On the Docket: Don’t Vote Against Yourself
If you attend NRMLA conferences, you have probably heard us say, “Before you pull that lever in the voting booth, make sure you know where your candidate stands on the HECM program and FHA.”
On July 11, House Financial Services Committee chair Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) released his proposal for a Federal Housing Administration reform bill that would in effect wipe out the agency as we know it, including eliminating the HECM program two years after passage.
Just a couple of months prior, Hensarling publicly endorsed providing HUD the legislative authority to make program changes at a committee hearing.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the Senate subcommittee on Banking, Insurance and Community Development, chair Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and ranking member Mike Crapo (R-ID), issued the following statement:
“Earlier this year, we agreed that the Committee would first address the issues facing the solvency of FHA before turning to comprehensive housing finance reform legislation. After months of hard work we have reached bipartisan agreement on a path forward to give the FHA the tools it needs to get back on stable footing. We are in the process of finalizing the text of our bipartisan bill and plan to release details publicly next week. We believe we have found solid common ground and are optimistic that we will be able to move this bipartisan legislation forward expeditiously.”
It appears doubtful that Hensarling’s proposals will make it through the Senate or be signed by the President, but they do demonstrate a discouraging political point of view.
NRMLA Members Rally Around Aging in Place
Susan Pomfret of Liberty Home Equity Solutions has been leading a Rhode Island chapter of the National Aging in Place Council (NAIPC) for three years. Brandy Edwards, also of Liberty,
is the new chair of the Orange County, California, chapter. Richard Cashman of Generation Mortgage is the new chair of the Long Island chapter. Galen Call of Treehouse Mortgage has begun organizing a chapter in Monterey, and Colleen Moore of Golden Equity Mortgage has begun organizing in San Diego.
The National Aging in place Council, a trade association comprising service providers who help seniors remain in their homes for as long as they would like, is attracting widespread support from NRMLA members. In June, 25 of them from 13 different companies attended NAIPC’s first meeting in Washington, D.C.
Among the initiatives proposed at that gathering is a guide to all available funding sources, including reverse mortgages, for aging persons.
You can learn more about NAIPC and become a member at ageinplace.org
In Committees
The NRMLA Board of Directors has unanimously adopted Ethics Advisory Opinion 2013-02: Full Draw HECM Loan Repayment Considerations, which clarifies that NRMLA members may not advise consumers to draw, at closing, the full amount of loan proceeds available under a HECM Standard ARM with the intent of repaying those proceeds promptly after closing.
“Planned repayments of the type described above can impede the development and vitality of the secondary market for HECM loans,” says the advisory. “Repayment/prepayment expectations play an important role in determining the secondary market value of HECM loans, and unexpected planned repayments of drawn funds has a negative impact on the development of an effective, robust secondary market—something that is needed to help assure that the HECM product remains competitive and viable in the long term.”
Members are urged to bring to NRMLA’s attention any concerns they may have about potential violations of unethical full-draw HECM loan repayment practices, or other concerns related to or arising under the Code of Ethics & Professional Responsibility.
To read Ethics Advisory Opinion 2013-02 in its entirety, download a copy of the Ethics Complaint Form or to review the complete list of Ethics Advisories, please visit nrmlaonline.org.
Be Visible
The largest and most popular industrywide gathering all year, NRMLA’s 15th Annual Meeting & Expo, returns to
the beautiful Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans on November 4-6.
One of the great features of the Roosevelt Hotel is the large and grand exhibit hall with doors that open right into the general session room.
Sponsorship for this year’s event will go on sale shortly. To get the best price and the best space, reserve early. This year we are offering a number of new, creative sponsorship opportunities inspired by the Big Easy.
For information, contact Sarah Aaronson. (sarahaaronson@comcast.net)
New CRMP
Alina Passarelli, Marketplace Home Mortgage, Minnesota
New Members
Bay Equity, LLC
San Francisco, California
Florida Choice Mortgage Corp.
Pembroke Pines, Florida
Resource Solutions, Inc. (a lead generation company)
Oldsmar, Florida
Take Charge America, Inc. (a HECM counseling agency)
Phoenix, Arizona
reversemortgage.org site visits in June: 16,652 unique visitors
