When you take out a mortgage loan to finance a home purchase, ownership of the loan may change hands multiple times over its lifespan. While you make payments to your loan servicer, they are not necessarily the current owner of the mortgage. It’s important to know who actually owns your home loan in case you need to communicate with them regarding your account.
There are several methods borrowers can use to look up and verify the owner of their mortgage
Review Your Loan Documents
Your original mortgage loan documents should disclose the initial lender who funded the loan This includes the note and deed of trust or mortgage While ownership may have transferred, checking these papers provides a starting point.
Review the borrower communications section which outlines how to contact the lender. See if an address is given for written requests or notifications regarding your loan.
Also look for mentions of MERS (Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems) If MERS is listed in your paperwork, it tracks changes in ownership interests and servicers acting on the true owner’s behalf.
Check Monthly Mortgage Statements
Carefully review each monthly statement from your mortgage servicer. Many include details on the current creditor or investor who owns the loan.
Look for sections labeled “Mortgage Account Information” or “Loan Information”. Statements may specifically name the owner or provide their contact information if different from the servicer.
If the statement only names the servicer, it should also provide instructions on how to identify the owner through written request.
Contact Your Mortgage Servicer
Your loan servicer is responsible for collecting payments and communicating with borrowers. One of their duties is providing details on the mortgage owner if requested.
You can call the servicer’s customer service line listed on your statement and ask who currently owns your home loan. Retain records of the conversation including representative’s name, date, and the owner details provided.
Additionally, submit a written request by certified mail to get their response in writing. Send to the address for Qualified Written Requests often listed on statements.
Check Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Lookup Tools
Government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac own or guarantee trillions in mortgage debt. Homeowners can search their free online lookup tools to see if either organization owns their loan.
To use Fannie Mae’s loan lookup, you will need your address and loan number. Freddie Mac’s tool requires your name and property address. If found, the tools list details on servicer and ownership.
Search via MERS System
As mentioned, MERS tracks mortgage ownership exchanges and servicer changes when enrolled. Homeowners can search for free on the MERS public website using their name and property address.
If found, it will list the original lender, all assignments to new owners, and history of servicers acting on the current investor’s behalf.
Review CFPB Mortgage Database
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau maintains a public database of mortgage origination and performance data. It includes millions of loan records since 1998.
You can search by property address to see original lender, current servicer, transfers if applicable, and loan characteristics. This helps corroborate mortgage owner details from other sources.
Consult Housing Counselors
Non-profit housing counselors have access to industry ownership records not available to the public. They can look up or verify who holds your mortgage if you’re unable to determine it independently.
HUD-approved counselors have experience working with borrowers having difficulty contacting their mortgage holder. They help advocate for clients to resolve issues.
Request Info from Your County Assessor
County assessor’s offices maintain public land records on properties in their jurisdiction. Records include deeds, liens, transfers, and encumbrances associated with a property.
You can request a title search or ownership and encumbrance (O&E) report on your home. Any assignments of your mortgage to new creditors will be listed in these real property records.
Accurately identifying current ownership of your mortgage provides peace of mind. It also ensures you can contact your mortgage holder directly if difficulties arise, like a lost payment or denied forbearance request. While it takes some legwork, homeowners have options to get a clear answer on their home loan owner.
How do we handle your SSN after you enter it?
- The SSN you enter within this form is only used to answer your specific look-up request. We do not save the number you enter or distribute it to a third party for any other purpose.
- All information you enter in this form is transmitted from your web browser to our site via an encrypted communication channel. Please review our privacy policy for more details.
Why do we ask for your Social Security Number
- Freddie Mac takes protecting your privacy seriously. We ask for your Social Security Number (SSN) to help us confirm that the requested information is being given to the mortgage holder or to someone authorized by the mortgage holder to receive the information.
- We ask for your SSN because it allows us to quickly and accurately determine if your mortgage is held by Freddie Mac and to deliver an answer to you immediately. Providing a SSN increases the speed and accuracy of the look-up response.
- We take measures to protect the SSN that you deliver to us (see below).
Your mortgage was sold! Now what?
FAQ
How do I determine who owns my mortgage?
How to find out who holds a mortgage on a property?
Does it matter who owns your mortgage?
Is my home loan owned by Fannie or Freddie?
Who owns my mortgage loan?
To find out who owns your mortgage loan, call the servicer and ask them. You can also ask who backs the loan. First, determine who your servicer is. You might be able to find out online through a MERS mortgage lookup.
Who owns a home loan?
The owner of a home loan is most often the ‘investor’ — the entity who put up the actual funds to make your mortgage happen. Homeowners may think they know who owns their home loan, but finding out is a little more complicated than simply naming your loan servicer.
How can I find out who owns my mortgage loan?
To find out who owns your mortgage loan, you can call the servicer and ask who holds your loan. Alternatively, you can ask who backs it. First, determine your mortgage servicer’s identity.
Can you see who owns a mortgage?
MERS is a private database created to facilitate tracking mortgages and any ownership changes. As a homeowner, you can use it to see who your loan holder is in case you want to refinance or modify your mortgage. For lenders, MERS provides the convenience of a singular place. 1. Is MERS the only way to see who owns a mortgage?