Bulletin 2026-6: Selling Updates

Bulletin 2026-6

Selling

Issued 05/06/2026

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TO: Freddie Mac Sellers

SUBJECT: SELLING UPDATES

This Guide Bulletin announces:

• Credit underwriting
  • Expanded requirements for income commencing after the Note Date for hourly wage earners
  • Updated guidance related to business structure when self-employed income is reported on Schedule F, Profit or Loss From Farming
  • Updates related to using a reduced real estate tax amount in the monthly housing expense when eligible for a tax abatement or exemption
  • The removal of the “ paid through” date requirement for year-to-date paystubs used as 10-day pre-closing verifications
• Property disclosure statements
  • Updates related to property disclosure statements for purchase transactions
• Condominium Projects and property insurance
  • The incorporation of Condominium Projects and property insurance updates in the Guide – Multiple effective dates
• Additional Guide updates
  • Further updates as described in the Additional Guide updates section of this Bulletin

EFFECTIVE DATE

All of the changes announced in this Bulletin are effective immediately unless otherwise noted.

Credit underwriting

Income commencing after the Note Date – hourly wage earners

We have updated the Guide related to income commencing after the Note Date used to qualify the Borrower as follows:

• Hourly earnings from a new employer may be used to qualify when there is a guaranteed minimum number of weekly hours
• Hourly earnings from the current employer with a future increase in the pay rate may only be used to qualify when documentation in the Mortgage file demonstrates that current and future hours do not fluctuate
• We have removed the requirement for verification of funds in addition to those required to be paid by the Borrower and Borrower reserves when there are more than 15 calendar days between the Note Date and the start of the new employment when income documentation is obtained after the Note Date but prior to the Delivery Date
• When income documentation is obtained after the Note Date, a 10-day pre-closing verification (PCV) is now required for all Mortgages

Income commencing after the Note Date must always be non-fluctuating employment earnings.

Guide impact: Section 5303.2

Schedule F, Profit or Loss From Farming

We have added guidance for determining business structure and ownership interest percentage(s) when using farming income reported on Internal Revenue Service Schedule F, Profit or Loss From Farming.

This does not represent a change to existing requirements.

Guide impact: Section 5304.1

Property tax abatements and exemptions

We have expanded our requirements related to the amount of real estate taxes included in the monthly housing expense to allow a reduced real estate tax amount when the Borrower is not currently receiving a tax abatement or exemption if the Mortgage file contains evidence the Borrower and/or property is eligible for the reduced amount. This change provides greater flexibility for Sellers and increases access to credit.

Guide impact: Section 5401.1

Year-to-date paystub as eligible 10-day PCV type

Based on Seller feedback, we have removed the “paid through” date requirement for a year-to-date (YTD) paystub that is used to satisfy the 10-day PCV requirement to verify the Borrower’s current employment. The YTD paystub used to verify employment must be:

• From the pay period immediately preceding the Note Date, and
• Dated no more than 15 Business Days before the Note Date

This change is intended to simplify the verification of employment process and enhance efficiency.

Guide impact: Section 5302.2

Property disclosure statements

We have specified that Sellers must review the property disclosure statement on purchase transactions (if provided to the Seller) for conditions that could adversely affect the market value, condition or marketability of the subject property, including adverse physical deficiencies consistent with a C5 or C6 condition rating.

We have also specified that Sellers must provide the property disclosure statement to the appraiser if the Seller’s review of the property disclosure statement identifies conditions that could adversely affect the market value, condition or marketability of the subject property.

Guide impacts: Sections 5602.3, 5602.4 and 5603.3

Condominium Projects and property insurance

Multiple effective dates

The Condominium Project and property insurance updates announced in Bulletin 2026-C have been incorporated into the Guide.

Guide impacts: Sections 1301.6, 4203.1, 4501.7, 4703.2, 4703.4, 4703.5, 5701.1 through 5701.7, 5701.9 through 5701.12, 6302.20, 8202.1, 8202.4 and Glossary

Expansion of Exempt From Review

In response to Seller feedback, we have updated our Exempt From Review requirements announced in Bulletin 2026-C to no longer require Sellers to determine compliance with the projects in need of Critical Repair or projects with an evacuation order requirements for Mortgages secured by a Condominium Unit in a 5- to 10-Unit Condominium Project not part of a Master Association.

Guide impacts: Sections 5701.2 and 5701.7

Additional Guide updates

Recapture of premiums

Based on Seller feedback, we have updated our Guide requirement regarding the Premium Recapture Fee to provide additional clarity that the processing fee is in addition to any premium paid for the Mortgage less delivery fees. There are no changes to the Premium Recapture requirement or calculation described in Section 6303.1(d) as a result of this update.

Guide impact: Section 6303.1

Reporting of changes in Seller/Servicer’s organization or status

Effective May 13, 2026

We are updating the Glossary terms “Change of Control” and “Senior Management” to better align with industry standards and practices and provide additional clarity for certain changes and events. We are also adjusting the Change and Activity Report submission timing for certain events to more closely align with industry standards and practices. Material Organizational Changes will still be required to be submitted 60 calendar days before the effective date of the event.

Guide impacts: Section 2101.12 and Glossary

Guide refactoring

To improve the ease of use of our Guide for Sellers, Guide Chapter 3402 has been refactored. No requirements were changed as a result of this new formatting, although cross-references have been updated.

Guide impacts

For a full list of Guide impacts related to Guide refactoring, see the Guide Updates Spreadsheet section below.

Guide updates spreadsheet

For a detailed list of the Guide updates associated with this Bulletin and the topics with which they correspond, access the Bulletin 2026-6 (Selling) Guide Updates Spreadsheet via the Download drop-down available at https://guide.freddiemac.com/app/guide/bulletin/2026-6.

Conclusion

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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