Servicing is a critical component of the reverse mortgage.  It’s also one of the most misunderstood functions by borrowers.  A reverse mortgage goes through several different cycles throughout the life of the loan.

The loan begins in the origination stage, moves to close, and then enters the servicing phase, where the reverse mortgage will remain throughout the life of the loan – but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will stay with the same servicer throughout the life of the loan!

Reverse mortgage servicing is important because this is the stage where you, as the borrower, begin to receive disbursements from the loan, whether in the form of a single lump sum payment, monthly installments, or via a line of credit that can be tapped into as needed.

Servicing is also crucial to borrowers because their loan servicer is ultimately the company they will need to contact should they have any questions or need information on their reverse mortgage.  Some originators really stress this fact and try to sway borrowers by saying that they don’t sell their servicing, so borrowers should only deal with them as a result, but that’s only a part of the story.

The servicer does play an important role in the part of any loan, and a reverse mortgage is no different in that respect, but borrowers need to be informed about the entire process and the history of the loans and their servicing.

ARLO talking about the reverse mortgage process

Who is the reverse mortgage servicer?

A reverse mortgage servicer may be different from the lender who originated your reverse mortgage.  Even if the originating company retains the servicing, the loan officer who worked with you during the application and origination phases will not be the same person servicing your loan.  That duty falls in the hands of the reverse mortgage servicer.

There are separate departments, several specialized companies that perform reverse mortgage servicing, as well as some firms that service both conventional and reverse mortgage loans.  Similar to the traditional mortgage market, servicers may acquire mortgage servicing rights from other companies.  This means your loan servicer could change.  However, the terms of your reverse mortgage will remain the same.

In fact, throughout the history of reverse mortgages, all the major Banks that once were the largest reverse mortgage lenders in the market, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, MetLife Bank all closed and sold their servicing to other entities.  So if a loan originator tells you that their company services their loans, give them time – history has shown us that sooner or later, all companies will sell loans at some point.

But, the terms of your loan are determined by the covenants or promises you make with the lender in the legal documents, and therefore, the servicer has only the rights that you granted to the servicer through the Note, Deed of Trust and Security Agreement that you signed with your lender.

HUD guarantees your loan terms, not the loan servicer.

Regardless of who services the loan, they can only do or require you to do the things agreed upon in the legal documents you signed when you received your loan.  FHA insures the loan, guaranteeing that no matter what happens to your lender or servicer, you will always have access to the funds shown in your loan documents, which is the purpose of Mortgage Insurance.

You have the full faith and credit of the government (FHA / HUD) backing your loan, so the lender and servicer are just the players at that point in time, and if they should change, your guarantees are still solid.

Unlike how they would choose a reverse mortgage originator, borrowers typically do not have the option to choose their reverse mortgage servicer.

What is the role of the servicer?

Think of the reverse mortgage servicer as your loan overseer, providing an array of administrative duties to ensure the loan runs smoothly.

Like servicing on traditional “forward” mortgages, reverse mortgage servicers monitor monthly payments, including taxes and insurance, manage account delinquencies, and respond to borrower inquiries.

Throughout the life of your loan, you will have several touchpoints with your servicer.  One of these touch points includes an annual occupancy certificate that the servicer will send in the mail to ensure you continue living in the home in which you have taken the reverse mortgage.

Borrowers are required to sign this certificate and return it to their servicer, typically within 30 days of receipt.  Failure to return this certificate in a timely manner may lead the servicer to believe you are no longer occupying the residence, thus triggering a maturity event where the loan balance must be satisfied.

What is the servicer’s role at the end of the loan?

Reverse mortgage servicers play an integral role in the fulfillment of the loan balance.  Typically, such a maturity event happens when the reverse mortgage borrower dies or otherwise vacates the property for over 12 months or fails to pay taxes and insurance on their property timely.

The servicer will then notify the borrower or heirs in the event of the borrower’s death to let them know that the reverse mortgage is now due and payable.  This letter will detail several options for satisfying the loan balance.

These options include:

Because reverse mortgages are considered “non-recourse” loans, there is no negative financial impact on the borrowers’ heirs or estate if they choose to initiate foreclosure proceedings or complete a short sale or deed in lieu of foreclosure.

Why is it important to communicate with the servicer?

Keeping regular contact with your reverse mortgage loan servicer ensures effective communication and reduces the chances of any potential misunderstandings that could dramatically impact your ability to continue borrowing.

Not only should borrowers be mindful of certain timelines, such as those confirming residence occupancy, but borrowers should also include their heirs and other immediate family in their reverse mortgage activities, as these may be the people who will ultimately decide how to satisfy the loan balance if the borrower passes away.

Servicing is a vital part of the reverse mortgage loan cycle that requires frequent communication and awareness on the part of borrowers.  If you are considering a reverse mortgage and want to know more about this financial product and what to expect on the servicing front, contact us for more information.

Top FAQs

Q.

What is the role of a reverse mortgage servicer?

The role of the reverse mortgage servicer is the same as a forward mortgage servicer.  They collect any payments you make and payments or disbursements due to you.  They monitor your taxes and insurance and pay them if this is a service you have set up with them.  They are there to contact if you have any questions about your loan.  They send you a monthly statement outlining the status and amount owed, etc., on the loan.  The servicer would handle any loan payoffs, and therefore, when you or your heirs are ready to pay the loan off, you would contact the servicer to request the Demand statement to receive the amount needed to pay the loan in full.

Q.

Does it matter if a lender services their reverse mortgage loans?

It does not matter if a lender uses their own personnel to service the loans they originate, contacts service through another servicing agent, or sells the loan outright to an entirely different lender/investor.  The loan terms for all Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM or “Heck-um”) reverse mortgages have the same documentation and carry the same requirements, abilities, and restrictions.  They all are assigned back to HUD once they reach a set loan-to-value based on the original property value, so if you have your loan long enough, it leaves the lender/servicer and is transferred to HUD’s servicer at that time anyway.  Many lenders tout that they will not sell a loan or service their own loans, but the loan documents spell out the same requirements of all lenders/servicers as to what they can and cannot do and when they must act.  Unfortunately, many borrowers wind up paying much higher fees and interest rates that can cost them tens of thousands of dollars (that either come out of their pockets or those of their heirs) because they were sold on the idea that their loan would not be sold or would be serviced by the originating lender.  Borrowers need to compare loan terms and be sure they are not paying dearly for what usually only constitutes who will send them their monthly statements.
Q.

Can you negotiate a reverse mortgage payoff with the servicer?

The only time you can “negotiate” a payoff is when the home is not valued for an amount at least as high as what is owed on the current mortgage.  At that time, if you are looking to sell the home and have a bona fide purchaser, you can contact your servicer with the details of the purchase, and they will respond with an approval or denial of your request for a “short payoff.” The lender/servicer must usually get HUD involved as HUD must approve the loss as they will be paying a claim for this amount, and that means they will need to order an appraisal and determine if the payoff request is a minimum of 95% of the current market value of the home.
Q.

How do you contact the servicer of a reverse mortgage?

The servicer will send the borrower a monthly statement, and the contact information, including a phone number, fax number, email address, website (in some instances), physical address, and loan number, will be included on that statement.  Remember that the statement is not a payoff statement.  Like all mortgage statements, the statement is printed in arrears, which means that the interest only includes interest accrued up to the date of the statement, nothing after that point.  It also does not include any further draws, funds the lender or HUD may have had to make, or any fees required to close the account (the fees are not high, but there are always some recording costs, etc., to complete all the paperwork just as with any loan).

Q.

Do reverse mortgage servicing fees vary from servicer to servicer?

Yes and No.  The overwhelming majority of Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM or “Heck-um”) reverse mortgages are currently originated (as of December 2022) with $0.00 for monthly servicing.  In years past, monthly Servicing Fees were standard but mostly eliminated.  An individual lender could still implement a servicing fee on a HECM loan as HUD permits, but it is not mandatory, and a borrower should shop around if they receive a HECM quote with a monthly servicing fee.  Some proprietary products (non-HUD insured reverse mortgages) will have a monthly servicing fee included in the terms of the loan.  These are usually only for Adjustable Line of Credit Proprietary products.  Once the loan terms are set (with or without a servicing fee) those terms cannot be changed if the servicing of your loan is transferred to another entity.

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