| Date: | 08/12/2026 |
|---|---|
| Organization: | Division of Banks |
Whereas, NewRez LLC (“NewRez” or “Servicer”) is a Delaware limited liability company with headquarters located at 1100 Virginia Drive, Suite 125, Fort Washington, PA 19034-3275, and has an assigned Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (“NMLS”) identifier number of 3013.
Whereas, the States, listed in “Appendix A” attached to this Settlement Agreement and Consent Order (hereinafter referred to as the “Agreement”), individually, a “Participating State,” and collectively, the “Participating States,” have each agreed, through their respective state mortgage regulatory agencies, to enter into this negotiated Agreement.
Whereas, the state mortgage regulators of the Participating States (hereinafter referred to individually as a “State Mortgage Regulator,” and collectively as the “State Mortgage Regulators”) are, respectively, members of the Conference of State Bank Supervisors (“CSBS”) and the American Association of Residential Mortgage Regulators (“AARMR”) and have agreed to address enforcement concerns with Servicer in a collective and coordinated manner, working through the Multi-State Mortgage Committee (“MMC”). The State Mortgage Regulators and NewRez are collectively referred to herein as the (“Parties”).
Whereas, NewRez is licensed as a mortgage broker, lender, and/or servicer under the respective laws of each Participating State.
Whereas, on or about January 24, 2022, the MMC initiated a multi-state mortgage loan servicing examination (“Examination”) of NewRez covering the period of November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021, to determine NewRez’s compliance with applicable State and Federal laws and regulations, financial condition, the adequacy of policies and procedures, and the control and supervision of the licensed mortgage loan servicing operations. The Examination was conducted by the State Mortgage Regulators from the states of Connecticut, District of Columbia (lead agency), Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas-OCCC, and Vermont. The multi- state mortgage loan servicing examination of NewRez was conducted pursuant to their respective statutory authorities, and in accordance with the protocols established by the CSBS/AARMR Nationwide Cooperative Protocol for Mortgage Supervision as well as the Nationwide Cooperative Agreement for Mortgage Supervision. A Report of Examinatin (“ROE”) was issued by the MMC to NewRez on September 12, 2022, and identified instances of noncompliance with the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) and its implementing regulation, Regulation X, specifically, 12 C.F.R. § 1024.37 governing lender-placed insurance (collectively, “LPI”). LPI is an insurance policy purchased by the mortgage lender on behalf of the lender for hazard, flood, or wind coverage, applied to certain borrower accounts.
Whereas, NewRez cooperated at all times throughout the Examination and the MMC’s subsequent engagement on this matter, worked with the MMC to address the findings within the ROE, and remediated all impacted borrowers.
Whereas, the MMC engaged in direct discussions with NewRez and its counsel to identify steps Servicer has already taken or will take to improve compliance, manage risk, and otherwise ensure safe and sound servicing operations as part of the Examination resolution process.
Whereas, NewRez enters into this Agreement solely for the purpose of resolving the issues identified in the ROE. NewRez neither admits nor denies allegations that it engaged in any wrongdoing or that it violated any applicable laws, regulations, or rules at issue here, as well as with respect to any conduct related to persons identified for redress or remediation in connection with this Agreement. NewRez acknowledges that the State Mortgage Regulators have and maintain jurisdiction over the underlying dispute, including all matters referred to in these recitals, and therefore have the authority to fully resolve the matter.
Whereas, NewRez represents that it has implemented, and will continue to maintain, procedures identified in its response to the ROE designed to ensure NewRez's compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and recommendations identified in the ROE relevant to the issues cited in this Agreement.
Whereas, the State Mortgage Regulators have legal authority to initiate administrative actions based on the conduct described in and related to the ROE.
Whereas, the Parties enter into this Agreement to resolve concerns and violations described in the ROE and in these recitals and to close the ROE. To that end, the State Mortgage Regulators have agreed to the release of claims and remedies related to these issues, as described below. The State Mortgage Regulators reserve all rights, duties, and authority to enforce all statutes, rules, and regulations under their respective jurisdictions against NewRez regarding any mortgage loan activities and/or servicing activities outside the scope of this Agreement. Additionally, a State Mortgage Regulator may consider this Agreement and the facts set forth herein in connection with, and in deciding, any examination, action, or proceeding under the jurisdiction of that State Mortgage Regulator, if the basis of such examination, action, or proceeding is not a direct result of the specific activity identified in the ROE; and that this Agreement may, if relevant to such examination, action, or proceeding, be admitted into evidence in any matter before a State Mortgage Regulator.
Whereas, NewRez agrees that certain claims and remedies are not released, as provided in Section VI of this Agreement.
Whereas, NewRez hereby knowingly, willingly, voluntarily, and irrevocably consents to the entry of this Agreement, which is being entered pursuant to the authority vested in each State Mortgage Regulator, and agrees that it understands all of the terms and conditions contained herein. NewRez acknowledges that it has full knowledge of its rights to notice and a hearing pursuant to the laws of the respective Participating States. By voluntarily entering into this Agreement, NewRez waives any right to notice and a hearing, and review of such hearing, and herein waives all rights to any other judicial appeal concerning the terms, conditions, and related obligations set forth in this Agreement. NewRez further acknowledges that it has had an opportunity to consult with independent legal counsel in connection with its waiver of rights and with the negotiation and execution of this Agreement.
Whereas, NewRez represents that the person signing below is authorized to execute this Agreement and to legally bind NewRez.
Whereas, NewRez acknowledges that the State Mortgage Regulators are relying, in part, upon NewRez’s representations and warranties stated herein in making their determinations in this matter. NewRez further acknowledges that this Agreement may be revoked and the State Mortgage Regulators may pursue any and all remedies available under the law against NewRez, if the State Mortgage Regulators later find that NewRez knowingly or willfully withheld information from the State Mortgage Regulators.
Whereas, in that the Parties have had the opportunity to draft, review, and edit the language of this Agreement, the Parties agree that no presumption for or against any party arising out of drafting all or any part of this Agreement will be applied in any action relating to, connected to, or involving this Agreement. Accordingly, the Parties agree to waive the benefit of any State statute providing that, in cases of uncertainty, language of a contract should be interpreted most strongly against the party who caused the uncertainty to exist.
Now, therefore, this Agreement having been negotiated by or on behalf of the Parties in order to resolve the issues identified herein and, in the ROE, without incurring the costs, inconvenience, and delays associated with protracted administrative and judicial proceedings, it is hereby agreed: