-06, Adverse Action Notification Certification
• A4-2.1-07, Servicer's Duties and Responsibilities Related to Mortgage Loans with an Outstanding Non-Interest-Bearing Balance
• A4-2.2-01, Selecting and Retaining Law Firms
• A4-2.2-02, Law Firm Management and Oversight
• A4-2.2-03, Prohibition Against Servicer-Specified Vendors for Fannie Mae Referrals, Use of Vendors, and Outsourcing Companies
• A4-2.2-04, Law Firm Suspensions, Matter Transfers, and Terminations
• B-1-01, Administering an Escrow Account and Paying Expenses
• B-2-01, Property Insurance Requirements Applicable to All Property Types
• B-2-02, Property Insurance Requirements for One- to Four-Unit Properties
• B-2-03, Master Property Insurance Requirements for Project Developments
• B-2-04, Individual Property Insurance Requirements for Units in Project Developments
• B-3-01, Flood Insurance Requirements Applicable to All Property Types
• B-4-01, Additional Insurance Requirements
• B-5-01, Insured Loss Events
• B-5-02, Uninsured Loss Events
• B-6-01, Lender-Placed Insurance Requirements
• B-7-01, General Liability Insurance Requirements for Project Developments
• B-7-02, Fidelity/Crime Insurance Requirements for Project Developments
• B-8.1-01, Conventional Mortgage Insurance Servicer Responsibilities
• B-8.1-02, Paying Conventional Mortgage Insurance Premiums
• B-8.1-03, Replacing Conventional Mortgage Insurance Policies
• B-8.1-04, Termination of Conventional Mortgage Insurance
• B-8.2-01, FHA Mortgage Insurance Coverage Requirements
• B-8.2-02, Conversion of FHA Coinsured Mortgage Loans to Full Insurance
• B-8.2-03, Termination or Cancellation of FHA Mortgage Insurance and FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium
• C-1.1-01, Servicer Responsibilities for Processing Mortgage Loan Payments
• C-1.1-02, Processing Payment Shortages or Funds Received When a Mortgage Loan Modification Is Pending
• C-1.1-03, Automatically Drafting Payments from the Borrower’s Bank Account
• C-1.1-04, Accepting Biweekly Payments from Third-Party Payment Contractors
• C-1.2-01, Processing Additional Principal Payments
• C-1.2-02, Processing Short Sale Proceeds
• C-1.2-03, Processing Payments in Full
• C-1.2-04, Satisfying the Mortgage Loan and Releasing the Lien
• C-1.2-05, Charging for a Release of Lien
• C-2.1-01, Responsibilities for ARM Loan Servicing
• C-2.1-02, Notifying the Borrower Regarding Interest Rate and/or Payment Changes
• C-2.2-01, Identifying and Disclosing Adjustment Errors
• C-2.2-02, Assuming Responsibility for Conversion Notice Errors
• C-2.2-03, Determining Whether to Provide a Refund or Credit for Overcharges
• C-2.3-01, Processing ARM Conversions to Fixed Rate Mortgage Loans
• C-2.3-02, Notifying Fannie Mae of Conversions for Portfolio Mortgage Loans
• C-2.3-03, Repurchasing Converted MBS Mortgage Loans and Redelivering Them to Fannie Mae
• C-3-01, Responsibilities Related to Remitting P&I Funds to Fannie Mae
• C-3-02, Remitting Payoff Proceeds
• C-4.1-01, Notifying Credit Repositories
• C-4.2-01, Filing IRS Forms
• C-4.3-01, Servicer Responsibilities Related to Investor Reporting
• D1-1-01, Evaluating a Request for the Release, or Partial Release, of Property Securing a Mortgage Loan
• D1-1-02, Evaluating a First Lien Mortgage Loan for Charge-Off and Release of Lien
• D1-1-03, Evaluating a Second Lien Mortgage Charge-Off
• D1-2-01, Renovation Mortgage Loans
• D1-3-01, Evaluating the Impact of a Disaster Event and Assisting a Borrower
• D1-4.1-01, Determining Whether a Transfer of Ownership Is Permitted
• D1-4.1-02, Allowable Exemptions Due to the Type of Transfer
• D1-4.1-03, Allowable Exceptions Due to State Law Restrictions (“Window-Period” Mortgage Loans)
• D1-4.1-04, Transfers of Ownership by Grant Deed
• D1-4.1-05, Enforcing the Due-on-Sale (or Due-on-Transfer) Provision
• D1-4.2-01, Conventional Mortgage Loans that Do Not Include a Due-on-Sale (or Due-on-Transfer) Provision
• D1-4.2-02, Conventional Mortgage Loans That Include a Due- on-Sale (or Due-on-Transfer) Provision
• D1-4.3-01, Transfers of Ownership on FHA and VA Mortgage Loans
• D1-4.3-02, Transfers of Ownership on RD Mortgage Loans
• D1-5-01, Call Options and Cross-Default Provisions
• D1-6-01, Requesting to Waive Certain Rights under the Mortgage Loan
• D1-6-02, Handling Notices of Liens, Legal Action, Other Actions Impacting Fannie Mae’s Interest
• D1-6-03, Handling Property Forfeitures and Seizures
• D2-1-01, Determining if the Borrower’s Mortgage Payment is in Imminent Default
• D2-2-01, Achieving Quality Right Party Contact with a Borrower
• D2-2-02, Outbound Contact Attempt Requirements
• D2-2-03, Sending a Payment Reminder Notice
• D2-2-04, Sending a Borrower a Solicitation Package for a Workout Option
• D2-2-05, Receiving a Borrower Response Package
• D2-2-06, Sending a Breach or Acceleration Letter
• D2-2-07, Resolving an Appeal of a Mortgage Loan Modification Trial Period Plan Denial for a Principal Residence
• D2-2-08, Interviewing Face-to-Face with a Borrower for Certain FHA and HUD Mortgage Loans
• D2-2-09, Additional Borrower Contact Requirements for the Servicer of a Second Lien Mortgage Loan
• D2-2-10, Requirements for Performing Property Inspections
• D2-3.1-01, Determining the Appropriate Workout Option
• D2-3.1-02, Conditions of a First and Second Lien Mortgage Loan Modification for an MBS Mortgage Loan
• D2-3.1-03, Working with a Borrower that has a Group Home Mortgage Loan
• D2-3.1-04, Offering a Workout Option When Also Servicing a Subordinate Lien Mortgage Loan
• D2-3.1-05, Interacting with Mortgage Assistance Fund Program Providers
• D2-3.1-06, Notifying Fannie Mae of Lead-Based Paint Citations
• D2-3.2-01, Forbearance Plan
• D2-3.2-02, Repayment Plan
• D2-3.2-03, Government Mortgage Loan Modifications
• D2-3.2-04, Payment Deferral
• D2-3.2-05, Disaster Payment Deferral
• D2-3.2-06, Fannie Mae Flex Modification
• D2-3.3-01, Fannie Mae Short Sale
• D2-3.3-02, Fannie Mae Mortgage Release (Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure)
• D2-3.4-01, Military Indulgence
• D2-3.4-02, Offering a Mortgage Release (Deed-in-Lieu of Foreclosure) for a Second Lien Mortgage Loan
• D2-3.4-03, Assignment of a Mortgage Loan to the Insurer or Guarantor
• D2-3.4-04, Qualifying Mortgage Assumption Workout Option
• D2-4-01, Reporting a Delinquent Mortgage Loan to Fannie Mae
• D2-4-02, Reporting a Workout Option to Fannie Mae
• D2-4-03, Reporting Certain Workout Options to Treasury
• E-1.1-01, General Requirements for Referring a Mortgage Loan to a Law Firm
• E-1.1-02, Required Referral Documents
• E-1.1-03, Required Referral Data
• E-1.2-01, Timing of the Bankruptcy Referral
• E-1.2-02, Timing of the Foreclosure Referral for Mortgage Loans Generally
• E-1.2-03, Timing of the Foreclosure Referral for Second Lien Conventional Mortgage Loans Not Secured by a Principal Residence
• E-1.2-04, Timing of the Foreclosure Referral for Government Mortgage Loans
• E-1.3-01, General Servicer Responsibilities for Non-Routine Matters
• E-1.3-02, Reporting Non-Routine Litigation to Fannie Mae
• E-1.3-03, Reporting “Legal Filings” to MERS
• E-2.1-01, General Servicing Requirements for Mortgage Loans Under Bankruptcy Protection
• E-2.1-02, Confirming Bankruptcy Information
• E-2.1-03, Suspending Debt Collection Efforts
• E-2.1-04, Expected Servicer/Attorney Interaction During Bankruptcy Proceedings
• E-2.1-05, Filing a Notice of Appearance and Sending Proper Notices
• E-2.1-06, Reviewing Bankruptcy Reorganization Plans
• E-2.1-07, Preparing and Filing a Proof of Claim
• E-2.1-08, Monitoring Borrower Payments and Critical Dates
• E-2.1-09, Identifying Workout Opportunities
• E-2.1-10, Dealing with Delays in the Bankruptcy Process
• E-2.1-11, Remitting P&I for MBS Mortgage Loans That Are Part of a Bankruptcy
• E-2.2-01, Managing Chapter 7 Bankruptcies
• E-2.2-02, Managing Chapter 11 Bankruptcies
• E-2.2-03, Managing Chapter 12 Bankruptcies
• E-2.2-04, Managing Chapter 13 Bankruptcies
• E-2.3-01, Identifying Abusive Filers
• E-2.3-02, Addressing Individuals with Fractional Interests in a Security Property
• E-2.3-03, Handling Cramdowns of the Mortgage Debt
• E-2.3-04, Bankruptcies Involving Mortgage Loans Secured by Investment Properties
• E-2.3-05, Bankruptcies Involving Multiple Fannie Mae Mortgage Loans
• E-2.3-06, Responding to Bankruptcies Identified After Foreclosure Sale
• E-2.3-07, Cross-Border Insolvency Proceedings
• E-3.1-01, General Servicing Requirements Related to Foreclosure Proceedings
• E-3.1-02, Performing Due Diligence Prior to Considering Foreclosure
• E-3.1-03, Fannie Mae Address for Instruments of Record
• E-3.1-04, Addressing a Bankruptcy Filed During Active Foreclosure
• E-3.2-01, Conducting Prereferral Review
• E-3.2-02, Initiating Foreclosure Proceedings on a First Lien Conventional Mortgage Loan
• E-3.2-03, Initiating Foreclosure Proceedings on a Second Lien Conventional Mortgage Loan
• E-3.2-04, Postponing Foreclosure Referral for Mortgage Loans Not Secured by a Principal Residence
• E-3.2-05, Expected Servicer/Attorney Interaction During Foreclosure Proceedings
• E-3.2-06, Conducting Borrower Outreach During Foreclosure
• E-3.2-07, Impact of Engagement with a Mortgage Assistance Fund Program Provider
• E-3.2-08, Processing Reinstatements During Foreclosure
• E-3.2-09, Conducting Foreclosure Proceedings
• E-3.2-10, Paying Certain Expenses During the Foreclosure Process
• E-3.2-11, Collecting Under an Assignment of Rents
• E-3.2-12, Performing Property Preservation During Foreclosure Proceedings
• E-3.2-13, Addressing Title Defects Generally
• E-3.2-14, Addressing Title Defects for Bifurcated Mortgage Loans
• E-3.2-15, Allowable Time Frames for Completing Foreclosure
• E-3.3-01, Completing Preforeclosure Sale Review
• E-3.3-02, Certifying the Status of Workout Negotiations Prior to Foreclosure Sale
• E-3.3-03, Inspecting Properties Prior to Foreclosure Sale
• E-3.3-04, Marketing the Foreclosure Sale and Using Foreclosure Auction Services
• E-3.3-05, Issuing Bidding Instructions
• E-3.3-06, Handling a Suspension or Reduction of the Redemption Period
• E-3.3-07, Pursuing a Deficiency Judgment
• E-3.4-01, Suspending Foreclosure Proceedings for Workout Negotiations
• E-3.4-02, Canceling the Foreclosure Sale for a Completed Workout
• E-3.5-01, Foreclosure of a Property Securing an MBS Mortgage Loan
• E-3.5-02, Handling Third-Party Sales
• E-3.5-03, Providing Evidence of Title
• E-4.1-01, Notifying Fannie Mae of an Acquired Property
• E-4.1-02, Eliminations and Rescissions of Foreclosure Sales
• E-4.2-01, Completing Conveyance Documents
• E-4.2-02, Handling Reconveyance to the Insurer or Guarantor
• E-4.3-01, Managing the Property Post-Foreclosure Sale
• E-4.3-02, Inspecting Properties Post-Foreclosure Sale
• E-4.3-03, The Broker's, Agent's, or Property Management Company's Responsibilities
• E-4.3-04, Handling Eviction Proceedings
• E-4.4-01, Continuing or Canceling Property Insurance Coverage
• E-4.4-02, Remitting Property Insurance Settlement Proceeds or Unearned Premium Refunds
• E-4.4-03, Canceling Flood Insurance Coverage for Acquired Properties
• E-4.4-04, Remitting Flood Insurance Settlement Proceeds or Unearned Premium Refunds
• E-4.5-01, Filing MI Claims for Conventional Mortgage Loans or for Other Mortgage Loans for which Fannie Mae Bears the Risk of Loss
• E-4.5-02, Filing MI Claims for FHA Mortgage Loans
• E-4.5-03, Filing MI Claims for FHA Coinsured Mortgage Loans
• E-4.5-04, Filing MI Claims for FHA Title I Loans
• E-4.5-05, Filing MI Claims for HUD Section 184 Mortgage Loans
• E-4.5-06, Filing MI Claims for VA Mortgage Loans
• E-4.5-07, Filing MI Claims for RD Mortgage Loans
• E-5-01, Requesting Reimbursement for Expenses
• E-5-02, Servicer Responsibilities Prior to Requesting Reimbursement of Attorney Fees and Costs
• E-5-03, Allowable Bankruptcy Fees
• E-5-04, Allowable Foreclosure Fees
• E-5-05, Reimbursing Law Firms/Reimbursement of Uncollected Fees, Costs or Advances
• E-5-06, Technology Fees and Electronic Invoicing
• E-5-07, Other Reimbursable Default-Related Legal Expenses
• F-1-01, Servicing ARM Loans
• F-1-02, Escrow, Taxes, Assessments, and Insurance
• F-1-03, Establishing and Implementing Custodial Accounts
• F-1-04, Evaluating a Request for the Release, or Partial Release, of Property Securing a Mortgage Loan
• F-1-05, Expense Reimbursement
• F-1-06, Filing an MI Claim for a Liquidated Mortgage Loan or Acquired Property
• F-1-07, Handling Property Forfeitures and Seizures
• F-1-08, Managing Foreclosure Proceedings
• F-1-09, Processing Mortgage Loan Payments and Payoffs
• F-1-10, Obtaining and Executing Legal Documents
• F-1-11, Post-Delivery Servicing Transfers
• F-1-12, Preparing to Implement a Workout Option
• F-1-13, Processing a Fannie Mae Mortgage Release (Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure)
• F-1-14, Processing a Fannie Mae Short Sale
• F-1-15, Processing a Government Mortgage Loan Modification
• F-1-16, Processing a Repayment Plan
• F-1-17, Processing a Transfer of Ownership
• F-1-18, Processing a Workout Incentive Fee
• F-1-19, Processing a Military Indulgence
• F-1-20, Remitting and Accounting to Fannie Mae
• F-1-21, Reporting a Delinquent Mortgage Loan via Fannie Mae’s Servicing Solutions System
• F-1-22, Reporting a Workout Option via Fannie Mae’s Servicing Solutions System
• F-1-23, Reporting to Third Parties
• F-1-24, Requesting Fannie Mae’s Approval via Fannie Mae’s Servicing Solutions System
• F-1-25, Reclassifying or Voluntary Repurchasing an MBS Mortgage Loan
• F-1-26, Servicing eMortgages
• F-1-27, Processing a Fannie Mae Flex Modification
• F-1-28, Reviewing a Transfer of Ownership for Credit and Financial Capacity
• F-2-01, Bankruptcy Referral and Completion Timelines
• F-2-02, Incentive Fees for Workout Options
• F-2-03, Compensatory Fee Calculation Examples
• F-2-04, Firm Minimum Requirements
• F-2-05, Historical Yield Differential Adjustment Provisions
• F-2-06, Mortgage Insurer Delegations for Workout Options
• F-2-07, Reporting the Principal Amount for Mortgage Loans with Principal Forbearance
• F-2-08, Servicing Fees for MBS Mortgage Loans
• F-2-09, Servicing Fees for Portfolio Mortgage Loans
• F-2-10, Fannie Mae’s Workout Hierarchy
• F-3-01, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: A
• F-3-02, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: B
• F-3-03, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: C
• F-3-04, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: D
• F-3-05, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: E
• F-3-06, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: F
• F-3-07, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: G
• F-3-08, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: H
• F-3-09, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: I
• F-3-10, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: J
• F-3-11, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: K
• F-3-12, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: L
• F-3-13, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: M
• F-3-14, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: N
• F-3-15, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: O
• F-3-16, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: P
• F-3-17, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: Q
• F-3-18, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: R
• F-3-19, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: S
• F-3-20, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: T
• F-3-21, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: U
• F-3-22, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: V
• F-3-23, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: W
• F-3-24, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: X
• F-3-25, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: Y
• F-3-26, Acronyms and Glossary of Defined Terms: Z
• F-4-01, References to Fannie Mae's Website
• F-4-02, List of Contacts
• F-4-03, List of Lender Contracts

Mortgage Assignment Definition

It is important for real estate students and agents to understand how mortgage assignment takes place. As a real estate professional, I will help you define mortgage assignments for your real estate exam.

What Is Mortgage Assignment?

Mortgage lenders have the right to assign and sell their mortgages to other parties, while borrowers are not. If a borrower transfers their mortgage to another person, it is called an assumed mortgage.

How Does Assignment of Mortgage Take Place?

Effects of mortgage assignments.

Another thing that might change after mortgage assignment is the process that the lender will follow if the borrower defaults. Mortgage lenders use different notification methods, which the borrower must be familiar with to avoid confusion. The following are the effects of the assignment of mortgage:

Notice to Borrower

Modification, effects on escrow payments, mortgage assignment example, frequently asked questions, who files the assignment of mortgage, what happens after mortgage assignment, why do lenders sell mortgages, what is assignment fraud, what to know for the real estate exam.

A mortgage assignment is when the original lender transfers the mortgage to a new lender. This type of assignment is common between lenders who sell mortgages to each other. Lenders sell mortgages to free up capital and buy more mortgages to offer them to other borrowers. Mortgage assignment doesn’t change anything for the borrower, except that the borrower has to make mortgage payments to the new lender.

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• Mortgage Claims by Assignee Mortgagees: Evidencing the Right to the Mortgagee’s Remedies

Mortgage Claims by Assignee Mortgagees: Evidencing the Right to the Mortgagee’s Remedies 02 September 2020

It has long been a known problem in mortgage law that s.114 of the Law of Property Act 1925, which automatically transfers the right to the mortgage debt when the mortgage is transferred by deed, does not apply to registered land. That has been clear since at least Paragon Finance Plc v Pender [2005] EWCA Civ 760 by reference to the Land Registration Act 1925. Thus, for registered land, the debt must be assigned separately . Pender, however, also makes clear that the registered proprietor of a legal charge has the right to possession, even if no right to the debt.

Despite these long-standing principles, mortgage cases brought by an assignee of the mortgage often face defences that they  are not  entitled to the relief they have sought. One solution, to produce the deed of assignment, can raise issues about redaction of non-relevant parts, when one deed transfers many mortgages.

Two recent cases discuss these issues. On procedure, the court has considered the more general question of when a party can redact parts of a document which the court is asked to construe on the basis that such parts are irrelevant. On substantive law, the courts have recently considered which documents are necessary to evidence an assignment of a debt secured by mortgage. In this paper, we consider issues of evidence in light of those cases and discuss the practical implications for practitioners, particularly in the context of mortgages.

Production of Documentary Evidence

The first part of this paper looks at redaction of documents in the context of disclosure.

Standard disclosure, under CPR 31, that is the production of documents on which a party relies or which may adversely affect or support a parties case, is an intrinsic part of the way civil ligation operates. Trials are not to be conducted by ambush thus each party must have an adequate opportunity to deal with the other side’s evidence fairly. That said, there are a number of rules of both law and procedure which can operate to prevent the production of relevant documents in a given case; litigation privilege is one obvious example. But what about the redaction of documents adduced as evidence by one party on the ground of confidentiality or irrelevance?

The practice of blanking out parts of documents is not a new one. Practitioners have routinely done so where part of the document is privileged or contains what they consider to be irrelevant material. In  GE Capital v Bankers Trust  [1995] 1 W.L.R. 172, CA, just before the introduction of the Civil Procedure Rules, Hoffmann LJ said:

“It has long been the practice that a party is entitled to seal up or cover up parts of a document which he claims to be irrelevant … In my view, the test for whether on discovery part of a document can be withheld on grounds of irrelevance is simply whether that part is irrelevant. The test for whether part can be withheld on grounds of privilege is simply whether that part is privileged. There is no additional requirement that the part must deal with an entirely different subject-matter from the rest.”

Redaction within the CPR has been discussed in the more recent case of Atos Consulting v Avis Plc [2007] EWHC 323 (TCC). In that case, Ramsey J gave guidance as to the correct judicial approach to be taken where the documents disclosed by one party were redacted and another party, by application, sought to challenge the redactions, either on the ground of lack of privilege or on the ground that the redacted text was relevant. At 37 the following 5 helpful principles as to redaction were outlined:

“(1)  The Court has to consider the evidence produced on the application.

(2)  If the Court is satisfied that the right to withhold inspection of a document is established by the evidence and there are no sufficient grounds for challenging the correctness of that asserted right, the Court will uphold the right.

(3)  If the Court is not satisfied that the right to withhold inspection is established because, for instance, the evidence does not establish a legal right to withhold inspection then the Court will order inspection of the documents.

(4)  If sufficient grounds are shown for challenging the correctness of the asserted right then the Court may order further evidence to be produced on oath or, if there is no other appropriate method of properly deciding whether the right to withhold inspection should be upheld, it may decide to inspect the documents.

(5)  If it decides to inspect then having inspected the documents it may invite representations.”

There is, however, a distinction between application to redaction of the rules which apply when a party is giving disclosure of documents in the ordinary course of litigation, and the separate question of the relevance of redaction in the process of construction of a document which a court has to embark upon when considering the meaning or legal effect of a document. Since the process of construction requires the document as a whole to be considered, the starting point must always be that the entire document should be made available to the court, and any redactions to it on grounds of irrelevance should either be forbidden or, if permitted at all, convincingly justified and kept to an absolute minimum. This situation, where the redacted document needs to be construed, is the precise issue raised in the recent Court of Appeal decision of Hancock v Promontoria (Chestnut) Ltd [2020] EWCA Civ 907.

Hancock v Promontoria (Chestnut) Ltd [2020] EWCA Civ 907

In Hancock, Promontoria Chestnut sought to recover the payment of an undisputed debt of approximately £4.09 million by serving a statutory demand. The debt represented the unsecured balance due under loans originally made to Mr Hancock by Clydesdale Bank PLC. Promontoria Chestnut claimed to have acquired title to the loans by assignment, and in the Statutory Demand, Promontoria Chestnut claimed to be entitled to all of the Bank’s rights by virtue of a deed of assignment.

Proceedings were brought by Mr Hancock to set aside the statutory demand. In them, Mr Hancock sought to challenge Promontoria Chestnut’s title to the debts on the basis that the copy of the Deed of Assignment, which Promontoria Chestnut had put in evidence, had been redacted heavily. Promontoria Chestnut’s solicitor had produced a witness statement explaining the reasons for the redactions, pointing in the main to the irrelevance of the materials redacted to the issue to be determined. However, Mr Hancock argued that the redacted deed of assignment was insufficient to prove Promontoria Chestnut’s title and its corresponding status as a lawful assignee. He said that part of the redactions related to the very clauses which the court was required to construe.

Notwithstanding the arguments of principle advanced, Mr Hancock was unable to produce any credible evidence casting doubt on the title of Promontoria Chestnut to the debts. The Court highlighted the fact that this was not a case where Promontoria Chestnut was required to prove its title to sue Mr Hancock and viewed in context, the redactions to the deed of assignment faded into relative insignificance. It was held that the unredacted parts of the deed were sufficient to show that title to Mr Hancock’s debts indeed had been assigned by the Bank to Promontoria Chestnut.

However, in reaching its decision the Court of Appeal considered the scope of the law on this issue of redaction more generally and the basis on which a party to proceedings could rely on redacted documents.

When Can Redacted Documents be Relied On?

It is settled law that a written contract has to be construed as a whole, in the light of admissible evidence of the relevant background facts (or surrounding circumstances) known to both parties at or before the time when the contract was made, but excluding evidence of prior negotiations. In Wood v Capita Insurance Services Ltd [2017] UKSC 24, [2017] AC 1173, per Lord Hodge JSC (with whose judgment the other members of the Supreme Court agreed) at [10], it was said:

“The court’s task is to ascertain the objective meaning of the language which the parties have chosen to express their agreement. It has long been accepted that this is not a literalist exercise focused solely on a parsing of the wording of the particular clause but that the court must consider the contract as a whole and, depending on the nature, formality and quality of drafting of the contract, give more or less weight to elements of the wider context in reaching its view as to that objective meaning.”

How can such a task can be properly undertaken by the court where part of the document has been redacted so that the court does not have before it the entirety of the relevant contract? Construction of a written document is a matter of law for the court, and questions of relevance require an evaluative judgment which it is for the court, not the solicitor of one of the parties, to perform. Thus, in Hancock , Mr Hancock argued that as a matter of principle, it was no answer to an objection to production of a redacted document only to say that the redactions were certified by an experienced solicitor as being irrelevant to the question which the court has to decide.

However, Mr Hancock’s submission that the court should simply refuse to engage with the construction of the deed of assignment in its redacted form because it is not in a position to construe it as a whole went too far. There could be no such rigid rule which admitted no exceptions. For example, there can be no reasonable objection to redaction, on the grounds of irrelevance, of the details of third party loan assets and title numbers in the schedule to the deed of assignment or the personal details of signatories and/or attesting witnesses. Those details were unlikely to have any bearing on the construction of the operative clauses of the Deed, particularly, in relation to the personal details of signatories and witnesses, where there was no issue in the case concerning its due execution.

However, even in such a clear case  a clear explanation must be provided of the nature and extent of the omissions, and the reasons for making them. Where it was obvious that the provisions in question would on any reasonable view be completely irrelevant to the issue of construction, and if the reasons for taking that view can be clearly and fully articulated by a solicitor acting for the party seeking the redaction, the court will be more inclined to accept that the redaction may be defensible.

In Hancock , it was held that, in general, irrelevance alone cannot be a proper ground for redaction of part of a document which the court is asked to construe, and there must be some additional feature, such as protection of privacy or confidentiality, relied upon to justify the redaction.

Conversely, however, it is seldom, if ever, that it would be appropriate for one party unilaterally to redact provisions in a contractual document which the court is being asked to construe, merely on grounds of confidentiality, where there is no irrelevance in the text redacted. Confidentiality alone cannot be a good reason for redacting an otherwise relevant provision in a contractual document which the court has to construe, and where there are other ways in which problems of that nature can be addressed, by allowing the unredacted document to be available to a ‘confidentiality ring’: the court and a limited number of the parties’ lawyers for example.

Thus, where a redacted document is to be construed, redactions, to be defensible, must be on the grounds of irrelevance and privacy, or irrelevance and confidentiality, not on one of irrelevance, privacy, or confidentiality alone.

The Emmanuel Decision

Just prior to the Court of Appeal decision in Hancock , the High Court (Marcus Smith J) had considered the issue of a redacted assignment of a mortgage in Promontoria (Oak) Limited v Nicholas Michael Emanuel and Nicola Jane Emanuel [2020] EWHC 104 (Ch) (“ Emanuel I ”) but in the different situation of the assignee mortgagee’s claim.

This case involved another company within the Promontoria group, Promontoria (Oak) Limited. Promontoria Oak brought possession proceedings against the defendants, Mr and Mrs Emanuel, owners of residential property in Cornwall charged as security for business loans to Clydesdale Bank. Promontoria sought possession and a money judgment as the assignee of the Bank, relying on a deed of assignment as evidence of the same.

Similar to the position in the Hancock case, in Emanuel, Promontoria put in evidence a significantly redacted version of the assignment, alleging that the redactions contained commercially sensitive material which had no bearing upon the existence and effectiveness of the assignment. Again as in the Hancock case, written notice of the assignment had been given to the Emanuels.

At first instance it was held that Promontoria Oak was entitled to possession of the property and a money judgment was given. The judge at first instance had made his decision with only a redacted version of the deed of assignment, plus some additional evidence, before him. This decision was appealed by the Emanuels on various grounds, including, as ground 1, that, as a matter of evidential rules, the judge had been wrong in exercising his discretion to admit the redacted version of the assignment into evidence. He could not be satisfied, as he had to be to allow the redacted version to be admitted, that the redacted passages were of confidential and irrelevant material because he could not be satisfied on the evidence that they were irrelevant.

This first ground of appeal was successful. The judge at first instance was wrong to admit the redacted assignment deed into evidence. He had failed to have regard to the implications of the evidence that was not before him, and ought to have seen the unredacted assignment. Marcus Smith J said that there was a significant probative difference between the primary evidence that was not before the court and the secondary evidence that was before the court. Even if the judge could conclude on the adduced evidence that the debt had been assigned, it did not follow that evidence not adduced, for example the redacted material, was irrelevant. The evidence not adduced could undermine the conclusion based on the adduced evidence. The judge had failed to pay proper regard to this important factor. 

This was in the context of some uncertainty in the correspondence with the Emanuels as to who, of various Promontoria entities, the assignee for this mortgage was to be. What was said in the correspondence did not sit easily with what the redacted assignment deed showed, and it was unclear that Promontoria Oak had had the mortgage assigned to it via a chain of assignments through the Promontoria entities. In saying that no other documents were needed to prove Promontoria Oaks title to commence proceedings he was simply wrong. He was thus wrong to conclude that the redacted material was irrelevant, and thus wrong to conclude that there was sufficient justification for redaction to allow the redacted assignment to be admitted into evidence. Promontoria Oak had not thus done enough to prove its claim.

What did the Court of Appeal in Hancock make of this earlier decision about redaction in Emanuel I? Since there was a pending application for permission to appeal in Emanuel I, it limited its comments. It did however make three observations.

First, it was noted that the High Court in Emanuel I had rejected grounds 2 and 3, that the redacted deed if admitted into evidence was not enough to prove Promontoria Oak’s title. Marcus Smith J concluded in Emnauel I  that the trial judge had clearly been entitled, on the redacted assignment adduced before him, to reach the conclusion that the mortgage and debt had been assigned to Promontoria Oak. Nevertheless, the appeal succeeded on ground 1, that there should have been no admission of the redacted assignment into evidence, as the trial judge’s decision to permit Promontoria Oak to rely on the redacted deed “was so flawed that it must be set aside”.

Secondly, there are significant differences between the facts in the Emanuel case and that of Hancock. Promontoria Oak had to establish its title to sue, as the claimant in Part 55 proceedings for possession and a money judgment. By contrast, Mr Hancock was seeking to set aside a statutory demand, and the burden was on him to show the existence of a substantial dispute. In addition, in Emanuel I, unlike in Hancock , there was little evidence from Promontoria Oak’s solicitors to explain the commercial background to the assignment, reasons for the redactions, and informing the court that he had inspected an unredacted version of the assignment so as to verify it’s irrelevance to the issues in dispute as there was in Hancock.

Finally, the parties to the litigation and the assignment relied upon in the two cases were of course different, though the Court of Appeal in Hancock noted that the redactions appeared to be rather similar.

In light of these key differences, the outcome of any Emmanuel I appeal is far from a forgone conclusion. Indeed the tone of the Court of Appeal’s commentary in Hancock does not suggest that those particular Justices of Appeal at least agreed with Marcus Smith J. It appears that they might happily have concluded that it was enough that the redacted assignment proved Promontoria Oak’s title. That does seem a likely more practical outcome. The Emanuels’ appeals do appear likely to be simply a delaying tactic.

Evidencing Assignment

A further aspect of the Hancock case related to the effect in law of the notice of the assignment from the Bank to Promontoria Chestnut, given to Mr Hancock. Section 136 of the Law of Property Act 1925 (“ LPA 1925 ”) provides that an absolute assignment by writing of any debt or thing in action, of which express notice in writing is given to the debtor, is effectual in law to pass and transfer the legal right to the debt, all legal and other remedies and the power to give a good discharge without the concurrence of the assignor.

Thus, in Hancock , if the deed of assignment did assign the benefit of Mr Hancock’s debts to the Bank to Promontoria Chestnut, then the giving of express written notice of that assignment to Mr Hancock would transfer the legal title to the debts, together with all remedies for them. There was no evidence in that case that the Bank had ever disputed the validity of the assignment to Promontoria Chestnut or that Mr Hancock had ever asked the Bank to confirm that it no longer had any claims against him in respect of the debts. Mr Hancock would be fully protected by section 136 if he were to make payment to Promontoria Chestnut because the effect of s.136 was to prevent the Bank making a separate claim for the debt. Because of s.136, Promontoria Chestnut could give good receipt for any payments of his debt that Mr Hancock made. In the context of his application to set aside Promontoria Chestnut’s statutory demand, Mr Hancock’s assertion that the debt was disputed on substantial grounds had a correspondingly hollow ring.

The operation of s.136 LPA 1925, and the contrast of its role in assignment of a debt to the role of registration of an assignment of a charge in passing a mortgagee’s proprietary rights, has also been given recent consideration by the High Court in yet another piece of Promontoria litigation, Promontoria (Oak) Limited v Nicholas Michael Emanuel and Nicola Jane Emanuel [2020] EWHC 563 (Ch) (“ Emanuel II ”).

In a hearing of the order to be made given the Emmanuel I decision, Promontoria Oak successfully argued that the first instance orders for possession and a money judgment should be upheld, despite its inability to rely on the redacted deed of assignment, but on the alternative ground that it had title to sue and recover possession in its capacity as registered proprietor of the legal charge granted by the Emanuels over their property.

Marcus Smith J agreed. He held that as the registered proprietor of charge on property, Promontoria Oak had title and therefore standing to claim possession. The claim based on the proprietary interest succeeded simply because of the company's registration of its assigned mortgage pursuant to the Land Registration Act 2002 (“ LRA 2002 ”). This is simply the Paragon Finance Plc v Pender [2005] EWCA Civ 760 point: the right to possession goes with registration of the legal owner of a legal charge.

What about the money claim? Under s.114 LPA 1925 a deed purporting to transfer a mortgage carries with it a right to sue for the mortgage money or any unpaid part of it. Yet s.114 does not apply to registered land. One must thus make a distinction between the remedies of an assignee of a mortgagee’s rights in its guise as registered proprietor, and reliance on the deed of assignment. Thus Promontoria Oak could not rely on the deed of assignment and s.136 LPA 1925 because there was no evidence as to the deed in evidence before the court. However it could succeed on its possession claim as registered proprietor of the charge over the Emanuels’ land.

Moreover, Marcus Smith J concluded, though without much detail in reasoning, that ‘by analogy with section 114’ and pursuant to s.51 LRA 2002, Promontoria Oak had a right to claim any outstanding debt as the holder of the proprietary interest, even though it could not rely on the deed of assignment to show assignment of the right to the debt. This appears to be a strengthening of the position. Post Paragon Finance it appeared that the debt had to be assigned separately in cases of registered land if a money claim was to succeed. Nevertheless the minimal reasoning on this issue in Emanuel II should be noted. Marcus Smith J made reference to s.51 LR 2002. However, unlike s.114 LPA 1925, s.51 LRA 2002 does not explicitly refer to the transfer of the right to sue.

This judgment in Emanuel II , however, is also subject to an outstanding application for permission to appeal. If permission is given, it will be useful to see what the Court of Appeal makes of the long vexed question of assignment of the mortgage debt and whether it is a result of registeration as legal owner of a mortgage despite the lack of application of the useful machinery of s.114 of the 1925 Act. If there is no equivalent of s.114, then the registered proprietor of a mortgage, who took as assignee of the charge, can require the debt secured, plus interest and costs, to be paid to it as a condition of redemption, since that is inherent in a mortgage. Yet that assignee may have to account to the original lender, and, subject to the decision in Emanuel II , may not be able to sue for the debt. An odd position.

Pending any such appeal, Emanuel II is a useful case outlining the law under the 2002 Act and what registration as proprietor of a charge necessarily carries with it. The result of the findings made by the court was that Promontoria Oak effectively sidestepped the issues concerning its redacted documents and achieved its aims via a different route.

The Practicalities

What evidence to adduce?

When a assignee of a mortgage is claiming possession, or the other clear proprietary remedies, sale or the appointment of a receiver, it need only plead its registered title to the charge and that is sufficient to establish its right. That has long been the case, since the decision in Paragon Finance v Pender . That is so even if its registration is a mistake, unless and until that registration is unwound by a claim for rectification of the Land Register.

What if a claim for a money judgment is sought? Though the common current practice is always to seek a money judgment with a possession claim, since the registered mortgagee is entitled to the debt, interest and costs, out of the proceeds of its sale, a money judgment might only be needed if a shortfall is feared, or clarity as to what is owed is sought before sale.

However, if a money judgment is sought, at present at least, pending any appeal of Emanuel II , registration as mortgagee it appears should suffice. By s.51 of the LRA 2002, any assignee once registered is entitled to make a claim for the debt.

When to redact?

What if an assignment of a mortgage is to be produced, for example if the mortgage is not registered, or if the Emanuel II decision is overturned? What should practice be on redaction?

Where documents are redacted it is important for the other side to be able to understand the basis for it, and for the disclosing party to provide an explanation. A witness statement ought to be produced explaining the background to the redacted document, reasons for the redactions and informing the court that the complete version had inspected so as to verify it’s irrelevance to the issues in dispute. It should be prepared in quite some detail, and redactions kept to a minimum. Thus, for example, in Hancock the redactions were said to be far more extensive than needed and the evidence provided by Promontoria Chestnut’s solicitor would have been of greater assistance to the court if he had condescended to greater detail about the specific reasons for particular redactions.

As for the redactions themselves, where part of a document is irrelevant but not confidential, then it might be simpler to disclose it in its entirety. Where the issue is one of confidentiality however, then the issue of redaction arises. If the document can be separated into distinct parts, where one is confidential and the other isn’t, it may be a straightforward process. For example, if a document attaches board minutes or a schedule of third-party transactions which are irrelevant to the litigation.

In some cases there will be real issues about the admissibility of a redacted version. In such cases, another approach will be needed, for example the use of a confidentiality ring within which the document could be made available in its unredacted form to the court and/or a limited number of lawyers on each side may offer a practical solution. Another approach might be for the parties to agree for the judge alone to see the document in its unredacted form.

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2 September 2020

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• Bank Litigation

MERS Requires No Authorization to Assign Mortgage

A Judge of the Massachusetts Superior Court, relying on earlier Massachusetts Appeals Court cases, has held that Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. (“MERS”) does not need authorization from the holder of the promissory note secured by a mortgage before assigning the mortgage to another entity. O’Neil et al. v. The Bank of New York Mellon, 33 Mass. L. Rptr. 1, 8 (Mass. Super. July 20, 2015).

In O’Neil , Plaintiffs refinanced their mortgage in 2007, executing a promissory note in favor of Countrywide Home Loans, Inc. d/b/a America’s Wholesale Lender (“AWL”). The corresponding mortgage in favor of MERS, as nominee for AWL and AWL’s successors and assigns, granted MERS the power of sale and the right to exercise all interests of the lender, including the right to foreclose and sell the property. Sometime in 2011, the Plaintiffs defaulted on their loan. On September 19, 2011, MERS assigned the mortgage to The Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM”) as trustee for certificate holders of a securitized loan trust. In 2014, BNYM’s loan servicer initiated foreclosure proceedings and recorded documents certifying that BNYM was the holder of the mortgage and the owner or authorized agent of the holder of the note.

Plaintiffs filed suit to stop the foreclosure proceedings, arguing that: (1) the assignment of the mortgage to BNYM was invalid because the assignment to BNYM occurred after the closing of the trust according to its Pooling and Servicing Agreement (the “PSA”); (2) MERS, as “nominee” for the lender, was not a valid mortgagee; and (3) MERS, in the alternative, could only act at the specific direction of the lender, AWL.

The Court relied on The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. v. Wain, 85 Mass.App.Ct. 490, 502-503 (2014) to dispose of the claimed violation of the trust’s PSA. While acknowledging that borrowers have standing to challenge “void” assignments, the Court held that, under Wain , the borrowers’ assertions regarding the PSA would render the assignment merely “voidable” at the election of one of the parties to the assignment, a claim that the borrowers lacked standing to raise. Relying on Haskins v. Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., 86 Mass.App.Ct. 632, 642 (2014) , the Court further found that bare legal title to the mortgage, or “nominee” status, is sufficient to allow MERS to act as a mortgagee and execute a valid assignment.

The Court also found that Plaintiffs’ reliance on Farmer v. Federal Nat’l Mortgage Assoc., 2013 WL 1976240 (Mass. Super. 2013) for the proposition that MERS required specific direction or authorization for its assignment, was misplaced. The Court noted that Farmer was not binding, and further, was currently on appeal. In fact, although not noted by the O’Neil opinion, the Farmer decision had been reversed by the Appeals Court on May 15, 2015, in an unpublished, Rule 1:28 opinion. Farmer v. Federal National Mortgage Assoc. et al., 2015 WL 2260023 (Mass.App.Ct. May 15, 2015). More importantly, the Court found that the decision in Sullivan v. Kondaur Capital Corp., 85 Mass.App.Ct. 202, 209 (2014) expressly rejected the assertion that MERS needed to either hold the note or have direction from the holder of the note in order to execute a valid assignment.

Bank Litigation , Foreclosure Litigation , MERS

by Ryan Cunningham | Oct 6, 2015

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What does assignment mean and why would a lender want to assign a mortgage loan?

Keeping this in consideration, what does it mean when a mortgage is assigned?

An assignment of mortgage is a document which indicates that a mortgage has been transferred from the original lender or borrower to a third party. Assignments of mortgage are more commonly seen when lenders sell mortgages to other lenders. This document indicates that the loan obligation has been transferred.

Besides, what is the lender's right of assignment?

Lender's Right to Assign Sample Clauses. Lender's Right to Assign. Lender shall have the right to assign, transfer, sell, negotiate, pledge or otherwise hypothecate this Agreement and any of its rights and security hereunder, including the Note, Security Instrument, and any other Loan Documents.

Assignment of mortgage should be recorded before the government authority that deals with property ownership, property taxes, etc. If you are a borrower and you receive a notice that your mortgage has been transferred to another lender, you should get in touch with your lender and confirm it.

Does the note follow the mortgage?

When a note has been transferred, the mortgage securing it automatically follows . This rule is codified in the UCC section 9-203. The maxim that the " mortgage follows the note " has been followed in most states, including Florida, New York, Ohio, Texas and California.

Can you foreclose on an unrecorded mortgage?

If the borrower on a recorded mortgage defaults, the lender can foreclose and either be paid in full or receive the property. However, if a mortgage or deed of trust was not recorded, the lender cannot foreclose against the property, just against the defaulting borrower personally.

Who is the assignee in a mortgage?

An assignee is a person, company or entity who receives the transfer of property, title or rights from a contract. The assignee receives the transfer from the assignor . For example, an assignee may receive the title to a piece of real estate from an assignor .

What makes a mortgage valid?

A mortgage need not be recorded to be valid , however, an unrecorded mortgage gives rights only between the mortgagor and the mortgagee. Mortgages generally have priority over subsequently recorded and unrecorded land interests from the time they are recorded.

What is a loan assumption?

A loan assumption is a transaction in which a person (the “assumptor”) obtains an ownership interest in real property from another person and accepts responsibility for the terms, payments and obligations of that other person's mortgage loan .

What is mortgage modification?

It is a procedure by which the lender can modify the terms and conditions of the mortgage . It is generally used when the borrower is not in a position to adhere to the original terms agreed with the lender, but it can also be used to get rid of your mortgage in lesser time by making higher payments.

What does it mean to endorse a promissory note?

Endorsement of a promissory note Endorsement consists of a mandatory signature and (optional) words qualifying that act. The payee, who is then using the note as a financial instrument, becomes the endorser and the party receiving the note is the endorsee, the new holder of the promissory note .

What is allonge to note mean?

Allonge . Additional paper firmly attached to Commercial Paper, such as a promissory note , to provide room to write endorsements. An allonge is necessary when there is insufficient space on the document itself for the endorsements.

Can a lender foreclose without the original note?

If a lender who was not the original holder of your promissory note has initiated a foreclosure action against you, the lender must prove that it has standing to foreclose on your home in the place of the original lender . If they cannot do so, you may be entitled to have the complaint against you dismissed.

What is a mom loan?

MOM Loan means a Mortgage Loan with respect to which the granting clause of the uniform security instrument has been modified according to Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac requirements so that the borrower grants the mortgage to MERS rather than to the original lender and which, when recorded, reflects MERS as the original

What is an assignment document?

A deed of assignment refers to a legal document that records the transfer of ownership of a real estate property from one party to another. It states that a specific piece of property will belong to the assignee and no longer belong to the assignor starting from a specified date.

What is an assignment of deed of trust in a foreclosure?

An assignment of trust deed is a document that lenders use when they sell loans secured by trust deeds . While they can freely sell the promissory notes between themselves, the trust deeds that give them the right to foreclose have to be assigned with a legal document.

What does assignment of rents mean?

Sometimes called Assignment of Leases, Rents and Profits or simply Assignment of Rents , this is a document attached to a mortgage loan agreement which entitles the lender to any income (from leases, rents , etc.) derived from the property once the owner defaults on the loan.

What is loan assignment?

Assignment of loan . by Practical Law Finance. A standard form deed of assignment under which a lender (the assignor) assigns its rights relating to a facility agreement (also known as a loan agreement) to a new lender (the assignee).

Who owns MERS mortgage?

MERSCORP Holdings, Inc.

Can MERS discharge a mortgage?

( MERS )— discharges the mortgage and removes its lien on the property. Because your title search revealed that MERS possessed the only outstanding interest against the property, you are satisfied that the title is free from adverse claims.

What is MERS assignment?

Each time a mortgage is sold from one bank to another, an assignment —a document showing that the mortgage has been transferred—is, theoretically, prepared and recorded in the county land records. ( MERS ) is a company that the mortgage banking industry created to simply this process.

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Casey Mize starts rehab assignment, but not eligible to join Detroit Tigers until Aug. 30

Right-hander Casey Mize expressed frustration when the Detroit Tigers transferred him to the 60-day injured list . He wants to pitch for the Tigers as soon as possible, but the Tigers forced a longer-than-expected return from a left hamstring strain .

The Tigers won't be able to activate Mize from the injured list until Aug. 30 because of the injured-list transaction , even though he began his rehab assignment Thursday with Triple-A Toledo.

Mize hasn't pitched for the Tigers since June 30.

He was placed on the injured list July 1.

ACE: Tigers' Tarik Skubal discusses trade deadline: 'It's kind of a compliment'

"We want to get him ready as fast as possible," manager A.J. Hinch said before Sunday's game. "Starting pitchers are really hard to plan out because to build up them up to have five (innings) and 75 (pitches), or six and 85, where they can have a normal start, that's like a three-and-a-half week process, given the time off in between, and even when they throw their last rehab, say it's in the August 20-25 range, there's still a five-day period after that before they will be usable in the big leagues."

Here's what happened at the end of July: The Tigers had to open a spot on the 40-man roster for left-handed reliever Bryan Sammons because they needed a healthy arm, but instead of cutting lefty reliever Eason Lucas or refusing to acquire righty reliever Ricky Vanasco, the Tigers transferred Mize from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day injured list , thus clearing space on the 40-man roster for Sammons.

Mize wasn't pleased .

"Before, I went to Casey and talked to him, just about the timing," Hinch said Tuesday on MLB Network Radio's "Power Alley," hosted by Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquette. "He's been out such a long time. It really is going to be a spring training build up. Given the time of the year, we're not going to speed it up. We're not going to risk tweaking something and all of a sudden he misses the year because these innings are really important for this year, they're also really important for a baseline moving forward. We told him we were going to be a little bit slow."

In the 2024 season, Mize has a 4.23 ERA with 21 walks and 58 strikeouts across 78⅔ innings in 16 starts. The 27-year-old missed all of 2023 recovering from elbow surgery and back surgery in 2022, so he hasn't thrown this many innings since 2021.

The Tigers selected Mize with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 draft.

"As we needed a roster spot, I explained to him, 'If you were going to be ready like the last week of August, if you push it back a couple of games, that's very important for our team now,'" Hinch continued on MLB Network Radio. "Afterwards, it's just the reality. You're going to be ready on the 20th or 25th, and you need another five days before you can pitch anyway. It wasn't really going to impact where he was, and given that we needed relief work by Bryan Sammons, and we needed pitcher after pitcher, I didn't really want to think about August 25-30. I wanted to think about today. We needed innings today."

[ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts ( Apple , Spotify ) ]

As of now, the Tigers only have two starting pitchers — ace Tarik Skubal and rookie Keider Montero — in the starting rotation, along with 11 pitchers in the bullpen, including long relievers Sammons, Kenta Maeda and Brant Hurter .

KERRY BONDS: Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter begins rehab assignment in Triple-A Toledo

Mize isn't eligible to join Skubal and Montero in the rotation until Aug. 30, which is the opener of a three-game series against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park.

After Thursday's start, Mize appears lined up to pitch Aug. 13, Aug. 18 and Aug. 24 for the Mud Hens before joining the Tigers. His innings in his first rehab start will be dictated by his pitch count.

The Tigers hope Mize will pitch multiple innings Thursday for Triple-A Toledo against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp, an affiliate of the Miami Marlins, at Fifth Third Field.

Contact Evan Petzold at  [email protected]  or follow him  @EvanPetzold .

Listen to our weekly Tigers show  "Days of Roar"  every Monday afternoon on demand at freep.com,  Apple ,  Spotify  or wherever you listen to podcasts. And catch all of our podcasts and daily voice briefing at  freep.com/podcasts .

Today’s average refinance rates

Current refinance rate trends, what to expect from refinance rates this year, what to know about refinancing, choosing the right refinance type and term, reasons to refinance, refi rates drop over the last week: mortgage refinance rates on aug. 9, 2024.

Multiple benchmark refinance rates are lower. If you're shopping for the best refinance rate, keep an eye out for lower rates.

Katherine Watt

Katherine Watt is a CNET Money writer focusing on mortgages, home equity and banking. She previously wrote about personal finance for NextAdvisor. Based in New York, Katherine graduated summa cum laude from Colgate University with a bachelor's degree in English literature.

Laura Michelle Davis

Laura is a professional nitpicker and good-humored troubleshooter with over 10 years of experience in print and digital publishing. Before becoming an editor with CNET, she worked as an English teacher, Spanish medical interpreter, copy editor and proofreader. She is a fearless but flexible defender of both grammar and weightlifting, and firmly believes that technology should serve the people. Her first computer was a Macintosh Plus.

CNET staff -- not advertisers, partners or business interests -- determine how we review the products and services we cover. If you buy through our links, we may get paid.

• 30-year fixed-rate 6.50% (-0.27)
• 15-year fixed-rate 5.86% (-0.35)
• 30-year fixed-rate jumbo 6.68% (-0.22)
• 5/1 ARM 6.20% (-0.28)
• 10-year fixed-rate 5.82% (-0.30)
• 30-year fixed-rate refinance 6.50% (-0.29)
• 15-year fixed-rate refinance 5.91% (-0.34)
• 10-year fixed refinance 5.83% (-0.32)

Today's rates

As mortgage rates start to fall, be ready to take advantage. Experts recommend shopping around and comparing multiple offers to get the lowest rate. Enter your information here to get a custom quote from one of CNET’s partner lenders.

About these rates: Like CNET, Bankrate is owned by Red Ventures. This tool features partner rates from lenders that you can use when comparing multiple mortgage rates.

Following cooling inflation reports and weakening jobs data, mortgage refinance rates have been slowly dropping. Still, the majority of homeowners currently have mortgage rates well below 6%, meaning the financial incentive to refinance simply isn’t there yet.

But there’s always an exception to the rule: If you purchased a house when mortgage rates were above 8% late last year, the recent dip in rates might be enticing enough for you to consider refinancing.

While experts don’t anticipate another refinancing boom like we saw in 2020 and 2021 when mortgage rates hit historic lows, it’s a positive sign that rates are tending to move downward or sideways instead of soaring up.

Experts say slowing inflation and the Federal Reserve’s projected interest rate cuts should help push mortgage interest rates down to around 6.5% by the end of 2024. But a lot could happen between now and then.

The Fed hasn’t adjusted its short-term interest rate, the federal funds rate, since last summer, and a rate cut now appears imminent, possibly as soon as September, according to Melissa Cohn , regional vice president of William Raveis Mortgage and member of CNET Money’s expert review board.

As the Fed slowly lowers interest rates over the coming years, mortgage rates should moderate gradually. But if the Fed chooses to delay rate cuts or if economic data shows inflation reigniting, mortgage rates will likely move higher.

If you’re considering a refinance , remember that you can’t time the economy: Interest rates fluctuate on an hourly, daily and weekly basis, and are influenced by an array of factors. Your best move is to keep an eye on day-to-day rate changes and have a game plan on how to capitalize on a big enough percentage drop, said Matt Graham of Mortgage News Daily.

When you refinance your mortgage, you take out another home loan that pays off your initial mortgage. With a traditional refinance, your new home loan will have a different term and/or interest rate. With a cash-out refinance, you’ll tap into your equity with a new loan that’s bigger than your existing mortgage balance, allowing you to pocket the difference in cash.

Refinancing can be a great financial move if you score a low rate or can pay off your home loan in less time, but consider whether it’s the right choice for you. Reducing your interest rate by 1% or more is an incentive to refinance, allowing you to cut your monthly payment significantly.

The rates advertised online often require specific conditions for eligibility. Your personal interest rate will be influenced by market conditions as well as your specific credit history, financial profile and application. Having a high credit score, a low credit utilization ratio and a history of consistent and on-time payments will generally help you get the best interest rates.

30-year fixed-rate refinance

The current average interest rate for a 30-year refinance is 6.50%, a decrease of 28 basis points over this time last week. (A basis point is equivalent to 0.01%.) A 30-year fixed refinance will typically have lower monthly payments than a 15-year or 10-year refinance, but it will take you longer to pay off and typically cost you more in interest over the long term.

15-year fixed-rate refinance

The average rate for a 15-year fixed refinance loan is currently 5.91%, a decrease of 34 basis points compared to one week ago. Though a 15-year fixed refinance will most likely raise your monthly payment compared to a 30-year loan, you’ll save more money over time because you’re paying off your loan quicker. Also, 15-year refinance rates are typically lower than 30-year refinance rates, which will help you save more in the long run.

10-year fixed-rate refinance

The average rate for a 10-year fixed refinance loan is currently 5.83%, a decrease of 32 basis points over last week. A 10-year refinance typically has the lowest interest rate but the highest monthly payment of all refinance terms. A 10-year refinance can help you pay off your house much quicker and save on interest, but make sure you can afford the steeper monthly payment.

To get the best refinance rates, make your application as strong as possible by getting your finances in order, using credit responsibly and monitoring your credit regularly. And don’t forget to speak with multiple lenders and shop around.

Homeowners usually refinance to save money, but there are other reasons to do so. Here are the most common reasons homeowners refinance:

• To get a lower interest rate: If you can secure a rate that’s at least 1% lower than the one on your current mortgage, it could make sense to refinance.
• To switch the type of mortgage: If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage and want greater security, you could refinance to a fixed-rate mortgage.
• To eliminate mortgage insurance: If you have an FHA loan that requires mortgage insurance, you can refinance to a conventional loan once you have 20% equity.
• To change the length of a loan term: Refinancing to a longer loan term could lower your monthly payment. Refinancing to a shorter term will save you interest in the long run.
• To tap into your equity through a cash-out refinance: If you replace your mortgage with a larger loan, you can receive the difference in cash to cover a large expense.
• To take someone off the mortgage: In case of divorce, you can apply for a new home loan in just your name and use the funds to pay off your existing mortgage.

Recommended Articles

Compare current refinance rates in august 2024, refinancing a mortgage: how it works, 30-year refinance rates for august 2024, 15-year mortgage refinance rates for august 2024, how to refinance your home, how does a cash-out refinance work, va refinance rates for august 2024.

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More From Forbes

Become the bank: why current conditions favor mortgage reits and how to pick one.

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Troy Gayeski is Chief Market Strategist at FS Investments . He is a frequent contributor to Bloomberg, Fox Business, Yahoo Finance and CNBC.

It’s arguably the best position in a game of Monopoly, but “becoming the bank” maybe even better for investors.

As banks have pulled back from commercial real estate lending, private investors are stepping in to offer financing. Through investment opportunities like real estate investment trusts (REITs), investors are “becoming the bank” by financing loans to high-quality borrowers that traditional lenders are no longer incentivized to serve. That’s been good for borrowers and potentially even better for investors. The opportunity set for private lending strategies to generate more income and total return for longer has continued to improve over that period.

Here’s why current economic conditions may benefit mortgage REITs, and how investors can potentially pick the right REIT for their portfolio.

Why have banks pulled back from lending?

After 2008’s global financial crisis, regulators implemented changes to strengthen the U.S. banking system’s resilience to future economic catastrophes. These changes have helped keep the economy on the rails, but they have also disincentivized banks from lending to certain qualified commercial borrowers. Those borrowers still need financing though, creating a potentially significant opportunity for private providers of capital.

With last year’s well-publicized bank failures (and moves from banks to tighten lending standards to mitigate potential loan losses from a then-expected recession), you can see why commercial real estate (CRE) financing has become even harder to secure. Regional and community banks have taken risk aversion to a whole new level, further amplifying the need for private lending and the potential opportunity for REITs that provide that financing.

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‘inside out 2’ gets digital streaming premiere date, wealth of the philippines’ 50 richest on forbes list remains nearly flat at us$80.8 billion, macro conditions favor mortgage reits..

Many of today’s key macroeconomic trends favor private credit REIT investors, including higher interest rates.

While your average mortgage holder is likely grumbling about higher rates, “higher for longer” may be the ideal environment for private lending. The Fed has been able to thread the needle, hiking as much as possible while keeping rates high for as long as possible without cratering the economy. So, for CRE lenders, that means more income for longer—and without the nasty hangover from higher realized default rates (which, in turn, means higher total return for longer).

And what is the quality of borrowers? The fundamentals of underlying properties in the U.S. CRE market have been healthy across many sectors for years. Fundamentals (meaning cash flow generation by CRE properties) have reflected the growth and resilience we’ve seen in the U.S. economy for over a decade.

It's important to note that some sectors of CRE are more stable than others. Major metro office towers in locations suffering from pandemic-catalyzed population and business exodus have experienced a well-publicized decline in value. However, poorly located non-trophy office towers are just one part of the CRE landscape. The CRE market is large and diverse, with other sectors like multifamily, industrial, lodging and even retail that continue to experience stable to improving fundamentals.

How to pick an REIT: Not all investments are created equal.

While macro trends favor much of CRE lending, not all REITs offer the same opportunity. When it comes to picking a potential REIT, investors should consider opportunities that seek income and positive total returns by lending against a diverse portfolio of CRE properties. Allocators should consider investments that take advantage of potential market opportunities:

Lending To Borrowers On High-Quality/Trophy Properties

Banks continuing to pull back from lending has created an opportunity to provide financing to borrowers on high-quality/trophy lodging and industrial properties as existing loan maturities come due.

Sourcing Loans Directly From Bank Balance Sheets

In some instances, regional banks are choosing to “rebalance” their loan portfolios away from CRE, which can provide opportunities to purchase existing loan pools from banks at a modest discount and attractive yields.

Senior Loans

Given the increase in lending rates and the low probability of any meaningful property appreciation in the near to medium term, you can potentially enjoy higher income and total returns with less risk in senior loans (top of the capital structure) than at the bottom of the capital structure (equity). Potentially less risk, more income and total return. What’s better than that?

Find a manager with private markets expertise.

Economic and regulatory forces have created an environment favorable to mortgage REITs. And while office towers are experiencing a setback, much of CRE continues to enjoy healthy fundamentals. With macro forces like higher interest rates amplifying the potential opportunity for lenders, it’s easy to see why more and more investors are considering “becoming the bank” through investment opportunities like private credit REITs.

As investors assess REITs, they may want to seek out solutions built by managers with a depth of experience in private markets to best take advantage of key trends and potential opportunities in CRE lending.

The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.

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