© 2018 Freddie Mac Single-Family Seller Servicer Guide
(a) Inquiries
Inquiries on the credit report generally reflect the Borrower's requests for new or additional credit. Inquiries made for other purposes, such as general solicitations not initiated by the Borrower or monitoring inquiries by current creditors, typically are not shown on the credit report.When the credit report indicates that a creditor has made an inquiry within the previous 90-day period, the Seller must determine whether additional credit was granted. If additional credit was granted, the Seller must obtain verification of the debt and must consider the debt when qualifying the Borrower subject to the requirements in Section 5401.2, Monthly debt payment-to-income ratio.When underwriting with Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO®) scores, a reason code will alert the Seller that the number of inquiries affected the Borrower's FICO score and, therefore, should not be overlooked in underwriting. In this case and when underwriting without FICO scores, the Seller must decide whether the number of recent inquiries, especially when combined with other credit information, increases the risk of the Borrower's credit profile.Several inquiries within the most recent 12 months generally increase risk and, when combined with high balances-to-limits on revolving accounts may indicate that the Borrower is in danger of becoming overextended. In addition, several recent inquiries, combined with a credit history of short duration may make even mild derogatory credit information significant.To address how risk evidenced by several recent inquiries, layered with other credit reputation risks, affects the Borrower's overall credit reputation, the Seller must look at:
- The Borrower's payment history
- The age of the Borrower's other credit
- The type of credit being sought
- The total amount of credit outstanding, and
- The overall credit utilization reflected on the report
(b) Age of accounts
For Manually Underwritten Mortgages, the Seller must review the age of the Borrower's credit obligations to determine whether there has been a recent, significant increase in the number of open accounts. The age of an account is found on a credit report by referring to the "date opened" column. The length of a Borrower's credit history can be measured from the oldest account.Like inquiries, several recently opened accounts may be a warning that the Borrower could become overextended and require a more conservative approach to reviewing both Borrower credit reputation and capacity. A credit history with all recently opened accounts may indicate that the Borrower lacks sufficient experience managing financial obligations.The Seller should also review the age of accounts to determine if there has been a significant change in the Borrower's credit profile. A change in the Borrower's pattern of credit use, which includes several newly opened revolving accounts, several inquiries and high utilization of revolving Tradelines, introduces significant layering of risk to the Borrower's credit reputation.When underwriting with FICO scores, a reason code will alert the Seller that the age of accounts affected the Borrower's FICO score and, therefore, should not be overlooked in underwriting. In this case and when underwriting without FICO scores, the Seller must decide whether the age of accounts, combined with other credit information, increases the risk of the Borrower's profile.To address how the age of a Borrower's accounts, layered with other credit risks, affects the Borrower's credit reputation, the Seller must consider:
- The Borrower's payment history
- The amount of outstanding credit
- The overall utilization of revolving accounts, and
- Recent inquiries
(c) Balances-to-limits/high overall utilization of revolving credit
For Manually Underwritten Mortgages, the Seller must compare the current balance for each open account to the high credit or limit to determine whether there is a pattern of accounts with balances at or near their limits. Multiple revolving accounts with balances more than 50% of their limits must be considered as additional risk when evaluating credit reputation. The more accounts with high balances-to-limits and the higher the percentage used, the higher the risk.High balances-to-limits may also indicate the Borrower is making minimum payments on revolving accounts rather than reducing the debt and may be at or near payment capacity. Any derogatory information in a credit history within the most recent two years combined with several revolving accounts at or near their limits should be considered significant derogatory information when evaluating the credit reputation.In addition to evaluating balances-to-limits, the Seller must compare the overall amount of outstanding revolving credit to the overall amount of revolving credit available to the Borrower, as shown on the credit report, to determine credit utilization. Usage of more than 60% of available revolving credit must be considered a risk factor when evaluating credit reputation. The higher the Borrower's overall utilization of revolving credit, the higher the amount of risk.A pattern of revolving accounts at or near their limits, and utilization of a high proportion of the overall revolving credit available to the Borrower, especially when combined with newly opened accounts, indicates that the Borrower is becoming overextended and there is significant risk in the Borrower's credit reputation. The Seller may not use the lack of adverse or derogatory credit information as an offset for high balances-to-limits or high overall utilization of revolving credit.For a Caution Mortgage with at least two Feedback Certificate messages related to high balances-to-limits or high overall utilization of revolving credit, the Seller should presume the Borrower's credit reputation is unacceptable.When underwriting with FICO scores, a reason code will alert the Seller that the balances on revolving accounts are too high or the proportion of balance to high credit on bank revolving or all revolving accounts is too high and affected the Borrower's FICO score.The Seller must determine whether the balances-to-limits and overall revolving utilization, combined with other credit information, make the Borrower's credit reputation unacceptable.For example, a Borrower with multiple revolving accounts with balances at or near limits, overall utilization of revolving credit of 90%, and less than four years of credit history would have an unacceptable credit reputation, even if there were no derogatory information in the credit report, unless the Borrower had sufficient cash reserves to pay off all revolving account balances and the Borrower's total debt-to-income ratio was within guidelines.
To address how high balances-to-limits, when layered with other credit risks, affect the Borrower's overall credit reputation, the Seller should look at:
- The Borrower's payment history
- The age of the Borrower's credit
- The number of accounts with outstanding balances
- Recent inquiries, and
- The total amount of credit outstanding