09/09/2026
đĄ BIG FANNIE MAE UPDATE: DEPARTING RESIDENCE RULES HAVE CHANGED!
When a borrower decides to rent their current primary residence instead of selling it, the conversation is no longer:
âDo you have a lease?â
Under Fannie Maeâs new departing-residence guidelines, a lease agreement cannot be used to establish the rental income.
Instead, the market rent may be documented through:
đš A complete appraisal that includes market rents
đš Form 1007
đš A market analysis using Zillow, Redfin, MLS or another acceptable toolâwith at least three comparable rental properties
Hereâs how the qualifying calculation works:
Market rent: $3,000
75% of market rent: $2,250
Departing-residence PITIA: $2,000
Result: $250 positive
That positive amount may only offset the propertyâs PITIAâit cannot be added as additional qualifying income.
If the PITIA were $2,500, the result would be a $250 loss, which must be included in the borrowerâs debt-to-income ratio.
â ď¸ One more important requirement:
When the borrower has less than 12 months of property-management experience, six months of reserves for the departing propertyâs PITIA are requiredâin addition to any other applicable reserve requirements.
The new policy may be implemented now and becomes mandatory for loan applications dated November 1, 2026, or later.
If youâre working with a buyer who wants to keep and rent their current home, letâs review the scenario early. The market rentânot a new leaseâmay determine whether the numbers work.
đ 310-986-1901
Diana McGurk | EZ Fundings
NMLS #337018 | Company NMLS #1156892
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