Resolve® Release Archives
Resolve® provides an efficient path for reaching mortgage relief and managing default activities. Resolve is an integrated default management solution that follows an agile approach to deliver capabilities iteratively for faster market solutions.
Servicers may continue to use Workout Prospector® in parallel with Resolve until all features and capabilities are fully implemented in Resolve. For a comprehensive view into multiyear roadmap, view the product timeline.
This page is updated periodically with past releases.
Past Releases
Access Resolve from Servicing Gateway and experience intuitive navigation and simple workflows. For new users, request access from your Access Manager administrator.
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October 14, 2024
New Workout Program Types: FLXM and FLXDM
- Starting November 1, 2024, two new workout program types will be available for workout submissions in every status category: FLXM (Flex Modification) and FLXDM (disaster Flex Modification).
- Servicers are encouraged to implement the new workout program types with evaluations as early as November 1, 2024, and are required to implement them no later than December 1, 2024.
- These new workout program types highlight a delineation between existing and enhanced Flex Modifications, with a minimal level of effort to adopt.
- To support these new workout types, the dashboard and retention template have been updated.
- Based on the guidelines announced in Bulletin 2024-E, the Flex Modification waterfall calculation has also been updated to determine the post-workout terms:
- The new mark-to-market loan-to-value (MTMLTV) threshold of 50% enables more borrowers to potentially be eligible for Flex Modifications.
- The steps to determine the Flex Modification terms have been reordered. They will be applied incrementally until a 20% principal and interest (P&I) payment reduction is achieved or the steps have been exhausted.
- Eligibility rules are triggered for the new workout program types. This provides version control and more clarity between the existing and enhanced Flex Modification program.
Ability to Submit Flex Modifications for Exception Review
- Servicers can submit Flex Modifications for exception review when parameters fall outside policy guidelines.
- This extends the capability to submit for additional review in situations in which a borrower doesn’t meet the eligibility requirements, but the Servicer believes it’s the best option for addressing a delinquency.
Proactive Payment Deferral and Flex Modification Submissions
- As announced in Bulletin 2024-G, when evaluating a borrower for a proactive payment deferral or Flex Modification, Servicers must ensure that the terms included in the proactive offer don’t change before the time for acceptance has elapsed. To determine the terms, Servicers must use Workout Approval Request (WAReq) for payment deferrals and Trial Period Approval Request (TPAReq) for Flex Modifications. Servicers must not use Draft Request (DraftReq) to determine the terms for proactive offers.
- Should a borrower not accept the proactive offer, Servicers must cancel the workout on or before the third business day of the month following the month of the Trial Period start date.
- If the terms change prior to settlement, the Servicer must settle the workout as an exception using the terms provided in the proactive offer, leveraging DraftReq to determine if the workout is a viable option for the borrower.
- These updates provide clarity on when to use DraftReq versus TPAReq or WAReq. It also allows for fixed terms to be extended to borrowers from the time of the initial offer.
New Error Messages for Short Sale Submissions
- New message LI002053 triggers if the text for the workout comments or reason for extenuating circumstances in the Upload Template contains more than 500 characters, notifying the Servicer that they have reached the maximum character limit.
- New message LI002098 triggers in tandem with LI002038 when a short sale request is submitted for exception review and no Minimum Net Proceeds (MNP) value is available. This provides more transparency and detail when an exception submission isn’t successful.
Increased Character Limits in Liquidations Submission Template
- The character limits for the Workout Comments and Reason for Extenuating Circumstances fields in the Liquidations Submission Template, and the Comments in the Foreclosure Sale Reporting Template, have been increased from 250 to 500.
- This allows Servicers to include additional details for exception requests and reduces requests for more information, thereby increasing the opportunity to receive a decision on the first submission.
Metadata Updates
- To maintain consistency with the increase in character limits in the Liquidation Submission Template referenced above, the metadata tab in Resolve has been updated for the charge-off, deed in lieu of foreclosure and short sale liquidation templates. The metadata tab for Comments in Foreclosure Sale Reporting Template has been updated for the same reason.
- Column I (Rule When Conditional Becomes Required) has been removed from the metadata tab in the Foreclosure Sale Reporting template. This streamlines the metadata, makes it more clear and eliminates the uncertainty that there could be conditional elements of the Foreclosure Sale Reporting upload template.
Search and Export Enhancements
- Servicers can select multiple options from the Submission Type and Status dropdowns on the dashboard and filter data based on those selections. This saves time searching and allows users to review multiple options simultaneously.
- Servicers can export up to 500 results from the dashboard based on the filtered criteria.
Foreclosure Sale Reporting Capability
- Servicers can now upload up to 5,000 loans to Foreclosure Sale Reporting while in Resolve. This allows the ability to upload more loans with one submission.
- A new Bulk File View tab has been added to the dashboard, which allows Servicers to view the status of a submission while continuing to work in Resolve. A notification will alert the Servicer when the processing of the bulk file has completed; if the file is completed with errors, the error report is available for download on the Bulk File View tab.
New Rule to Validate Total Debt Amount
- A new rule validates that the amount entered into total debt for reported third-party sales isn’t less than the payoff unpaid principal balance (UPB) and interest.
- This improves data quality, reduces errors and results in a higher percentage of successful first-time submissions.
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July 29, 2024
Payment Deferral Eligibility for Borrowers with Disaster-Related Delinquency
- Resolve now issues a conditional approval when a borrower must make one or more payments in the evaluation and/or processing month to be eligible for a disaster payment deferral. The Servicer must collect and report the payment(s) via Loan Level Reporting before submitting the settlement request and is no longer required to resubmit for evaluation (Workout approval request) before settlement.
- This change allows a borrower evaluated in the 13th month of a disaster-related delinquency to be eligible for payment deferral, provided they make a payment in the evaluation and/or processing month.
- It also allows more borrowers to conditionally qualify for payment deferrals and provides clearer messaging to Servicers.
Payment Deferral Eligibility with Required Payment in Evaluation/Processing Month
- Resolve now issues a conditional approval when a borrower must make a payment(s) in the evaluation and/or processing month to be eligible for a payment deferral or disaster payment deferral. The Servicer must collect and report the payment(s) via Loan Level Reporting before submitting the settlement request and is no longer required to resubmit for evaluation (Workout approval request) before settlement.
- This change enables the Servicer to collect a payment during the evaluation and processing months to bring the payment deferral within the program limits.
- It also ensures the borrower remains eligible for a payment deferral or disaster payment deferral.
Flex Modification Delinquency
- If a loan became 60 days delinquent within 12 months of the first payment due date for a prior Flex Modification and the borrower hasn’t brought the loan current following the delinquency, submitting a workout request for a standard Flex Modification will trigger a fatal error.
- This change increases accuracy of Flex Modification evaluations.
Historical Data Added for Loan Modifications
- Resolve now includes all historical data from prior modifications, which is located under the prior history section.
- This provides a more complete picture and accurate account of past modification data.
Updated Message Related to Broker Price Opinion (BPO) Orders
- An update to message RE001054 asks Servicers to verify the property address and provides additional instructions to update incorrect addresses to prevent a BPO order being cancelled or delayed.
- It provides faster determination of workout eligibility, additional information regarding the delays and aligns data between Freddie Mac and the Servicer.
Updates to Foreclosure Sale Reporting
- Servicers can now use Resolve to report third-party foreclosure sales, Real Estate Owned (REO) sales and HUD/VA sales.
- This provides a more streamlined user experience and end-to-end functionality for reporting foreclosure activity to Freddie Mac.
- It also reduces the required data elements by 50%, shows edits in real time and eliminates the need to report in the Foreclosure Sale Reporting tool.
Third-Party Foreclosure Sale Auto Settlement
- Resolve now automatically settles third-party foreclosure sales. A settlement request is automatically triggered when the proceeds are received and the payoff is reported in Loan Level Reporting.
- This eliminates the need for the Servicer to request settlements and reduces the number of aged cases pending settlement.
- Integration with Real Estate Valuation and Pricing allows the Servicer to obtain credit bid values and validate the sale proceeds against the credit bid and the total debt.
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March 25, 2024
Deed-in-Lieu capability added to Resolve UI
- The Resolve UI now includes end-to-end functionality of deeds-in-lieu from submission to settlement, with half the required data elements.
- Broker Price Opinion (BPO) integration allows Servicers to retrieve or order a BPO within Resolve for deed-in-lieu submissions. This ensures a valid BPO order has been completed prior to submission, reduces declines due to incomplete submissions and eliminates the need for a valuation tracker.
- The capability to obtain delegated approval for deed-in-lieu submissions that meet policy guidelines provides Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (Guide)-approved decisions based on your inputs, without the need to contact Freddie Mac for approval or request an exception review.
- Servicers can request an exception review for deed-in-lieu loans that fail eligibility requirements and track their status on the dashboard.
- Deed execution reporting capability for approved deed-in-lieu loans eliminates the need to report them in the Foreclosure Sale Reporting tool. Deed execution reporting edits are also reduced due to the reliance of Freddie Mac data and will show in near real time.
- Auto-settlement requests of deed-in-lieu loans after reporting the deed execution date and liquidation in Loan Level Reporting removes the need to come back into the tool to submit the request.
- Servicers can track the status of deed-in-lieu loans on the dashboard or via Servicing Gateway notifications, providing transparency into the process and reducing reliance on email, especially for exceptions.
- Exporting deed-in-lieu submission data and decisions allows for record keeping, without system-generated approval letters.
Updates to foreclosure triggers for Flex Modifications and payment deferrals
- When processing all types of Flex Modifications and payment deferrals that have a scheduled foreclosure sale date, the timing of warning and fatal triggers has been updated.
- Resolve will trigger a fatal or warning error if the subject property is in a state that follows the judicial foreclosure process, and the scheduled foreclosure sale date is within 60 days of the workout submission; or if the subject property is in a state that follows a non-judicial foreclosure process, and the scheduled foreclosure sale date is within 30 days of the workout submission.
- This reduces exception requests and increases the accuracy of when warning and fatal edits trigger.
Modified criteria for validating loan origination date
- The criteria for determining eligibility for standard Flex Modifications and payment deferrals is now based on the current workout evaluation date instead of the loan origination date and is counted in days instead of months.
- This eliminates confusion on the eligibility for a standard Flex Modification or payment deferral, as loans may be eligible 365 days (366 in a leap year) from the date of origination. It also increases the accuracy of when the fatal error triggers.
Update to EDR for Flex Modification Trial Period Plans
- The action begin date in EDR for the cancellation request submitted on an in-progress Flex Modification Trial Period has been updated to the last day of the prior month when the cancellation is reported.
- This change increases accuracy of default reporting when Servicers submit for cancellation.
- It also ensures the cancellation process falls in the proper accounting cycle, preventing late processing which can result in a negative impact to the borrower and to a Servicer’s performance metrics.
Update to deferred principal calculation
- For all types of payment deferrals submitted via the Resolve UI or API, the deferred principal calculation has been updated to use Servicer-provided delinquent interest.
- This change aligns Freddie Mac’s response data to reflect the amount of deferral principal and interest (P&I) when a Servicer uses the requested delinquent interest field for a workout approval request (WAReq) submission.
- It also reduces the need to submit via Servicing Data Corrections.
Updates to imminent default criteria
- Imminent default criteria for eligibility for all types of Flex Modifications have been updated from less than three to less than two months, better reflecting existing policy.
- The hardship reason type, borrower and co-borrower FICO score, cash reserves amount and property usage type on the Retention template Flex Modification metadata tab column K have been updated to check for a delinquency of less than two months.
- These updates increase the number of approved Flex Modifications in early delinquency.
- The updates also eliminate the need for an imminent default indicator check and reduce the number of required data elements for borrowers who are within a delinquency period of 60 to 90 day.
- Note: Servicers must continue to send applicable data to evaluate if the borrower meets imminent default criteria. Refer to Guide Section 9206.7.
Ability to export charge-off data
- Servicers can export the charge-off workout details page from the UI.
- This allows for record keeping of submission data and decisions related to charge-offs.
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January 29, 2024
Workout eligibility determined via prior workout first payment due date
- Resolve now uses the prior workout first payment due date to determine eligibility for the current workout.
- The change ensures that the rules are consistent for payment deferral and Flex Modification® evaluations.
Conditional approval for payment deferral eligibility
- Resolve now issues a conditional approval when a borrower must make a payment in the evaluation and/or processing month to be eligible for a payment deferral. The Servicer is expected to collect the payment before submitting a settlement request and report the payment via Loan Level Reporting.
- When the borrower is required to make a single payment to remain eligible, Resolve will reflect the actual number of payments to be deferred (See the Deferred Payment Count on the Workout Details page.).
- This change allows more borrowers to conditionally qualify for payment deferrals if they can make a payment in the evaluation and/or processing month. Servicers will also get clearer messaging in Resolve.
Updated delinquency eligibility check
- Resolve now determines a borrower’s eligibility as it pertains to delinquency based on the payment received/due date of last paid installment (DDLPI) as reported in Loan Level Reporting.
- Once payment has been reported, Servicers must resubmit the workout in Resolve so it can be re-decisioned based on the latest delinquency information.
- If the Servicer hasn’t done monthly reporting in Loan Level Reporting for the current cycle, Resolve will use the most recently reported DDLPI to calculate the delinquency.
- The new process is designed to ensure consistent evaluation for all workouts. It also eliminates the possibility of declining a borrower of a valid workout option simply based on the timing of the Servicer’s reporting in Loan Level Reporting relative to the workout evaluation request.
Fix for incomplete mapping when exporting to Excel
- When exporting to Excel from the Workout Details page, all columns now appear in the export file, along with all underlying data.
- This fixes the previous issue where multiple columns didn’t appear.
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October 30, 2023
Charge-Off Capability Added to Resolve UI
- Servicers now have an updated and simpler method to submit charge-off recommendations to Freddie Mac.
- The charge-off template uploaded in the UI reduces the amount of data required from the Servicer and allows them to upload supporting documentation for workouts using the UI—eliminating the need to send it via email.
- Users can use the dashboard to manage pipelines and stay informed of the status of a charge-off.
- Auto-generated settlement requests (following payoff) for approved charge-offs give Servicers end-to-end processing of charge-off workouts using a single request submission.
- Note: API users will need to submit charge-off recommendations through the UI.
Flex Modification Enhancements
- For Draft Requests (DraftReq) and Trial Period Plan Approval Requests (TPAReq), Servicers now have flexibility to notify Freddie Mac ahead of time of the intended Trial Period date.
- For Draft Requests (DraftReq) and Trial Period Approval Requests (TPAReq), a fatal edit will trigger if the borrower is less than three months delinquent and their income is 0—not only if their income information is missing. This gives Servicers a clearer understanding about the eligibility requirements for a workout based on a borrower’s delinquency.
- If a Servicer cancels a Trial Period that’s in progress and starts a new one on the same day, they no longer need to send the cancellation code to EDR, as Resolve automatically sends it.
Flex Modification / Payment Deferral Enhancements
- Servicers must now wait to process a new submission when the prior submission is still in progress for the same loan. This prevents errors occurring from back-to-back submissions.
- If the Servicer cannot make Quality Right Party Contact (QRPC) with the borrower, the information about the property type usage, occupancy and hardship reason are conditional based on the delinquency of the loan.
- Servicers cannot attempt to process a workout if the scheduled foreclosure date is within 30 days of submission of the workout.
- For Workout Approval Requests (WAReq), Trial Period Approval Requests (TPAReq) and Settlement Requests (SETReq), Servicers can now track recurring fatal edits if they need to make any adjustments, giving a more complete picture of what edits were triggered.
- For Workout Approval Requests (WAReq) and Trial Period Approval Requests (TPAReq), Servicers now have flexibility to submit for an exception in cases where, due to the borrower’s unique circumstances, Freddie Mac needs to make an exception decision. This allows Servicers to submit loans with scenarios that fall outside of our general workout programs for exception review.
Short Sale Enhancement
- The Short Sale Arms’-Length Transaction Indicator field name and metadata tab have been updated so Servicers can confirm if the sale is an arm’s length transaction.
- This helps reduce unintended eligibility failure and back and forth clarifications during exception reviews.
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October 2, 2023
Mandatory Effective Date of Expansion of Payment Deferral Program
- As of October 1, 2023, all Servicers must fully transition to the expanded Payment Deferral Program.
- Loans that are between 60- and 180-days delinquent are eligible for a payment deferral.
- For more information, see the Payment Deferral Solutions webpage, Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (Guide) Bulletin 2023-8 or the July 3, 2023, Resolve release information.
- This expansion is designed to make payment deferrals available to a larger number of homeowners.
Ability for Servicers to Edit Delinquent Interest
- Servicers can edit the delinquent interest on payment deferral workout approval requests to overcome penny differences.
- This allows Servicers to provide the delinquent interest in their requests to prevent any delinquent interest variances calculated between Freddie Mac and the Servicer.
- Note: There are no new data points or changes to the template. Changes have only been made to the conditionality as noted on the metadata tab. Access the template in Resolve.
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July 31, 2023
Simultaneous Freddie Mac Flex Modifications® Assumptions Capability
- Servicers can submit simultaneous Flex Modification assumptions for exception review when it’s a viable option for a non-borrower when the loan is delinquent, they are willing to be added to the note and have been credit qualified by the Servicer by submitting a complete Borrower Response Package (BRP).
- Previously, this capability was only available in Workout Prospector®.
For more information on simultaneous assumptions and modifications, consult Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (Guide) Section 9207.2.
First Payment Due Date Adjustment for Payment Deferrals
- Servicers can edit the First Payment Due Date during the draft submission stage for a payment deferral.
- This provides greater flexibility in qualifying borrowers for payment deferrals, since Servicers can receive preliminary results including the impact of inserting a processing month at the time of a Draft Request (DraftReq) in addition to a Workout Approval Request (WAReq).
Weekend Processing of Workout Requests
- Servicers can process workout settlement requests during the weekend for Flex Modifications and payment deferrals.
- This provides greater accessibility and flexibility by expanding the timeframe for submission.
- Note: When submitting a Settlement Request (SETReq), Servicers will receive a response indicating the updated status; however, the loan will settle the following business day. Loans settle on each business day, with the exception of the first business day of the month; if a loan is submitted on the first business day of the month, it will settle on the second business day.
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July 3, 2023
Expansion of Payment Deferral Program
- Servicers who are operationally available to do so may begin offering the expanded payment deferrals on July 1, 2023, at 12:00 a.m. By October 1, 2023, all Servicers must fully transition to the expanded Payment Deferral Program.
- Borrowers who are between 60- and 180-days delinquent may be eligible for payment deferrals.
- A rolling delinquency is no longer applicable for a payment deferral, so borrowers will no longer be required to have made at least two consecutive monthly mortgage payments immediately prior to completion of a payment deferral.
- Per the mandate announced in Bulletin 2023-8, borrowers on a payment deferral with an effective date on or after July 1, 2020, who fall 60 days or more delinquent, qualify for a streamlined Flex Modification.
- During the transition period from July 1, 2023 – October 1, 2023, Resolve will support the existing payment deferral as well as the expanded payment deferral. However, Servicers may only offer one version of the payment deferral (i.e. if a Servicer adopts the expanded payment deferral prior to October, 1, 2023, they can no longer offer a payment deferral to borrowers who are less than 60 days delinquent).
- For more information about the expansion of the Payment Deferral Program, see the Payment Deferral Solutions web page or Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (Guide) Bulletin 2023-8.
Deferral of Escrow and Expenses
- An update to the standard payment deferral terms now allows escrow and expenses to be deferred, in addition to the non-interest-bearing unpaid principal balance (UPB), as outlined in Guide Section 9206.15(b).
- This enhancement makes payment deferrals a more attractive loss mitigation option for borrowers, as it allows deferment of expenses as well as standard monthly payments.
Workout Eligibility for Loans Nearing Maturity
- A new rule helps determine the best workout options for borrowers with loans that are nearing maturity.
- This applies when loans are less than 36 months from the maturity date or less than 36 months from the projected payoff date of the interest-bearing UPB.
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May 15, 2023
Payment Deferral Enhancements
- Servicers can submit a payment deferral workout approval request via the UI, and then submit an approved workout for settlement, providing end-to-end processing of payment deferrals.
- Servicers can upload bulk submissions for payment deferrals via the new Retention File Template in the Resolve UI, offering speed and efficiency to the workout process.
- Detailed data points about a payment deferral for an individual loan can be exported in Excel format from the Workout Details page, providing the capability to refer to loan details for auditing, record keeping and comparison.
- Overall, the payment deferral enhancements to Resolve keep the tool on track to comply with any future changes, enhancements or requirements related to default management.
User Provisioning Enhancement- New Resolve users are no longer required to also have access to Workout Prospector if it’s not needed.
- This enhancement expands access to Resolve for new users who only need to process workouts already available in Resolve, without requiring Workout Prospector provisioning and training. It also reduces usage and submissions in Workout Prospector.
- Note: New and existing Resolve users who need to process workout solutions not yet available in Revolve must continue to use Workout Prospector.
Updates to Liquidation Loan File Template metadata- There have been updates to four existing metadata fields in the Liquidation Loan File Template, which is used when submitting a Freddie Mac Standard Short Sale workout request:
- “Final Net Sale Proceeds” field is now required (previously optional) when submitting a settlement request to help understand the reason for the loss and reconcile the account.
- “Exception Review Request Indicator” field (Y/N) is now required (previously optional) when submitting a workout approval request, so the Servicer can confirm whether they are submitting the workout for an exception review.
- “Buyer First Name” and “Buyer Last Name” fields are now only required when submitting a workout approval request, requiring less input for Servicers.
- Note: There are no new data points or changes to the template. Changes have only been made to the metadata tab.
Update to Flex Modification Submissions- Servicers don’t need to cancel a failed Trial Period Plan approval request (‘TPAREQ’ failure) in the Resolve API, allowing the user to re-evaluate the submission data and reprocess the evaluation without receiving an error.
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March 27, 2023
Flex Modification Enhancements
- Servicers can submit a modification workout approval request via the UI following a successful Trial Period, and then submit an approved workout for settlement.
- Detailed data points can be exported from the Workout Details page. Previously, the export feature was only available via the dashboard.
Notification and Dashboard Enhancements
- The dropdown options on the dashboard to filter loans are presented in alphabetical order, allowing for more efficient searching.
- Servicing Gateway notification messages about the status of a loan match those on the dashboard. For example, a status will be listed as “Approved for Trial Period,” rather than just “Approved”.
- Some error messages have been updated and consolidated. Log in to the Developer Portal or access the Resolve Retention Request Validation Error Messages document on the Resolve training page for more details.
Payment Deferral Due Date Updates
- When the due date of last paid installment (DDLPI) for a standard payment deferral workout approval request is the same as the prior month’s DDLPI, the tool will trigger an LM000072 fatal edit. (UI/API)
- A new fatal error LM000144, appears when there are misaligned payment due dates. (UI/API)
- For workout requests on a payment deferral, when the reported first payment due date is the same month as, or three months or more after, the requested submission date, the tool will trigger an LM000074 fatal edit. (UI/API)
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February 10, 2023
Ability to Update Borrower Financials (UI / API)
- When a loan is in Info Requested status, Servicers can now update the borrower’s financials—not just add comments—on the Resolve UI for Flex Modifications and payment deferrals, and Resolve recalculates the terms.
- This allows for a more accurate workout request.
Updates to Disaster Flex Modification or Disaster Payment Deferral Eligibility (UI / API)
- Eligibility for a disaster Flex Modification or disaster payment deferral is determined in part based on delinquency as of a disaster declaration date provided by the Servicer. A loan can be given only one standard payment deferral and/or multiple payment deferrals with national emergency and disaster hardships.
- A disaster Flex Modification or disaster payment deferral request will return a fatal error if it’s submitted without a disaster declaration date.
- This update ensures that the relevant information is submitted for disaster Flex Modification and disaster payment deferral requests to streamline the process and prevent errors.
Alternative Trial Period Start Dates (UI / API)
- Resolve has streamlined the process when asking for an alternative Trial Period start date to give Servicers more time to generate a Trial Period notice. Depending on the submission date, an exception review request may not be required.
- The alternate date is dependent on the calendar day of the month on which the request is submitted; consult the online help for more information and examples.
- This provides more flexibility in asking for an alternative Trial Period start date in cases that don’t require an exception request.
Notification and Dashboard Enhancements (UI)
- Servicers now receive notifications via the bell notification icon in Servicing Gateway for loans with non-exception status, saving time by removing the need to go into Retention API to see status updates for these requests.
- Submissions in the Resolve UI dashboard are displayed up to 50% faster, resulting in increased speed and efficiency.
**REMINDER: Required use of UI for both UI and API users in some scenarios
- A workout exception request in Info Requested status must be updated via the Workout Details screen in the Resolve UI to provide additional data or information requested by the Freddie Mac analyst, even if the request was submitted via the Resolve Retention API.
- The Resolve UI must also be used to submit a forbearance extension request or to settle an FHA, VA or RHS loan in your Freddie Mac portfolio.
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December 5, 2022
Ability to Submit Flex Modifications
- Starting December 5, 2022, the Resolve UI includes the ability to allow Flex Modification draft, Trial Period approval, and cancellation request submissions, returning near real-time eligibility decisions. Specific features and benefits include:
Streamlined Data Entry and Submission
- Single or multiple loan requests (up to 100) including exceptions are submitted by a file template that’s downloaded, completed and uploaded using the retention workflow.
- The submission template is flexible for all variations of Flex Modifications, including COVID-19 and disaster, and allows submissions for eligibility decisions, Trial Period approval, cancellation and exception reviews.
- About 50% less data entry is required to submit a request compared to Workout Prospector.
- Property values, delinquent interest and other calculations are automated.
- Exceptions on ineligible workouts are accepted via two methods: by resubmitting as an exception request via the file upload, or through the Click Request Exception Review action button when looking at a single loan in the Workout Details view.
- Built-in data validation rules allow you to move forward with error-free requests and download a report to take corrective action on requests with identified errors.
Robust Tracking
- Comprehensive and customizable dashboard displays a full portfolio view of Flex Modifications submitted via Resolve, including exception requests.
- Filter and export features allow for tracking and managing loans efficiently.
- The ability to view loan details or prior workout submission history for a specific loan saves up to an hour of research per loan.
- Actionable feedback message provide transparency.
- Servicing Gateway messages provide updates on loan status.
Seamless and Efficient Resolution and Settlement
- Guide-compliant decisions are returned in 3-5 seconds for all modification types.
- Responses also include pre-and post-workout terms and prior workout submission history for a loan that has been approved for initial eligibility or Trial Period.
- Trial Periods do not need to be reported in EDR.
- Workout requests can be cancelled through a file upload via a template, or by using the Action button within the Workout Details page of a specific loan.
- Flex Modifications submitted in the UI can continue to be processed in the UI or the API, and vice versa. (Please note that if you submit a loan in Workout Prospector, you must complete the process in that tool or cancel and resubmit.)
View training resources including webinars, online help, tutorials and more. If you need access to the tool, ask your organization’s Access Manager administrator to set up your user access and assign roles as appropriate. Note that Servicers must transition to Resolve for Flex Modifications no later than July 31, 2023.
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July 31, 2022
Retirement of Workout Prospector for Short Sales
- Starting July 31, 2022, Servicers must use Resolve for all new Short Sale submissions. Workout Prospector will only be available for in-progress Short Sales. Additionally, Bypass will no longer be available for Short Sales for Servicers using this method.
- The key difference from Workout Prospector is that Resolve does the decisioning, with Servicer input. Resolve enables you to manage Short Sales from submission through settlement.
- Your organization has the option to adopt the UI (accessed through Servicing Gateway), and/or the Liquidation API (B2B integration).
Reference the April 25, 2022, release notes below to learn about Resolve capabilities regarding short sales. Register for training about how to submit and manage short sales.
New Capabilities Enhance the Short Sale Process
- Export workout data from the workout details page – this information can be used in lieu of approval letters.
- The submission template has been updated with new data attributes to support Short Sale extension requests. New data columns include:
- Extension Request Indicator
- Extension Reason
- To request a closing date extension for approved Short Sales, either use the submission template or click the ‘Request Extension’ icon in the upper right corner of the workout details page.
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May 23, 2022
Short Sale Notifications
- You’ll receive notifications when the status updates for any Short Sales submitted by users within your organization. (For example, when a workout goes from ‘Submitted’ to ‘Approved’ or from ‘MNP Pending’ to ‘Approved’.)
The Short Sale submission template has updated data rules. Updates in the template and Error Report include:
- Special interior access to accept only 255 characters.
- Exception review request indicator is a required field for an approval and settlement request.
Dashboard Tracks Retention Exceptions- The dashboard lets you easily track all payment deferral and Flex Modification exception requests that were submitted from the Retention API, if applicable to your organization.
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April 25, 2022
View an Enhanced Dashboard
- The dashboard view (previously called ‘Decision Insights Pipeline’) has evolved to a more comprehensive view of all your organization’s workout requests and statuses for workouts done in Resolve (Short Sales, forbearance extensions, FHA/VA/RHS loans). This includes API submissions when applicable.
- Customize your dashboard view by choosing one or more filter options, such as Freddie Mac Loan Number, Submitted By, Submission Type, and more.
Submit and Manage Short Sales to Resolution
- A new submission process and rules-based decisions provide efficiencies for you and overall faster mortgage assistance for borrowers.
- The simplified menu consolidates current submission options. The menu will continue to expand with new workout options.
- Starting April 25, 2022, there’s a new option to submit Short Sale requests. After July 31, 2022, you can no longer use Workout Prospector for Short Sales.
- Submit all Short Sale requests for decisions in three easy steps:
- Submit a single or multiple loan (bulk) request using a downloadable template. This template supports requests for eligibility, exceptions and settlement decisions. The data input required is significantly less than in Workout Prospector.
- Review data validation errors, correct, re-upload, and continue your submission.
- Confirm your submission.
- Eligibility decisions are returned in near real-time. Review decision outcomes of your requests and take additional action(s) as needed.
- Additional capabilities include:
- Ability to indicate if you want any ineligible loans to be submitted for exception processing.
- Ability to order the minimum net proceeds value if it’s missing or expired.
- Option to cancel a Short Sale request as needed.
Register for training on how to submit and manage Short Sales.
Resolve APIs provide greater flexibility, transparency and much more because you can connect directly to Freddie Mac without leaving your existing default management platform. The APIs are a faster way of reaching resolution for mortgage relief.
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October 14, 2024
New Workout Program Types: FLXM and FLXDM
- Starting November 1, 2024, two new workout program types will be available for workout submissions in every status category: FLXM (Flex Modification) and FLXDM (disaster Flex Modification).
- Servicers are encouraged to implement the new workout program types with evaluations as early as November 1, 2024, and are required to implement them no later than December 1, 2024.
- These new workout program types highlight a delineation between existing and enhanced Flex Modifications, with a minimal level of effort to adopt.
- To support these new workout types, the dashboard and retention template have been updated.
- Based on the guidelines announced in Bulletin 2024-E, the Flex Modification waterfall calculation has also been updated to determine the post-workout terms:
- The new mark-to-market loan-to-value (MTMLTV) threshold of 50% enables more borrowers to potentially be eligible for Flex Modifications.
- The steps to determine the Flex Modification terms have been reordered. They will be applied incrementally until a 20% principal and interest (P&I) payment reduction is achieved or the steps have been exhausted.
- Eligibility rules are triggered for the new workout program types. This provides version control and more clarity between the existing and enhanced Flex Modification program.
Ability to Submit Flex Modifications for Exception Decisioning
- Servicers can submit Flex Modifications for exception review when parameters fall outside policy guidelines.
- This extends the capability to submit for additional review in situations in which a borrower doesn’t meet the eligibility requirements, but the Servicer believes it’s the best option for addressing a delinquency.
New Error Message for Short Sale Submissions
- New message LI002098 triggers in tandem with LI002038 when a short sale request is submitted for exception review and no Minimum Net Proceeds (MNP) value is available. This provides more transparency and detail when an exception submission isn’t successful.
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July 29, 2024
Payment Deferral Eligibility for Borrowers with Disaster-Related Delinquency
- Resolve now issues a conditional approval when a borrower must make a payment in the evaluation and/or processing month to be eligible for a disaster payment deferral. (The Servicer must collect and report the payment(s) via Loan Level Reporting before submitting the settlement request.)
- This change allows a borrower evaluated in the 13th month of a disaster-related delinquency to be eligible for payment deferral, provided they make a payment in the evaluation and/or processing month..
- It also allows more borrowers to conditionally qualify for payment deferrals and provides clearer messaging to Servicers.
Payment Deferral Eligibility with Required Payment in Evaluation/Processing Month
- Resolve now issues a conditional approval when a borrower must make a payment(s) in the evaluation and/or processing month to be eligible for a payment deferral or disaster payment deferral. (The Servicer must collect and report the payment(s) via Loan Level Reporting before submitting the settlement request.)
- This change enables the Servicer to collect a payment during the evaluation and processing months to bring the payment deferral within the program limits.
- It also ensures the borrower remains eligible for a payment deferral or disaster payment deferral.
Flex Modification Delinquency
- If a loan became 60 days delinquent within 12 months of the first payment due date for a prior Flex Modification and the borrower hasn’t brought the loan current following the delinquency, submitting a workout request for a standard Flex Modification will trigger a fatal error.
- This change increases accuracy of Flex Modification evaluations.
Historical Data Added for Loan Modifications
- Resolve now includes all historical data from prior modifications, which is located under the prior history section.
- This provides a more complete picture and accurate account of past modification data.
Updated Message for Existing Upfront Retention Rule
- The description for message RE001050 has been updated to be more user-friendly by providing additional instructions for exceptions during processing.
Updated Message Related to Broker Price Opinion (BPO) Orders
- An update to message RE001054 asks Servicers to verify the property address and provides additional instructions to update incorrect addresses to prevent a BPO order being cancelled or delayed.
- It provides faster determination of workout eligibility, additional information regarding the delays and aligns data between Freddie Mac and the Servicer.
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March 25, 2024
Updates to foreclosure triggers for Flex Modifications and payment deferrals
- When processing all types of Flex Modifications and payment deferrals that have a scheduled foreclosure sale date, the timing of warning and fatal triggers has been updated.
- Resolve will trigger a fatal or warning error if the subject property is in a state that follows the judicial foreclosure process, and the scheduled foreclosure sale date is within 60 days of the workout submission; or if the subject property is in a state that follows a non-judicial foreclosure process and the scheduled foreclosure sale date is within 30 days of the workout submission.
- This reduces exception requests and increases the accuracy of when warning and fatal edits trigger.
Modified criteria for validating loan origination date
- The criteria for determining eligibility for standard Flex Modifications and payment deferrals is now based on the current workout evaluation date instead of the loan origination date and is counted in days instead of months.
- This eliminates confusion on the eligibility for a standard Flex Modification or payment deferral, as loans may be eligible 365 days (366 in a leap year) from the date of origination. It also increases the accuracy of when the fatal error triggers.
Update to EDR for Flex Modification Trial Period Plans
- The action begin date in EDR for the cancellation request submitted on an in-progress Flex Modification Trial Period has been updated to the last day of the prior month when the cancellation is reported.
- This change increases accuracy of default reporting when Servicers submit for cancellation.
- It also ensures the cancellation process falls in the proper accounting cycle, preventing late processing which can result in a negative impact to the borrower and to a Servicer’s performance metrics.
Update to deferred principal calculation
- For all types of payment deferrals submitted via the Resolve UI or API, the deferred principal calculation has been updated to use Servicer-provided delinquent interest.
- This change aligns Freddie Mac’s response data to reflect the amount of deferral principal and interest (P&I) when a Servicer uses the requested delinquent interest field for a workout approval request (WAReq) submission.
- It also reduces the need to submit via Servicing Data Corrections.
Updates to imminent default criteria
- Imminent default criteria for eligibility for all types of Flex Modifications have been updated from less than three to less than two months, better reflecting existing policy.
- This update increases the number of approved Flex Modifications in early delinquency.
- It also eliminates the need for an imminent default indicator check and reduces the number of required data elements for borrowers who are within a delinquency period of 60 to 90 day.
- Note: Servicers must continue to send applicable data to evaluate if the borrower meets imminent default criteria. Refer to Guide Section 9206.7.
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January 29, 2024
Reminder: Status requests on exceptions reviews can be made weekdays from 9 a.m. ET to 5 p.m. ET, and not more frequently than hourly.
Workout eligibility determined via prior workout first payment due date
- Resolve now uses the prior workout first payment due date to determine eligibility for the current workout.
- The change ensures that the rules are consistent for payment deferral and Flex Modification® evaluations.
Conditional approval for payment deferral eligibility
- Resolve now issues a conditional approval when a borrower must make a payment in the evaluation and/or processing month to be eligible for a payment deferral. The Servicer is expected to collect the payment before submitting a settlement request and report the payment via Loan Level Reporting.
- When the borrower is required to make a single payment to remain eligible, Resolve will reflect the actual number of payments to be deferred (See the Deferred Payment Count on the Workout Details page.).
- This change allows more borrowers to conditionally qualify for payment deferrals if they can make a payment in the evaluation/processing month. Servicers will also get clearer messaging in Resolve.
Updated delinquency eligibility check
- Resolve now determines a borrower’s eligibility as it pertains to delinquency based on the payment received/due date of last paid installment (DDLPI) as reported in Loan Level Reporting.
- Once payment has been reported, Servicers must resubmit the workout in Resolve so it can be re-decisioned based on the latest delinquency information.
- If the Servicer hasn’t done monthly reporting in Loan Level Reporting for the current cycle, Resolve will take the delinquency information value from the prior cycle.
- The new process is designed to ensure consistent evaluation for all workouts. It also eliminates the possibility of declining a borrower of a valid workout option simply based on the timing of the Servicer’s reporting in Loan Level Reporting relative to the workout evaluation request.
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October 30, 2023
Flex Modification Enhancements
- For Draft Requests (DraftReq) and Trial Period Approval Requests (TPAReq), Servicers now have flexibility to notify Freddie Mac ahead of time of the intended Trial Period date.
- For Draft Requests (DraftReq) and Trial Period Approval Requests (TPAReq), a fatal edit will trigger if the borrower is less than 3 months delinquent and their income is 0—not only if their income information is missing. This gives Servicers a clearer understanding about the eligibility requirements for a workout based on a borrower’s delinquency.
- If a Servicer cancels a Trial Period that’s in progress and starts a new one on the same day, they no longer need to send the cancellation code to EDR, as Resolve automatically sends it.
Flex Modification/Payment Deferral Updates
- Servicers must now wait to process a new submission when the prior submission is still in progress for the same loan. This prevents errors occurring from back-to-back submissions.
- If the Servicer cannot make Quality Right Party Contact (QRPC) with the borrower, the information about the property type usage, occupancy and hardship reason are conditional based on the delinquency of the loan.
- Servicers cannot attempt to process a workout if the scheduled foreclosure date is within 30 days of submission of the workout.
- For Workout Approval Requests (WAReq), Trial Period Approval Requests (TPAReq) and Settlement Requests (SETReq), Servicers can now track recurring fatal edits if they need to make any adjustments, giving a more complete picture of what edits were triggered.
- For Workout Approval Requests (WAReq) and Trial Period Approval Requests (TPAReq), Servicers now have flexibility to submit for an exception along with comments, in cases where, due to the borrower’s unique circumstances, Freddie Mac needs to make an exception decision. This allows Servicers to submit loans with scenarios that fall outside of our general workout programs for exception review.
- For Workout Approval Requests (WAReq) and Settlement Requests (SETReq), the property valuation evaluation date and property value type are now listed in additional to the property valuation amount.
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October 2, 2023
Mandatory Effective Date of Expansion of Payment Deferral Program
- As of October 1, 2023, all Servicers must fully transition to the expanded Payment Deferral Program.
- Loans that are between 60- and 180-days delinquent are eligible for a payment deferral.
- For more information, see the Payment Deferral Solutions webpage, Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (Guide) Bulletin 2023-8 or the July 3, 2023, Resolve release information.
- This expansion is designed to make payment deferrals available to a larger number of homeowners.
Ability for Servicers to Edit Delinquent Interest
- Servicers can edit the delinquent interest on payment deferral workout approval requests to overcome penny differences.
- This allows Servicers to provide the delinquent interest in their requests to prevent any delinquent interest variances calculated between Freddie Mac and the Servicer.
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July 31, 2023
First Payment Due Date Adjustment for Payment Deferrals
- Servicers can edit the First Payment Due Date during the draft submission stage for a payment deferral.
- This provides greater flexibility in qualifying borrowers for payment deferrals, since Servicers can receive preliminary results including the impact of inserting a processing month at the time of a Draft Request (DraftReq) in addition to the Workout Approval Request (WAReq).
Weekend Processing of Workout Requests
- Servicers can process workout settlement requests during the weekend for Flex Modifications and payment deferrals.
- This provides greater accessibility and flexibility by expanding the timeframe for submission.
- Note: When submitting a Settlement Request (SETReq), Servicers will receive a response indicating the updated status; however, the loan will settle the following business day. Loans settle on each business day, with the exception of the first business day of the month; if a loan is submitted on the first business day of the month, it will settle on the second business day.
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July 3, 2023
Expansion of Payment Deferral Program
- Servicers who are operationally available to do so may begin offering the expanded payment deferrals on July 1, 2023, at 12:00 a.m. By October 1, 2023, all Servicers must fully transition to the expanded Payment Deferral Program.
- Borrowers who are between 60- and 180-days delinquent may be eligible for payment deferrals.
- A rolling delinquency is no longer applicable for a payment deferral, so borrowers will no longer be required to have made at least two consecutive monthly mortgage payments immediately prior to completion of a payment deferral.
- Per the mandate announced in Bulletin 2023-8, borrowers on a payment deferral with an effective date on or after July 1, 2020, who fall 60 days or more delinquent, qualify for a streamlined Flex Modification.
- During the transition period from July 1, 2023 – October 1, 2023, Resolve will support the existing payment deferral as well as the expanded payment deferral. However, Servicers may only offer one version of the payment deferral (i.e. if a Servicer adopts the expanded payment deferral prior to October, 1, 2023, they can no longer offer a payment deferral to borrowers who are less than 60 days delinquent).
- For more information about the expansion of the Payment Deferral Program, see the Payment Deferral Solutions web page or Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide (Guide) Bulletin 2023-8.
Deferral of Escrow and Expenses
- An update to the standard payment deferral terms now allows escrow and expenses to be deferred, in addition to the non-interest-bearing unpaid principal balance (UPB), as outlined in Guide Section 9206.15(b).
- This enhancement makes payment deferrals a more attractive loss mitigation option for borrowers, as it allows deferment of expenses as well as standard monthly payments.
Workout Eligibility for Loans Nearing Maturity
- A new rule helps determine the best workout options for borrowers with loans that are nearing maturity.
- This applies when loans are less than 36 months from the maturity date or less than 36 months from the projected payoff date of the interest-bearing UPB.
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May 12, 2023
Update to Flex Modification Submissions
Servicers don’t need to cancel a failed Trial Period approval request (‘TPAREQ’ failure) in the Resolve API, allowing the user to re-evaluate the submission data and reprocess the evaluation without receiving an error.
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March 27, 2023
Payment Deferral Due Date Updates
- When the due date of last paid installment (DDLPI) for a standard payment deferral workout approval request is the same as the prior month’s DDLPI, the tool will trigger an LM000072 fatal edit. (UI/API)
- A new fatal error LM000144, appears when there are misaligned payment due dates. (UI/API)
- For workout requests on a payment deferral, when the reported first payment due date is the same month as, or three months or more after, the requested submission date, the tool will trigger an LM000074 fatal edit. (UI/API)
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February 10, 2023
- API updates were made to Resolve Retention API Request Validation error messages, Resolve Workout Options, API Request Validation error messages, and the Resolve Retention API Guide for Version 2 schema. All three have been updated and posted to the Developer Portal. Specific updates to the error messages are listed on the Version History tab.
- Resolve will trigger the following message when API requests are submitted during deployment downtime: “Resolve is currently undergoing maintenance. Please try submitting your request again later.”
- Some other updates in this release impact those who access Resolve through the UI or an API. Please reference the UI section above for more details on the enhancements and changes in this release for API users.
**REMINDER: Required use of UI for both UI and API users in some scenarios
- A workout exception request in Info Requested status must be updated via the Workout Details screen in the Resolve UI to provide additional data or information requested by the Freddie Mac analyst, even if the request was submitted via the Resolve Retention API.
- The Resolve UI must also be used to submit a forbearance extension request or to settle an FHA, VA or RHS loan in your Freddie Mac portfolio.
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December 5, 2022
Starting December 5, 2022, the UI will expand to include Flex Modification submissions. Here’s what it means for Servicers and technology providers leveraging the Retention API:
- The dashboard will display the full portfolio view of Flex Modifications submitted via Resolve, including exception requests. This new option is easy and convenient for viewing aggregated information on Flex Modifications.
- Since Resolve is fully integrated for Flex Modifications, workouts submitted in the API can continue to be processed and finished in the UI, and vice versa.
- No duplicate data entry is required; there is direct integration with your loss mitigation system.
- If you submit a case via API for exception review for which Freddie Mac has requested more information, you will need to provide the requested data via the UI.
- Please note, the ability to view workout details from the dashboard will not be available until Q2 2023. Continue to use your API response file for that data.
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September 26, 2022
Modification to COVID-19 Flex Modification (FLXCVD)
- Similar to a standard Flex Modification, if the principal and interest generated by a COVID-19 Flex Modification (FLXCVD) are greater than the amount before the modification, Servicers can now request an exception review. Fatal edit check (LM000018) and the same message now apply to both.
- Please note: Users who have not yet adopted Retention schema V2 must submit exception review requests via the negotiated path in Workout Prospector.
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August 29, 2022
This release enhances workout processing for Flex Modifications.
Flexibility for Trial Period State Date
- Servicers now have the flexibility to request a Trial Period Start Date other than the one that Resolve calculates. For example, the Trial Period Start Date may be a date that is before or after the calculated date, depending on the unique borrower circumstance.
- This enables Servicers to accommodate a homeowner who is about to start a Trial Period for a Flex Modification.
Timely Flex Modification Settlements
- For circumstances when homeowners make early Trial Period payments, Servicers now can request workout approval before the homeowner completes the Trial Period.
- This enables Servicers to prepare the final workout documents that need to be signed by the homeowner and speed up the overall Flex Modification settlement process.
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May 23, 2022
Submit Retention Exception Requests
The Retention API schema enhancements bring you one step closer to a fully integrated default management solution.
- Download the updated Retention API schema (version 2) from the Developer Portal to submit exception requests for payment deferrals and Flex Modifications.
- Request file: Enhancements to Retention API schema provides capability to indicate when exception decision is needed for payment deferrals and Flex Modifications in Resolve. Note that there are placeholders for upcoming enhancements.
- Response file: Receive exception decision status and comments from the Freddie Mac analyst to support exception decisioning, along with post-workout terms. Additionally, receive new data elements, such as property evaluation type and date, deferred interest and deferred principal.
- With this update, your exception requests are integrated with the Resolve UI. This means you have another option to track those requests in a simple and intuitive dashboard.
- Additionally, both schema versions (1 and 2) for the Retention API provide near real-time decisioning on active (non-delinquent) loans.
- Download the updated Retention API schema (version 2) from the Developer Portal to submit exception requests for payment deferrals and Flex Modifications.
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April 20, 2022
Timing Update for Modification Trial Information
- Trial Period details for Flex Modifications have changed from the 1st calendar day to the 4th business day of the month.