U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
                  Washington, D.C. 20410-8000
 
                        January 15, 1998
 
OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
FOR HOUSING-FEDERAL HOUSING COMMISSIONER
 
                                                    TI-462
 
TO:   All Title I Lending Institutions
 
SUBJECT:  Lender List on the World Wide Web
 
To access the Department's site on the World Wide Web, go to
www.hud.gov or to get to the FHA site, go to
www.hud.gov/fha/fhahome.html.
 
Lender List on the World Wide Web
 
The Department has placed an electronic list of HUD/FHA approved
lenders on the HUD site on the World Wide Web.  The address is
www.hud.gov/lenders1.html. The List is searchable and is
available to our business partners as well as potential
homebuyers.  Only approved lenders will appear on the List.
Newly approved lenders will be automatically added to the List.
Conversely, lenders that have their HUD/FHA approval withdrawn
will be immediately deleted from the List.
 
Homebuyers may use the search function to find Title I or Title
II lenders located in the city where they live or in any city in
the nation where they may be planning to move.  Homebuyers will
be able to find lenders that have recently made either Title I or
Title II loans or home rehabilitation loans under Section 203(k)
or reverse mortgages under the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage
Program.  Since virtually all lenders participating in the FHA
Title II program also make conventional mortgages, homebuyers may
also use the List to search for conventional mortgagees.
 
Our business partners in both the Title I and II programs may use
the List in a variety of ways:
 
Create a list of all single family mortgagees located in a certain
  state or making loans in a certain HUD field office
  jurisdiction.
 
Create a list of all mortgagees servicing Title II loans.
 
Search for loan correspondents located in an area in which a
  sponsor may wish to expand its wholesale business.
 
Check the List to determine if an application for a new lender
  has been approved.  Applicants for participation in the Title
  I or II programs will be added to the List approximately 24
  hours after approval.
 
Verify that a lender's address and telephone number is current.
 
Verify the HUD Field Office jurisdictions in which a lender is
authorized to originate loans.
 
Verify that a lender is, in fact, HUD/FHA approved.
 
Electronic Mail
 
If any of the information on the Lender List is incorrect,
lenders are encouraged to use electronic mail to notify the
Lender Approval and Recertification of the corrections.  The
Division's email address is HSG-Lender_Approval@hud.gov.
Lenders are also encouraged to provide their own email address on
all paper correspondence with the Division.
 
Availability of Forms, Handbooks and Mortgagee Letters
 
The Office of Lender Activities and Program Compliance no longer
keeps a supply of forms, handbooks and mortgagee letters to send
to potential lender applicants since these items are available
through other sources including the internet.
 
     Forms
 
     Lenders wishing to become approved for participation in the
     Title I or II programs may order application packages by
     calling 1-800-767-7468 or faxing, an order to 202-708-2313.
     Lenders in the Washington, DC area should call 202-708-3151.
     Specify Stock Item No. 4112 for the Title I Package or 4113
     for Title II. The Packages include appropriate Mortgagee
     Letters and Handbooks as well as the forms.  The basic
     application form by itself is also available for downloading
     from the HUD website.
 
     Handbooks and Mortgagee Letters
 
     These materials are available in two ways.  They may be
     ordered by calling the phone numbers listed above.  They may
     also be downloaded from the HUD website.
 
Telephone Contact
 
Due to the high volume of calls received by the Lender Approval
and Recertification Division, an additional telephone number has
been established on which callers may leave messages.  The number
is 202-708-2843.  Messages left on this number will be returned
within one business day.  Although this number is voice mail
only, the menu options provide instructions concerning-.
 
     30-day warning letters for failure to submit the annual
recertification fee or annual audit report;
 
     Letters withdrawing a lender's HUD/FHA approval for failure
to submit the annual recertification fee or annual audit
report;
 
     Annual Verification Reports.
 
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Mortgagee Letters
 
The Department will no longer send lenders multiple copies of
mortgagee letters for distribution to each of their branch
offices.  Because these letters are available from the World Wide
Web, lenders will be sent only one copy of each letter.  The
letters can be reproduced locally for internal distribution if
desired.  Lenders should ensure that their branch offices have
access to the Mortgagee Letters appropriate to the functions they
perform.
 
                         Sincerely,
 
                         Nicolas P. Retsinas
                         Assistant Secretary for Housing-
                         Federal Housing Commissioner
 
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