Freddie Mac issued Bulletin 2026-6 (Bulletin) announcing revisions to the Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide. Per the Bulletin, Freddie Mac:

• Updated requirements for income used in qualification commencing after the Note date for hourly wage earner borrowers by:
  • Allowing hourly earnings from a new employer to be used in qualification when there is a guaranteed minimum number of weekly hours;
  • Allowing hourly earnings from a current employer with a future increase in the pay rate to be used in qualification if documentation in the mortgage file demonstrates that current and future hours do not fluctuate;
  • Removing 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; and
  • Requiring a 10-day pre-closing verification (PCV) for all mortgages when income documentation is obtained after the Note date;
• 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);
• Expanded 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;
• 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;
• Clarified that 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;
• Added specificity related to property disclosure statement on purchase transactions requiring lenders to:
  • Review the property disclosure statement (if provided to the lender) 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; and
  • Provide the property disclosure statement to the appraiser if the lender’s review of the property disclosure statement identifies conditions that could adversely affect the market value, condition or marketability of the subject property;
• Incorporated the condominium project and property insurance updates announced in Bulletin 2026-C into the Guide;
• Updated “Exempt From Review” requirements announced in Bulletin 2026-C to no longer require lenders to determine compliance with the projects in need of critical repair or projects with an evacuation order requirement for mortgages secured by a condominium unit in a 5- to 10-unit condominium project not part of a Master Association;
• Updated Premium Recapture Fee requirements in the Guide to provide additional clarity that the processing fee is in addition to any premium paid for the mortgage less delivery fees; and
• Refactored Guide Chapter 3402 (Seller’s In-House Quality Control Program).

All revisions are effective May 6, 2026.

Click to view the Freddie Mac Guide Bulletin 2026-6: https://www.tenaco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Freddie-Mac-Guide-Bulletin-2026-6-05-06-26.pdf