Blog Post

Multi-Purpose Loans and HMDA Reporting

michaelchristians • June 15, 2019

As most of us are aware, one of the 973 data points that must be collected and reported under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (“HMDA”) is the purpose of the loan. HMDA allows us to choose from one of the following six purposes codes:

  • (1) – Home purchase
  • (2) – Home improvement
  • (31) – Refinancing
  • (32) – Cash-out refinancing
  • (4) – Other purpose
  • (5) – Not applicable

However, many times the proceeds of a loan will be used for multiple purposes. For example, your borrower may want to refinance their existing closed-end home equity loan AND take out an additional $20,000 for home improvements. So in that situation, what purpose code should you use?

Comment 3 to §1003.4(a)(3) of Regulation C sheds some light on this question for us. Specifically for multi-purpose loans, financial institutions should adhere to the following rules when it comes to selecting the proper HMDA purpose code:

Loan Purpose Code
If ANY of the loan proceeds will be used toward the purchase of a home: Use: (1) – Home purchase
If ANY of the loan proceeds will be used for refinance or cash-out refinance but NONE of the loan proceeds will be used toward the purchase of a home: Use either: (31) – Refinancing; (32) – Cash-out refinancing
If ANY of the loan proceeds will be used for home improvement but NONE of the loan proceeds will be used toward the purchase of a home or for refinance or cash-out refinance: Use purpose code: (2) – Home improvement
If NONE of the loan proceeds will be used toward the purchase of a home, refinancing, cash-out refinancing or home improvement: Use purpose code: (4) – Other purpose

If your institution needs help with HMDA or any other federal consumer protection law or regulation, please contact Michael at michael@mchristiansconsulting.com.

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