Bulletin 2026-13: Selling Updates

Bulletin 2026-13

Selling

Issued 10/07/2026

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TO: Freddie Mac Sellers

SUBJECT: SELLING UPDATES

1. Topics and summary of changes
2. Guide requirements
3. Additional Guide updates
4. Additional resources
5. Guide Updates Spreadsheet and Tracked Revisions
6. Contact and support

1. TOPICS AND SUMMARY OF CHANGES

2. GUIDE REQUIREMENTS

GreenCHOICE Mortgages®

Retirement of GreenCHOICE Mortgages

Effective for Mortgages with Application Received Dates on or after January 25, 2027 and Mortgages with Application Received Dates prior to January 25, 2027 with Settlement Dates on or after March 1, 2027

To streamline our renovation offerings and expand financing options, we are retiring the standalone offering for GreenCHOICE Mortgages. Mortgages with energy efficiency renovations and Application Received Dates on or after January 25, 2027 continue to be eligible for sale to Freddie Mac through our suite of renovations offerings: CHOICERenovation® Mortgages, CHOICEReno eXPress® Mortgages and Renovation Mortgages.

Additionally, Seller/Servicers should be aware of the following:

• Transfers of Servicing involving GreenCHOICE Mortgages with Application Received Dates prior to January 25, 2027 are prohibited until all eligible improvements are complete and the appraiser has provided a completion report
• GreenCHOICE Mortgages must have Settlement Dates on or before February 28, 2027. Mortgages with Settlement Dates on or after March 1, 2027 must be delivered as CHOICEReno eXPress Mortgages.

Guide impacts: Sections 3401.5, 4203.1, 4301.4, 4301.5, 4301.8, 4405.1, 4406.1, 4606.1 through 4606.6, 4606.7 through 4606.11 (new), 4607.1 through 4607.7, 4607.9, 4607.11, 4607.16, 4607.17, 4702.3, 5401.1, 5601.3, 5602.3, 5602.4, 5604.1, 5605.5, 5605.9, 5703.2, 6302.16, 6302.43, 7101.2 and 8104.1

Delivery instructions

Effective for Mortgages with Settlement Dates on or after March 1, 2027

With the retirement of GreenCHOICE Mortgages, we are removing ULDD Data Point_Loan Program Identifier_ (Sort ID 404) values of “GreenCHOICE” and “GreenCHOICE To Pay Off Outstanding Energy Debt”.

Guide impact: Section 6302.23

CHOICEReno eXPress Mortgages

Effective for Mortgages with Loan Product Advisor® submission or resubmission dates on or after January 25, 2027

Expansion of CHOICEReno eXPress Mortgages

To streamline our renovation offerings and expand financing options, we are updating our requirements to enhance our CHOICEReno eXPress offering. Key updates include:

• Offering consolidation
• Eliminating the energy report requirement for Accept Mortgages and Manually Underwritten Mortgages not exceeding certain qualifying ratios
• Streamlining eligible uses of proceeds while retaining eligibility for energy- and water-efficiency improvements
• Standardizing 15% maximum financed renovation cost limit across all geographies
• Allowing eligibility for all property types and Manually Underwritten Mortgages
• Expanding debt payoff flexibility to permit payoff of short-term financing and Property Assessed Clean Energy obligations, and
• Aligning Borrower cash back eligibility with “no cash-out” refinance Mortgage requirements

These enhancements reduce complexity, improve accessibility and streamline program execution while maintaining support for energy- and water-efficiency financing.

For Sellers approved to submit appraisal reports using Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) 2.6:

• Each reference to “Traditional Appraisal Report” in Guide Chapters 4606 and 4607 must be substituted with “interior and exterior appraisal report”
• Each reference to “UAD Completion Report” and “completion report” in Chapters 4606 and 4607 refers to a completion report meeting the requirements in Section 5605.8

Guide impacts: Sections 3401.5, 4203.1, 4301.4, 4301.5, 4301.8, 4402.1, 4402.4, 4405.1, 4406.1, 4606.1 through 4606.6, 4606.7 through 4606.11 (new), 4607.1 through 4607.7, 4607.9, 4607.11, 4607.16, 4607.17, 4702.3, 5401.1, 5601.3, 5602.1, 5602.3, 5602.4, 5604.1, 5605.5, 5605.9, 5703.2, 7101.2, 8104.1, Exhibits 34, 40 and Glossary

Delivery instructions

We have updated the delivery instructions for CHOICEReno eXPress Mortgages, including the removal of the ULDD Data Point_Loan Program Identifier_ (Sort ID 404) value of “CHOICEReno EXpress DTS Area”.

Guide impacts: Sections 6302.23 and 6302.43

CHOICERenovation Mortgages

Effective for Mortgages with Loan Product Advisor submission or resubmission dates on or after January 25, 2027

We have updated the delivery instructions for CHOICERenovation Mortgages to include ULDD Data Points Energy Improvement Amount (Sort ID 244.1) and Renewable Energy Component Type (Sort ID 90.2).

Guide impact: Section 6302.43

Seller-Owned Modified Mortgages

Effective for Mortgages with Settlement Dates on or after November 9, 2026

We are updating our Seller-Owned Modified Mortgage offering to add flexibility and provide greater specificity.

Requirements for the Seller-Owned Modified Mortgage

Currently, the Mortgage terms must have only changed to reduce the interest rate. Section 4402.4(a)(ii) is being updated to state that the Mortgage terms must have only changed to:

• Reduce the interest rate, and/or
• Reduce the monthly payment amount due to a principal curtailment and recast

No other terms of the Mortgage may have been modified (e.g., change in amortization type from an ARM to fixed-rate Mortgage).

Additionally, when applicable, documentation required to be maintained in the Mortgage file associated with the modification must include documenting the curtailment amount and the reason for (e.g., Borrower-initiated), or the source of, the curtailment.

Special underwriting and property valuation requirements

Currently, the Seller must manually underwrite (or re-underwrite, if applicable) and requalify each Borrower. The Seller is also required to obtain a new appraisal report with an effective date no more than 120 days prior to the modification date. These requirements are being updated and will no longer apply to Seller-Owned Modified Mortgages with Settlement Dates no more than six months after the original Note Date.

For Seller-Owned Modified Mortgages that are Accept Mortgages with Settlement Dates no more than six months after the original Note Date, if the original Mortgage was submitted to Loan Product Advisor and received a Risk Class of Accept:

• Resubmission of the Seller-Owned Modified Mortgage to Loan Product Advisor will not be required after the original Note Date
• The Seller-Owned Modified Mortgage will be eligible for representation and warranty relief relating to the assessment of the original Mortgage through Loan Product Advisor
• The Seller-Owned Modified Mortgage will be eligible for collateral representation and warranty relief relating to the assessment of the original Mortgage through Loan Product Advisor (e.g., automated collateral evaluation (ACE) or ACE+ PDR) or appraised value representation and warranty relief through Loan Collateral Advisor®

Additionally, Seller-Owned Modified Mortgages with Settlement Dates no more than six months after the original Note Date will be allowed to be Accept Mortgages, including Accept Mortgages with an ACE or ACE+ PDR offer, provided the special underwriting and property valuation requirements in Chapter 4402 are met.

For Sellers approved to submit appraisal reports using UAD 2.6, each reference to “Traditional Appraisal Report” in Section 4402.4(d) must be substituted with “interior and exterior appraisal report.”

Eligible Mortgages

We are making more Mortgages with certain characteristics eligible for sale to Freddie Mac as Seller-Owned Modified Mortgages, including:

• HomeOne® Mortgages
• Home Possible® Mortgages secured by 2- to 4-unit properties
• Investment Property Mortgages
• Mortgages made pursuant to employee relocation programs (as described in Chapter 4408)
• Mortgages secured by Manufactured Homes, including Manufactured Homes that are CHOICEHomes®
• Mortgages that were originated as Texas Equity 50(a)(6) Mortgages
• Mortgages with financed mortgage insurance premiums (as described in Section 4701.2(a))
• Mortgages with the custom mortgage insurance option (as described in Section 4701.1)
• Second home Mortgages
• Super conforming Mortgages (as described in Chapter 4603)

eModification Agreements

Sections 1401.1 and 1401.3 are being updated to specify that the requirements applicable to Eligible Electronic Transactions (as defined in Section 1401.1(b)) and, more particularly, eModifications Agreements (as defined in Section 1401.1(b)) that are electronically recorded also apply to loan modification agreements for Seller-Owned Modified Mortgages.

Uniform Instruments and the loan modification agreement

Section 4402.5 is being updated to remove the requirement that a new Note must be used if the Seller-Owned Modified Mortgage is not a fixed-rate Mortgage.

Additionally, Exhibit 5A, Authorized Changes to Notes, Riders, Security Instruments and the Uniform Residential Loan Application, is being updated to authorize the deletion of language from Form 5161, Freddie Mac Multistate Loan Modification to a Fixed Interest Rate, which requires the recording information for the Seller-Owned Modified Mortgage on the loan modification agreement.

Guide impacts

Sections 1401.1, 1401.3, 4101.2, 4201.4, 4301.7, 4402.4, 4402.5, 4408.1, 4603.3, 4605.1, 5101.1 through 5101.3, 5102.4, 5602.3, 5602.4, 5703.5, 5703.12, 6302.27, 6302.32 and Exhibits 5A and 25 have been updated to reflect the changes in this Bulletin.

Seller-Owned Converted Mortgages

Effective for Mortgages with Settlement Dates on or after November 9, 2026

We are updating the valuation requirements to specify that, when obtaining the new Traditional Appraisal Report, it must have an appraised value that is no less than the applicable value specified in Section 4402.1(d).

For Sellers approved to submit appraisal reports using UAD 2.6, each reference to “Traditional Appraisal Report” in Section 4402.1(d) must be substituted with “interior and exterior appraisal report.”

Additionally, Section 4402.3 is being updated to remove references to using certain loan documentation when the original Convertible ARM was originated and for documentation for the Seller-Owned Converted Mortgage.

Guide impacts: Sections 4402.1 through 4402.3 and Exhibit 4A

Manufactured Homes

Mortgages secured by Manufactured Homes in shared equity programs

We have updated the Guide for Community Land Trust Mortgages and Mortgages secured by properties subject to income-based resale restrictions to allow multiwide Manufactured Homes as an eligible property type.

Guide impacts: Sections 4406.8, 4502.3 through 4502.6, 4502.9, 5703.3, 5703.5 and 5706.1

Manufactured Homes on leasehold estates

We have removed the requirement that Sellers must obtain Freddie Mac's written approval before selling Mortgages secured by Manufactured Homes on leasehold estates. Mortgages secured by Manufactured Homes on leasehold estates must meet the requirements in Chapter 5706.

Guide impacts: Sections 4504.6, 4504.8 and 5706.1

Maximum loan-to-value (LTV)/total LTV (TLTV) /Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) TLTV (HTLTV) ratios

We have updated Section 4203.1 to specify that there are no maximum loan-to-value (LTV)/total LTV (TLTV)/Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) TLTV (HTLTV) ratios for Manually Underwritten Mortgages secured by second homes and Investment Properties, as these Mortgages are not eligible for sale to Freddie Mac in accordance with Sections 4201.12 and 4201.13, respectively.

We have also added Guide section references in Section 4203.1 for maximum LTV/TLTV/HTLTV ratios for Mortgages secured by CHOICEHomes and Texas Equity Section 50(a)(6) Mortgages for ease of use to find the applicable ratio requirements.

No requirements were changed as a result of these updates.

Guide impact: Section 4203.1

ACE and ACE+ PDR eligibility

We have updated our requirements to permit refinance Mortgages secured by Investment Properties to be eligible for ACE and ACE+ PDR, subject to the following maximum LTV/TLTV ratios:

• “No cash-out” refinance Mortgages: 75% maximum LTV/TLTV ratio
• Cash-out refinance Mortgages: 60% maximum LTV/TLTV ratio

Guide impacts: Sections 5602.3 and 5602.4

3. ADDITIONAL GUIDE UPDATES

Flood insurance requirements for Condominium Projects with greater than 25% commercial space

Effective December 6, 2026

We are updating Section 4703.3 to add greater specificity regarding flood insurance requirements for Condominium Projects with greater than 25% commercial space as follows:

• The maximum coverage amount available from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) per unit will refer to coverage available under the Residential Condominium Building Association Policy (RCBAP) form (currently $250,000 per unit)
• If the commercial space of an attached condominium building is over 25%, coverage provided by the NFIP's General Property Form (currently $500,000 per building) is insufficient. A private flood insurance policy, or a private flood insurance policy in conjunction with a General Property Form policy (or equivalent coverage) must be maintained by the homeowners association to equate to coverage requirements for condominiums eligible for an RCBAP.

Guide impact: Section 4703.3

American Land Title Association endorsement for solar panels

The Guide previously required Sellers to subordinate or release any UCC-1 Financing Statement recorded as a lien in the land records when solar panels are financed as a fixture to real estate. We have updated the Guide to allow a solar panel endorsement to the title insurance policy to confirm that the UCC-1 Financing Statement does not adversely affect title to the real estate.

Guide impact: Section 5601.4

FreddieHome℠ System-Specific License

Effective October 14, 2026

We are updating the System-Specific License for Freddie Mac Gateway® to reflect the inclusion of a license for FreddieHome.

FreddieHome is a digital platform that simplifies how Seller/Servicers and their Related Third Parties engage with Freddie Mac by bringing business interactions, account updates and resources into a connected and personalized experience.

Guide impact: Section 2402.2

4. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

CHOICEReno eXPress Mortgages

For additional information, visit the CHOICEReno eXPress Mortgages webpage (opens in new window), and for training resources, access the Explore webpage(opens in new window). Both sites will be updated as new resources become available.

Loan Product Advisor, Loan Selling Advisor® and Loan Quality Advisor® Release Notes will be available at Technology Releases - Freddie Mac Single-Family(opens in new window) to announce technical changes.

Additional resources are not part of, or a substitute for, the Guide or other Purchase Documents.

Seller-Owned Converted Mortgages

Updated Form 3180, Freddie Mac Agreement to Convert, related to Seller-Owned Converted Mortgages, is available on our Uniform Instruments webpage(opens in new window).

Additional resources are not part of, or a substitute for, the Guide or other Purchase Documents.

5. GUIDE UPDATES SPREADSHEET AND TRACKED REVISIONS

For a detailed list of the Guide updates associated with this Bulletin and tracked revisions of the Guide content, access the Bulletin 2026-13 (Selling) Guide Updates Spreadsheet and Guide Tracked Revisions via the Download drop-down available at https://guide.freddiemac.com/app/guide/bulletin/2026-13.

The Guide Updates Spreadsheet and Guide Tracked Revisions are not part of, or a substitute for, the Guide or other Purchase Documents.

6. CONTACT AND SUPPORT

If you have any questions about the changes announced in this Bulletin, please contact your Freddie Mac representative or call Customer Service at 800-FREDDIE.

Sincerely,

Kevin Kauffman

Senior Vice President, Single-Family Seller Engagement

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