Bulletin 2026-9: Selling Updates

Bulletin 2026-9

Selling

Issued 07/01/2026

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TO: Freddie Mac Sellers

SUBJECT: SELLING UPDATES

This Guide Bulletin announces:

• Large deposits
  • Updates related to sourcing of large deposits
• Source of gifts
  • Updates to allow business assets from a Related Person as an eligible source of gifts
  • Specificity when gifts from a Related Person are exempt from interested party contribution requirements
• Refi Possible® Mortgages
  • Project review requirements for certain refinance Mortgages
• Pricing updates
  • Updates to Mandatory Cash Contract extensions
  • Relocation of the Indicator ScoreCredit Fee assessment requirements
• 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.

Sourcing of large deposits

We have updated our requirements for sourcing “large deposits” (as defined in Guide Section 5501.1(f)(ii)) to only apply when all of the following requirements are met. The deposit must have been:

• No more than 60 calendar days preceding the Application Received Date
• On or prior to the Note Date
• Reflected on documentation in the Mortgage file

Additionally, we have specified for asset accounts from outside the United States and/or its territories, when the asset documentation reflects a “large deposit” as described in Section 5501.1(f)(ii), the requirements for “large deposits” apply.

Guide impacts: Sections 5501.1 and 5501.3

Sources of gifts

Business assets as an eligible source of gifts

We have expanded our requirements for gift funds and gifts of equity as a source of funds to qualify the Borrower. The donor of these gifts may now be a business owned by a Related Person, provided the gift letter:

• States that the Related Person has an ownership interest in the business
• Is signed by the Related Person with the ownership interest

Guide impact: Section 5501.4

Interested party contribution exceptions

We have specified that the following sources of gifts are exempt from interested party contribution requirements when the donor is the property seller:

• A Related Person
• A business owned by a Related Person
• A trust established by a Related Person
• The estate of a Related Person

The requirement that the donor is not the builder or another interested party and has no affiliation with any other interested party to the transaction still applies.

Guide impact: Section 5501.6

Project review requirements for certain refinance Mortgages

We have updated Section 4302.5 to specify that Refi Possible Condominium Unit Mortgages and Cooperative Share Loans must comply with the applicable Exempt From Review requirements in Section 5701.7 or 5705.7.

Additionally, we have specified that the Critical Repair and evacuation order project review requirements for Refi Possible Condominium Unit Mortgages and Freddie Mac-owned “no cash-out” refinance Condominium Unit Mortgages are applicable to Mortgages secured by units in attached Condominium Projects with 11 or more units.

Guide impacts: Sections 4302.5, 5701.2 and 5701.7

Pricing updates

Mandatory Cash Contract extensions

Based on Seller feedback, we have provided additional specificity regarding the deadline for extending a Mandatory Cash Contract on the Purchase Contract Expiration Date.

Guide impact: Section 6101.2

Indicator ScoreCredit Fee assessments

We have consolidated Credit Fee assessment requirements related to Indicator Score in Section 6303.1 and also updated related cross-references.

Guide impacts: Sections 5203.2, 6303.1, Exhibits 19 and 25

Additonal Guide updates

2- to 4-unit floor plans

We have updated our requirements for exhibits included with an appraisal report for a 2- to 4-unit property to only require a floor plan of the property when it is atypical or functionally obsolete for the Market Area.

Guide impact: Section 5604.2

Glossary definition for “Retail Mortgage”

We have updated the Glossary definition for “Retail Mortgage” to specify that the involvement of a Mortgage Broker or a Correspondent excludes a Mortgage from being a Retail Mortgage only in cases where the Mortgage Broker or Correspondent is not an Affiliate of the lender.

Guide impact: Glossary

CHOICEHomes®

With the refactoring of Guide Chapter 5703 announced in Bulletin 2025-7, the requirement was inadvertently changed for the appraisal report for Mortgages secured by CHOICEHomes by stating that the appraisal report may contain site-built homes as comparable sales when CHOICEHomes as comparable sales are not available. With this Bulletin, we have updated the language to reflect the original intent that the appraisal report must contain site-built homes as comparable sales when CHOICEHomes as comparable sales are not available.

Guide impact: Section 5703.12

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 2026-9 (Selling) Guide Updates Spreadsheet via the Download drop-down available at https://guide.freddiemac.com/app/guide/bulletin/2026-9.

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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