Multi PCs®
Multifamily Participation Certificates (Multi PCs®) are secured by structures with five or more units designed principally for residential use, with terms generally ranging from five to 30 years. All Multifamily 55-Day PCs, Gold PCs and all Multifamily ARM PCs offer the Freddie Mac guarantee of timely payment of interest and full and final payment of scheduled principal. In addition to attractive yields, one of the most prominent advantages of multifamily securities is the high level of call protection.
Freddie Mac’s multifamily mortgage credit, appraisal and underwriting guidelines generally require all multifamily mortgages it purchases to conform to the guidelines outlined below:
- Secured by standard multifamily housing, student housing, seniors housing, manufactured housing communities, cooperative housing and Targeted Affordable Housing cash (e.g., LIHTC Year 4-10 and 11-15, Section8) loans.
- For fixed-rate Conventional Loans, the debt service coverage ratio (DSCR) must be at least 1.25x for the first mortgage and 1.15x for the first mortgage and nay subordinate mortgages combined. Specially approved loans subject to minimum DSCR of 1.20x.
- For floating rate Conventional Loans, the DSCR must be at least 1.0x on the max capped interest rate for the first mortgage and 1.15x for the first mortgage and any subordinate mortgage combined.
- For Conventional Loans, loan-to-value ratios (LTV) must not exceed 80% for the first mortgage and 85% for the first and any subordinate mortgages combined.
- For Targeted Affordable Housing (TAH) Loans, a maximum LTV of 90% and minimum DSCR of 1.15x applies.
Tax-exempt Loan Multi PCs
Tax-exempt Loan Multi PCs (TEL Multi PCs) are backed by tax-exempt loans (TELs) that are more likely originated in high property price areas, such as San Francisco and New York City. Generally, these loans tend to have low loan-to-value (LTV) ratios or high debt service coverage (DSCR) ratios, or both. A large benefit of purchasing a TEL Multi PC is that the tax-exempt benefit is expected to be passed on to the investor.
Freddie Mac may modify the guidelines or grant waivers for some multifamily mortgages when compensating factors (such as higher debt coverage ratios) are present.
