Florida HOA Lawyer Blog
The lead article at the top of today’s front page of the Sun Sentinel titled “Collapse Drives Tougher Loan Standards” begins with quotes from firm shareholder Roberto C. Blanch and goes on to include quotes from his recent blog post on the topic. The article, which also appears in the Miami Herald’s website, focuses on the new condominium loan requirements from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored enterprises that make mortgages available to low- to moderate-income borrowers. It reads:
. . . Reacting to last year’s tragic collapse of the Champlain Tower South in Surfside, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two companies that back a majority of residential mortgages in the U.S., are scrutinizing deferred condo maintenance issues before approving loans generated by banks and other lenders.
Generally, they will not back loans for condo and co-op units if their buildings have put off major repairs, industry experts say.
Both companies have issued temporary requirements for condo and co-op projects to ensure that buildings are structurally sound, and that associations that govern them have the money to pay for repairs.
The upshot, legal and real estate analysts say, is that some condo buyers around the nation may need to find other sources if they want to finance their purchases. The rules could make it harder for some owners to sell, and place more pressure on condo inventories already tightened by heavy demand.
“It is without a doubt a more heightened scrutiny than what was previously being requested,” said attorney Roberto C. Blanch, who specializes in community association law at the Siegfried Rivera firm in Coral Gables. “The focus is on ensuring the safety and structural soundness and viability of buildings.”
