Virginia Law

A. The originating of mortgage loans and the processing of applications for the making or financing thereof in accordance with this chapter shall, except as noted in subsection L of this section, be performed through originating lenders. The servicing of mortgage loans shall be performed by the authority.

B. To be initially approved as an originating lender and to continue to be so approved, the applicant must meet the following qualifications:

1. Be authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Virginia and be licensed as a mortgage lender or broker, as applicable, under the Virginia Mortgage Lender and Broker Act as set forth in Chapter 16 (§ 6.2-1600 et seq.) of Title 6.2 of the Code of Virginia (including nonprofit corporations that may be exempt from licensing when making mortgage loans on their own behalf under subdivision 4 of § 6.2-1602 of the Code of Virginia); provided, however, that such licensing requirement shall not apply to persons exempt from licensure under:

a. Subdivision 2 of § 6.2-1602 of the Code of Virginia (any person subject to the general supervision of or subject to examination by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Financial Institutions of the Virginia State Corporation Commission);

b. Subdivision 3 of § 6.2-1602 of the Code of Virginia (any lender authorized to engage in business as a bank, savings institution, or credit union under the laws of the United States or any state, and subsidiaries and affiliates of such entities which lender, subsidiary or affiliate is subject to the general supervision or regulation of or subject to audit or examination by a regulatory body or agency of the United States or any state); or

c. Subdivision 5 of § 6.2-1602 of the Code of Virginia (agencies of the federal government, or any state or municipal government, or any quasi-governmental agency making or brokering mortgage loans under the specific authority of the laws of any state or the United States);

2. Have a net worth equal to or in excess of requirements mandated by FHA or any other guarantor or investor, as applicable to the programs in which the originating lender participates, except that this qualification requirement shall not apply to redevelopment and housing authorities and agencies of local government;

3. Have a staff with demonstrated ability and experience in mortgage loan origination, underwriting, processing, and closing;

4. Have a physical office located in Virginia that is open to the general public during commercially reasonable business hours, staffed with individuals qualified to take mortgage loan applications, and to which the general public may physically go to make an application for a mortgage loan, unless the executive director determines that it is reasonable or necessary to waive or modify such requirement after taking into consideration current industry and market conditions;

5. Be eligible to, and have a staff qualified to (as set forth in subdivision 3 of this subsection), originate mortgage loans under all of the authority's single family mortgage loan programs (not including the Rural Development loan program), unless otherwise approved for originating lenders originating mortgage loans in underserved markets;

6. Have a fidelity bond and mortgage errors and omissions coverage in an amount at least equal to requirements mandated by FHA or any other guarantor or investor as applicable to the programs in which the originating lender participates and provide the authority a certificate from the insurance carrier naming the authority as a party in interest to the bond, or the policies or bonds shall name the authority as one of the parties insured. The policy's deductible clause must also meet the requirements mandated by FHA or any other guarantor or investor as applicable to the programs in which the originating lender participates;

7. Have a past history of satisfactory performance in the authority's and other mortgage lenders', insurers', guarantors', and investors' mortgage programs that, in the determination of the executive director, demonstrates that the applicant will be capable of meeting its obligations under the authority's programs, and provided further that, any applicant that has been previously terminated as an originating lender by the authority shall not be eligible to reapply for 24 months after the effective date of such termination; and

8. Meet such other qualifications as the executive director shall deem to be related to the performance of its duties and responsibilities.

The executive director may modify or waive any of the requirements in this subsection if he determines (i) that it is reasonable or necessary to do so after taking into consideration any mitigating factors and (ii) that the financial interests of the authority are adequately protected. In making this determination, the executive director may require such other requirements as he deems reasonable or necessary to adequately protect the financial interests of the authority.

In the event that the executive director determines that it is reasonable or necessary (after taking into consideration the number of existing originating lenders, the current and expected level of loan production and demand for mortgage loans, and the current and expected resources available to the authority to make mortgage loans) to cease approving additional originating lenders, the authority may at any time decline to accept further applications and to approve applications previously submitted.

C. Each originating lender approved by the authority shall enter into a purchase agreement with the authority.

Once the purchase agreement is executed, continued participation in the authority's programs shall be subject to the terms and conditions in the agreement.

D. Originating lenders shall maintain adequate books and records with respect to mortgage loans which they originate and sell to the authority, shall permit the authority to examine such books and records, and shall submit to the authority such reports (including annual financial statements) and information as the authority may require. The fees payable to the originating lenders for originating and selling mortgage loans shall be established from time to time by the executive director and shall be set forth in the origination guide.

E. The executive director shall allocate funds for the making or financing of mortgage loans in such manner, to such persons and entities, in such amounts, for such period, and subject to such terms and conditions as he shall deem appropriate to best accomplish the purposes and goals of the authority. Without limiting the foregoing, the executive director may allocate funds (i) to mortgage loan applicants on a first-come, first-serve or other basis, (ii) to originating lenders and state and local government agencies and instrumentalities for the origination of mortgage loans to qualified applicants, (iii) to builders for the permanent financing of residences constructed or rehabilitated or to be constructed or rehabilitated by them and to be sold to qualified applicants, or (iv) for permanent or interim construction or renovation financing of eligible properties to be sold to qualified applicants. In determining how to allocate the funds, the executive director may consider such factors as he deems relevant, including any of the following:

1. The need for the expeditious commitment and disbursement of such funds for mortgage loans;

2. The need and demand for the financing of mortgage loans with such funds in the various geographical areas of the Commonwealth;

3. The cost and difficulty of administration of the allocation of funds;

4. The capability, history, and experience of any originating lenders, state and local governmental agencies and instrumentalities, builders, or other persons and entities (other than mortgage loan applicants) who are to receive an allocation; and

5. Housing conditions in the Commonwealth.

F. In the event that the executive director shall determine to make allocations of funds to builders as described in subsection E of this section, the builder shall satisfy the requirements as the executive director shall establish with respect to builder qualifications.

G. The executive director may from time to time take such action as he may deem necessary or proper in order to solicit applications for allocation of funds. Such actions may include advertising in newspapers and other media, mailing of information to prospective applicants and other members of the public, and any other methods of public announcement that the executive director may select as appropriate under the circumstances. The executive director may impose requirements, limitations, and conditions with respect to the submission of applications as he shall consider necessary or appropriate. The executive director may cause market studies and other research and analyses to be performed in order to determine the manner and conditions under which funds of the authority are to be allocated and such other matters as he shall deem appropriate relating thereto. The authority may also consider and approve applications for allocations of funds submitted from time to time to the authority without any solicitation therefor on the part of the authority.

H. The executive director is authorized to prepare and from time to time revise an origination guide. Copies of the origination guide shall be available upon request. The executive director shall be responsible for the implementation and interpretation of the provisions of the origination guide.

I. The authority may from time to time (i) make mortgage loans directly to mortgagors with the assistance and services of its originating lenders, (ii) agree to purchase individual mortgage loans from its originating lenders upon the consummation of the closing thereof, and (iii) make mortgage loans directly to mortgagors in underserved markets. The review and processing of applications for such mortgage loans, the issuance of mortgage loan approvals, the closing and, if applicable, the purchase of such mortgage loans, and the terms and conditions relating to such mortgage loans shall be governed by and shall comply with the provisions of the purchase agreement, the origination guide, the Act, and this chapter.

J. If the applicant and the application for a mortgage loan meet the requirements of the Act and this chapter, the authority may issue a mortgage loan approval to the applicant for the financing of the single family dwelling unit. Such mortgage loan commitment shall be issued only upon the determination of the authority that such a mortgage loan is not otherwise available from private lenders upon reasonably equivalent terms and conditions, and such determination shall be set forth in the mortgage loan approval. The original principal amount and term of such mortgage loan, the amortization period, the terms and conditions relating to the prepayment thereof, and such other terms, conditions, and requirements as the executive director deems necessary or appropriate shall be set forth or incorporated in the mortgage loan approval issued on behalf of the authority with respect to such mortgage loan.

K. The executive director may, in his discretion, delegate to one or more originating lenders all or some of the responsibility for underwriting, issuing approvals for mortgage loans, and disbursing the proceeds without prior review and approval by the authority. If the executive director determines to make any such delegation, he shall establish criteria under which originating lenders may qualify for such delegation. If such delegation has been made, the originating lenders shall submit all required documentation to the authority at such time as the authority may require. If the executive director determines that a mortgage loan does not comply with any requirement under the origination guide, the applicable purchase agreement, the Act, or this chapter for which the originating lender was delegated responsibility, he may require the originating lender to purchase such mortgage loan, subject to such terms and conditions as he may prescribe.

L. The authority may utilize originating agents for the purpose of receiving applications for mortgage loans. To be approved as an originating agent, the applicant must meet the following qualifications:

1. Be authorized to do business in the Commonwealth of Virginia and be licensed as a mortgage lender or broker, as applicable, under the Virginia Mortgage Lender and Broker Act as set forth in Chapter 16 (§ 6.2-1600 et seq.) of Title 6.2 of the Code of Virginia (including nonprofit corporations that may be exempt from licensing when making mortgage loans on their own behalf under subdivision 4 of § 6.2-1602 of the Code of Virginia); provided, however that such licensing requirement shall not apply to persons exempt from licensure under:

a. Subdivision 2 of § 6.2-1602 of the Code of Virginia (any person subject to the general supervision of or subject to examination by the Commissioner of the Bureau of Financial Institutions of the Virginia State Corporation Commission);

b. Subdivision 3 of § 6.2-1602 of the Code of Virginia (any lender authorized to engage in business as a bank, savings institution, or credit union under the laws of the United States or any state, and subsidiaries and affiliates of such entities which lender, subsidiary or affiliate is subject to the general supervision or regulation of or subject to audit or examination by a regulatory body or agency of the United States or any state); or

c. Subdivision 5 of § 6.2-1602 of the Code of Virginia (agencies of the federal government, or any state or municipal government, or any quasi-governmental agency making or brokering mortgage loans under the specific authority of the laws of any state or the United States);

2. Have the demonstrated ability and experience in the receipt and processing of mortgage loan applications; and

3. Have such other qualifications as the executive director shall deem to be related to the performance of its duties and responsibilities.

Each originating agent approved by the authority shall enter into such agreement as the executive director shall require with respect to the receipt of applications for mortgage loans. Originating agents shall perform the duties and responsibilities of originating lenders under this chapter as the authority may require in such agreement.

M. Originating agents shall maintain adequate books and records with respect to mortgage loans for which they accept applications, shall permit the authority to examine such books and records, and shall submit to the authority such reports and information as the authority may require. The fees to the originating agents for accepting applications shall be payable in such amount and at such time as the executive director shall determine.

N. In the case of mortgage loans for which applications are received by originating agents, the authority may process and originate the mortgage loans; accordingly, unless otherwise expressly provided, the provisions of this chapter requiring the performance of any action by originating lenders shall not be applicable to the origination and processing by the authority of such mortgage loans, and any or all of such actions may be performed by the authority on its own behalf.