Dear Associates:
Stewart Title Guaranty is pleased to introduce the Home Equity Policy (H.E.P.)
program. This program was developed to provide value-priced title insurance
coverage on institutional equity loans and is to be issued only to institutional
commercial lenders making equity loans on 1-4 residential dwellings. This product
should prove useful when marketing to lenders who specialize in equity financing.
The policy consists of: (1) a policy jacket; (2) a Schedule "A";
(3) a continuation endorsement; and (4) a revolving credit/variable rate endorsement.
Please see referenced forms at the end of this bulletin.
1. Policy jacket
There are no traditional insuring clauses. The coverage is limited to loss
due to any incorrectness of the assurance made in Schedule A.
2. Schedule "A"
The only items needed are the legal description, property address, tax information,
last conveyance, mortgage and lien information. You will need to search for
these items. You do not have to search other title matters.
3. Continuation Endorsement
This form can be used either to "down date" title prior to closing
and recording of the equity loan documents or, subsequent to the recording
of the loan documents to reflect the recording.
4. Revolving Credit/Variable Rate Endorsement
This form can be used when the loan has a revolving credit feature, a variable
rate feature, or both.
The filed rate in Ohio is $2.00 per $1000 of liability and includes the continuation
endorsement and the revolving credit/variable rate endorsement. The charge
does not include search and settlement fees.
Should you have any questions, please contact the Stewart personnel with whom
you customarily deal with or any Senior Underwriter in Houston.
Remember
Practices for Home Equity Policy
Customer Group. Applications or orders for HEP should only be accepted
from institutional commercial equity lenders making consumer loans.
Included in this identified group are banks, savings and loan associations,
and credit unions.
Type of Property. The HEP can be used only for 1-4 residential dwellings.
Lending Limitations: Loans in excess of $200,000 must be approved
by approved underwriting personnel.
Underwriting and Legal Decisions. Questions relating to underwriting
are to be referred to Senior Underwriters in Houston.
Type of Loans. The HEP is available only for secondary financing,
not for first mortgages.