Residential Real Estate Lending: Revised Comptroller's Handbook Booklet and Rescissions

Summary

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) issued today the "Residential Real Estate Lending" booklet of the Comptroller's Handbook. This revised booklet replaces the "Real Estate Loans" booklet issued in March 1990 (and examination procedures issued in March 1998). The revised booklet also replaces section 212, "One- to Four-Family Residential Real Estate Lending," issued in February 2011 as part of the former Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) Examination Handbook for the examination of federal savings associations (FSA).

The revised booklet incorporates and reflects applicable national bank and federal savings association statutes and regulations, guidance, and examination procedures. The booklet also provides updated guidance to examiners on assessing and managing the risks associated with residential real estate (RRE) lending activities.

This Comptroller's Handbook booklet is intended to be a summary restatement of existing laws, regulations, and policies. Examiners and members of the public may use this booklet as reference for an overview of this subject. Nothing in this booklet should be interpreted as changing existing OCC policy.

Highlights

The revised booklet

• makes the following applicable to FSAs:
  • Advisory Letter 1997-7, "Affordable Mortgage Portfolios" (August 19, 1997)
  • OCC Bulletin 2005-3, "OCC Guidelines Establishing Standards for National Banks' Residential Mortgage Lending Practices: Appendix C to 12 CFR Part 30" (February 2, 2005)
• rescinds Thrift Bulletin 85.
• provides updated guidance to examiners on assessing the quantity of risk associated with RRE lending and the quality of RRE lending risk management.
• includes wholesale changes to the functional areas of production, servicing, and collections and foreclosure to incorporate recent lessons learned and regulatory changes.
• addresses recent amendments to Regulation X and Regulation Z issued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as well as other statutory and regulatory changes, including those directed by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

For further information, contact David R. Henry, Credit Risk Division, at (202) 649-5866.
 

Jennifer C. Kelly
Senior Deputy Comptroller and Chief National Bank Examiner

Related Link

• "Residential Real Estate Lending" (PDF)