New Loan-Level Pricing Adjustments (LLPA): May 1, 2023

New Loan-Level Pricing Adjustments will be in effect on May 1, 2023. What are LLPAs and how will they impact borrowers?

What is Loan-Level Pricing Adjustment?

Mortgage lenders adjust their interest rates per borrower based on the presumed risk of loaning money to that borrower in a procedure known as Loan-Level Pricing Adjustment. This government mandated risk-based pricing is not entirely dissimilar to an auto insurance policy increasing rates for riskier borrowers. In general, the riskier the borrower, the higher the interest rate they will be required to pay. Through loan-level pricing adjustments, lenders can legally charge more fees to borrowers deemed “risky” while not inflating the fees for their “safer” borrowers, who present less of a risk of defaulting on their mortgage loans.

Loan-Level Pricing Adjustment was first introduced into the conventional mortgage market back in 2008. When hundreds of government-backed mortgages went into default in what would become the biggest housing crisis of our era, the major mortgage superpowers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac realized that they needed a way to cushion themselves moving forward. After coming to the realization that their original stance left them both overexposed to risk and under-capitalized, they decided that they would need to charge greater fees.

Even with such a simple solution in mind, both entities were also aware that an “across the board” inflation of fees wouldn’t exactly make conventional financing the most popular choice among home buyers. Instead, they needed a way to keep their rates reasonable for the less risky borrowers while maintaining the ability to charge higher fees to those borrowers who presented more of a risk. Loan-Level Pricing Adjustment was born from these ideas, as a way for the companies to raise the price of a loan based on the risk associated with each borrower.

The “price” of a loan, while most people tend to not realize it as such, is what is represented by the interest rate. Rather, the price of any particular mortgage loan dictates what the interest rate for that loan will be. A higher price means the borrower will have to pay a higher interest rate and a lower price means the borrower will have to pay a lower interest rate.

Loan-Level Pricing Adjustment allows mortgage prices to be adjusted by evaluating the different risk factors of any given borrower and basing their interest rates off of the assumed risk. This allows high-risk borrowers to be charged accordingly without penalizing the safer borrowers. Through LLPA, it isn’t rare for a borrower to see their mortgage price raised by over 100 basis points — the equivalent of 1%. There are very few incidences when loan-level pricing adjustments aren’t imposed on conventional mortgage financing, namely when borrowers with credit scores over 720 are able to purchase a property with a down payment of at least 40%.

When are the new Loan-Level Pricing Adjustments effective?

The updated LLPAs will be effective for all whole loans purchased on or after May 1, 2023, and for loans delivered into mortgage-backed securities (MBS) with issue dates on or after May 1, 2023.

For both whole loan and MBS transactions, Fannie Mae may apply one or more loan-level price adjustments (LLPAs) based on certain loan-level credit risk characteristics. All LLPAs are cumulative. LLPAs are applied according to the following:

• Whole loans: LLPAs are calculated on the “Purchase Ready” date (as reflected in Loan Delivery) based on the unpaid principal balance of the loan. All applicable LLPAs will be deducted from the purchase proceeds.
• Loans in MBS: LLPAs are calculated on the MBS pool issue date based on the pool issue balance. All applicable LLPAs will be drafted from the lender’s account designated for that purpose.

Click Link Below for the Loan-Level Pricing Adjustment (LLPA) Matrix:

https://singlefamily.fanniemae.com/media/document/pdf/llpa-matrix-pdf?_ga=2.127686798.2035496586.1678292537-451913264.1678292537

Choice Mortgage Group

Choice Mortgage Group is dedicated to helping people improve their financial situations and create lasting memories through home ownership – one loan at a time. Our team of mortgage experts build customized solutions for each of our clients, based on their specific situations, goals, and objectives.

Specializing in residential mortgage lending for over 25 years, our programs include conventional and government lending, purchases, and refinances. We also offer portfolio lending for self-employed borrowers and borrowers with complicated tax situations.

South Florida is where Choice Mortgage Group started, and we like to call it home. We are devoted Florida Atlantic University Owls fans and are proud to be the official mortgage lender partner of FAU Athletics. We also support numerous other local organizations.

For more information about Choice Mortgage Group, visit www.choicemortgage.com.

Choice Mortgage Group

2424 N Federal Hwy, Suite 100

Boca Raton, FL 33431

(561) 395-6900

info@choicemortgage.com