What is up with Banco Popular and ITIN Loans?

OK this is a topic I would like to have as many of you contribute because I have heard a lot of stories but let us get them in writing because then maybe Banco could get its act together.

I had two personal experiences with Banco that caused me to lose any confidence in its staff and product.

Since with AHM the maximum down payment was 18.01% - I had to refer (without a fee) two clients to Banco because they wanted to put down more then 20%.

They were both given a pre-qualification letter by Banco. So while the borrower was faxing documents to Banco these two clients went looking for homes. As normal procedures - offers were made and contracts negotiated. And while the Realtor prepared inspections and the borrower prepared to move - Banco was processing these loans.

Well in both cases - when the closing got about 2 week away - Banco sent a denial letter. Now, I had prepped my clients for the process. I knew that they had all their ducks in order, all their "T" crossed and all their "i" dotted.

So what was the big mess - they forgot to tell me and the borrower - that the ITIN had to appear on the W2s. Therefore they considered this a fraudulent application. YES, that is right - a fraudulent application.

One of my clients had to retain an attorney in order to negotiate the return of his scrupulous - low commission - discount Realtors in our community - because the seller found out from the buyers agent that the borrower had used the ITIN to apply for the loan. So this discount Realtor - that is to suppose to HELP U - helped themselves to 50% of a $5,000 earnest money (well they probably gave it to their seller - which was one of their listings).

So when I called Banco about this situation - they told me that if this case were to go to court - Banco will have to state that this loan was being acquired fraudulently by the borrower.

So this is my Banco story...give us your stories.

Here is another scoop on Banco - I don't know if you are aware of it but Banco has different guidelines for different communities. This is because in some pre-selected regions they are attempting to adopt the MGIC guidelines. But once again - I have not been able to confirm this because as LO and Realtors - we have not been talking much about the inside track of these lenders.

So let us hear from you.

 

5 Comments on What is up with Banco Popular and ITIN Loans?

HHHmm, that's interesting because I've ben told numerous time by Banco reps that they don't care if the borrowers used Social Security Numbers in the past for work or tax filing. I know MANY of our closed Banco loans has Social Security Numbers on some docs....I wonder if they have changed their guidelines again...like changes in wind directions.

Sean Allen

10/11/2007 08:15 PM by International Financing Solutions


That is not right.  I have done tons of loans with Banco Popular, and none of them had their ITIN number in their W-2.  I am pretty sure reason why they were denied was because some othe reason.I know Banco has changed their guidelines lately, however, that is not one of them.  They reduce LTV from 95% to 88%.  Thanks, and I hope this inforamtion will help.

10/12/2007 08:05 AM by


This is precisely the problem with Banco Popular they are not consistent. In one state they allow one type of ITIN Loan to be approved and in another they change the guidelines.

And let me be clear with you all - this comment about Banco Popular is first hand information - when I, Eliud Gautier, contact them about this one client (whom applied in early 2007) and that his escrow monies was being held hostage by the selling realtor because the sellers claimed the borrower applied illegally (making Bancos denial letter void and nul for the purposes of requesting for the earnest monies) - the Banco Poplar person told me and the borrowers attorney (in the summer of 2007) that if this was challenged in court - Banco would have to agree with the fraudulent application story.

So now the ITIN borrower is out the 50% of his earnest money because he had to pay the seller the extortion money because Banco was unwilling to stand by this client.

So you could take this to the banco.

10/13/2007 09:42 PM by Eliud Gautier (Casa Latino Delaware Valley)


I think you have to ask for a pre approval letter from the bank before your client sign any can of legal document, this minds to you to sen all documents from your client to the banc and after they review, the let you know if he is alegible for a loan.

The criteria they use to qualify a borrower is with own trade lines like rent, cell phone bills, utility bills, etc (no late payments for 2 years), after that they check the W2 ( usually the W2 have a SS#) but the tax returns have the ITIN. and they preq your client.  If you have this letter you can send your client to sign a contract and have to be clear, he is using a ITIN loan program to buy the house.

 

Teddy Ordonez

Mortgage Planner

cell 321 246 5717

teddyordonez@yahoo.com

10/17/2007 11:25 AM by Teddy Ordonez


Ordonez,

The clients did exactly that as you have suggested. They followed the entire procedure prescribed by Banco Popular.

They were both told that since the ITIN number did not appear on the W2 it was not approved. And when I called to confirm this information - Banco Popular representative confirmed the information with me.

So obviously they have - as I accused them of having - different stroke for different folks. For clients that call them directly they expect the W2 to have the ITIN and for loans brokered through a corresponding lender they have other guidelines.

Let me make one thing clear - when these two clients applied - they went directly to Banco Popular's 800 number. I was not a middle man in any capacity. The only role I played was to refer them to Banco Popular.

But once Banco Popular denied them base on this single issue (ITIN no on W2) - and it was confirmed by one client's attorney - clients came back to me to let me know how they were treated by Banco Popular.

So I am extremely familiar with the ITIN Loan requirements because I exclusively worked with ITIN Loans with AHM Mortgage - which used the MGIC guidelines.

And as you can see, this only happen this last summer. So unless they have changed (once again) their guidelines for NJ applicants - I am not recommending anybody to Banco.

10/17/2007 11:55 AM by Eliud Gautier (Casa Latino Delaware Valley)


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Real Estate Agent: Eliud Gautier (Casa Latino Delaware Valley)
Eliud Gautier
Philadelphia, PA
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Casa Latino Delaware Valley

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