(a) Policies. Each savings association must establish written policies approved by its board establishing prudent credit underwriting and loan documentation standards. Such standards must be designed to identify potential safety and soundness concerns and ensure that action is taken to address those concerns before they pose a risk to the savings association's capital. Credit underwriting standards should consider the nature of the markets in which loans will be made; provide for consideration, prior to credit commitment, of the borrower's overall financial condition and resources, the financial stability of any guarantor, the nature and value of underlying collateral, and the borrower's character and willingness to repay as agreed; establish a system of independent, ongoing credit review and appropriate communication to senior management and the board; take adequate account of concentration of credit risk; and are appropriate to the size of the savings association and the scope of its lending activities.
(b) Loan Documentation Standards. Loan documentation standards must be established and maintained to enable the savings association to make informed lending decisions and assess risk, as necessary, on an ongoing basis; identify the purpose of the loan and source of repayment, and assess the ability of the borrower to repay the indebtedness in a timely manner; ensure that any claim against a borrower is legally enforceable; demonstrate appropriate administration and monitoring of a loan; and consider the size and complexity of a loan. The following documents are generally appropriate and can be used as a guideline for prudent lending; however, unless such documents are specifically required by other state and federal statutes or regulations, there may be alternative documents equally suitable in satisfying the safety and soundness intent of this section which the savings association may substitute and still address the safety and soundness concern:
  (1) an application for the loan, signed and dated by the borrower or their agent (and if the borrower is a corporation, a board resolution authorizing the loan), which discloses the purpose for which the loan is sought, the identity of the security property, and the source of funds which will be used to repay the loan;
  (2) a statement signed by the borrower or their agent, or a copy of the executed contract, disclosing the actual price at which the security is being purchased by the borrower, if the loan is made for the purpose of financing the purchase of the security for the loan;
  (3) current financial statements signed by the borrower and all guarantors and/or current documented credit reports disclosing the financial ability of the borrower and guarantors (a current financial statement is as of a date on or before 180 days prior to the date the application is filed) together with written certification by the borrower and guarantors that no material adverse changes in financial condition have occurred since the financial statement was prepared;
  (4) a loan approval sheet (which may be part of the loan application form) indicating the amount and terms of the loan, the date of loan approval, by whom approved, the signatures of the persons approving the loan, and any conditions of approval;
  (5) a loan disbursement statement or other documentation, indicating the date, amount, and ultimate recipient of every disbursement of the proceeds of such loan (this requirement is not met by showing one or more disbursements to a title company or other escrow agent, but for a construction loan, this requirement may be met by documenting bona fide construction draw disbursements to the general contractor of the project, upon their completion of an affidavit stating that all bills for labor and materials have been paid as of the date of the disbursement);
  (6) a loan settlement statement, indicating in detail the expenses, fees, and charges the borrower or borrowers have paid in connection with such loan;
  (7) the promissory note or notes containing the borrower's obligation to repay duly executed by the borrower and all guaranty agreements duly executed by the guarantors (a copy of the note or notes may be kept in the loan file, if the original notes are stored for safekeeping in another location at the savings association);
  (8) the original mortgage, deed of trust, or other instrument creating or constituting the lien securing the loan;
  (9) for real estate loans, an attorney's opinion letter based on an abstract of title, or a policy of title insurance, or binder of same, issued by a title company authorized to insure titles in the state in which the security for the loan is located, showing that the lien securing such loan meets the applicable requirements of this chapter for liens securing the loan in question;
  (10) evidence that the insurable improvements of the real estate are insured against loss by a fire and extended coverage policy or its equivalent issued by an insurance company authorized to do business in the state in which the real estate security is located and naming the savings association as a co-insured, as its interest may appear;
  (11) for real estate loans, an appraisal or evaluation completed in accordance with the requirements of 12 C.F.R. §323.1, et seq.;
  (12) for personal property loans, a detailed explanation of how the savings association arrived at the appraised or market value of the security property;
  (13) any loan agreement or other ancillary documents relating to the loan; and
  (14) any documents required by the Texas Credit Title (Finance Code §301.001 et seq.).
(c) Unsecured Loans. Documentation guidelines for unsecured loans under this chapter would generally include the documents in subsection (b)(1) and (3) - (7) of this section.
(d) Loan documentation which meets the documentation requirements of the applicable agency meets the requirements of this section for any loan of which at least 80% of the principal is guaranteed by the United States or any agency or instrumentality thereof.
(e) Closing Agent. A savings association may designate as escrow agent an attorney or a title company, either of which must be duly licensed in the state where the transaction is closed. However, where an escrow agent is used, all original documents must be forwarded to the savings association on or before 5 business days after the date of closing, or immediately after recording, for those documents which require filing of record.
(f) Permanent Loan File Requirements.
  (1) Loan documentation must be in the possession of the savings association or an escrow agent designated by the savings association before funding, together with a signed certification by an officer or employee that the loan documentation was complete before funding and such documents and records must be placed in one permanent loan file immediately upon receipt by the savings association.
  (2) The permanent loan file required by this section must be located at an office of the savings association. Duplicate loan files or other files containing loan documentation not required by this rule may be maintained at the savings association's discretion. Files for loans which are fully secured by accounts at the association may be maintained at the office where the loan was originated.
  (3) The permanent loan file must contain evidence that the savings association obtained the prompt recording in the proper records of every mortgage, deed of trust, or other instrument creating, constituting or transferring any lien securing in whole or part any loan made under this chapter, or the savings association's interest therein. This requirement does not apply to loan participations purchased by the savings association.
  (4) Where the proceeds of a loan are disbursed over the term of the loan in the form of draws by the borrower, the documentation supporting each draw must be part of the permanent file.
  (5) When a savings association purchases whole loans or participations in loans, it must cause the assignment or transfer of its interest in the liens securing such loans to be in recordable form and maintained in the permanent file. If such loans are serviced by others, the servicing agreement must be a part of the permanent file. The savings association must obtain a certification from the seller of the loan or participation that the seller is in possession of all documents required by this section.
(g) The records of the savings association must reflect that the board has by appropriate resolution established procedures for the approval of all loans, loan commitments or letters of credit made by the savings association and specifically fixing the authority and responsibility for preliminary loan approval by officers and employees of the savings association. Loans originating in branch offices, loan offices, or agencies must be approved in the same manner as loans originating in the principal office.
(h) A savings association must maintain a register of all outstanding loan commitments, including commitments to purchase loans or participations, containing the name and address of the customer to whom the commitment is made, dollar amount of the commitment, and a summary of all material terms of the commitment, with a description of any written documents evidencing the loan commitment.

Source Note: The provisions of this §60.305 adopted to be effective July 16, 2023, 48 TexReg 3644