Topic Hub · 23 Guides

REO & Compliance

REO and compliance work carries specific regulatory requirements — FHA timelines, HUD conveyance standards, investor-level documentation, and audit-ready reporting. These guides break down what servicers and vendors need to meet those standards.

Essential Guides

REO Property Preservation: What Servicers and Asset Managers Need to Know

An REO property that sits without preservation loses value by the week. This guide covers everything servicers and asset managers need — initial securing, recurring maintenance, compliance timelines, and how to manage preservation at portfolio scale.

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FHA Property Preservation Requirements: What Servicers Must Know

FHA preservation requirements are stricter than conventional REO — shorter timelines, more documentation, and specific conveyance standards that trip up vendors who treat them the same. This breaks down the exact deadlines, photo requirements, and compliance mistakes that trigger chargebacks.

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All REO & Compliance Guides

8 min read

Mortgage Servicer Property Preservation Requirements: What CFPB, Fannie Mae, and HUD Require on Vacant Properties

Mortgage servicers are required to inspect, secure, winterize, and maintain vacant properties on delinquent and defaulted loans — and the CFPB is actively examining whether the fees they charge borrowers for that work comply with federal rules. This covers the preservation requirements that Fannie Mae, FHA/HUD, and Regulation X impose on servicers, the timelines they must meet, and what happens when a servicer fails to preserve a property or charges fees it should not.

6 min read

Code Enforcement Fines for Overgrown Lots: What Cities Charge and How Liens Attach

An overgrown lot is the most common code violation on vacant and rental property — and the most expensive to ignore. Fines range from $50 to $2,000 per day, cities can mow the lot and bill the owner $200 to $500 per visit, and unpaid abatement costs become liens that block sale or refinancing. This covers how the enforcement process works, what it costs, and how to prevent it.

7 min read

Pittsburgh Vacant Building Enforcement: Section 301.3, the Three-Notice Process, and Act 135 Conservatorship

Pittsburgh's number one code violation is vacant structures and land — Section 301.3 of the Property Maintenance Code. The city enforces through a three-notice process that ends in criminal court, with fines up to $1,000 per day and the possibility of jail time. Pennsylvania's Act 135 adds a separate risk: a third party can petition the court to take control of a blighted property. This explains the full enforcement framework.

7 min read

Tulsa Vacant Building Rules: Title 55 Standards, Registration, and the New Foreclosure Ordinance

Tulsa enforces vacant building standards under Title 55 of the city code, requires registration of properties with recent code violations, and — as of 2026 — can foreclose on unoccupied properties with more than $1,500 in city abatement liens. This explains what the ordinance requires, what the fines are, and how the new foreclosure authority changes the math for property owners holding vacant buildings.

7 min read

Dallas Vacant Property Rules: Chapter 27 Standards, Chapter 48B Registration, and What Owners Pay

Dallas enforces vacant property standards through two overlapping ordinances: Chapter 27 (Minimum Property Standards) requires every vacant building to be secured against entry, and Chapter 48B requires vacant buildings to be registered with annual fees. Civil penalties run up to $1,000 per day per violation, and the Municipal Court can order demolition and place a lien on the property. This explains both chapters and what the penalties look like in practice.

7 min read

Columbus OH Vacant Property Registration: What Chapter 4517 Requires and What Non-Compliance Costs

Columbus requires every vacant building to be registered under Chapter 4517 of the city code. Property owners who do not register face fines of $150 per day, and a building declared a public nuisance can carry penalties of $1,000 per day until abated. This explains the registration, the enforcement ladder, and how costs get assessed against the property.

8 min read

New Orleans Blight Ordinance: How Code Enforcement Works and What Property Owners Face

New Orleans runs one of the most active blight enforcement programs in the country, processing thousands of cases a year through its Code Enforcement and Hearings Bureau. A guilty judgment at a blight hearing creates a lien recorded with the mortgage recorder, and the city can clear, demolish, or sell the property at sheriff's sale. This explains every step of the process, from a 311 complaint to lien foreclosure.

8 min read

Cincinnati Vacant Building Rules: Registration, VBML, and What Property Owners Owe

Cincinnati runs three overlapping programs for vacant properties: a new Vacant Building Registration effective 2026, the Vacant Building Maintenance License for condemned buildings, and the Vacant Foreclosed Property Registration for lender-held property. Fees start at $250 every six months and climb to $3,500 a year for long-vacant buildings. This explains what each program requires and how the costs stack up.

8 min read

Houston Vacant Building Ordinance: What Property Owners Face Under Chapter 10

Houston classifies every vacant building as a dangerous building under Chapter 10 of the Code of Ordinances — regardless of its physical condition. Fines run $200 to $2,000 per day, and the city can secure the property itself and place a lien on it. This explains what the ordinance actually requires, how enforcement works, and what an owner or servicer has to do to stay compliant.

8 min read

Vacant Building Registration in Texas: Dallas, San Antonio, Corpus Christi — and the Cities Without One

Texas has no statewide vacant property registry, so the rules are city by city: Dallas runs a tiered program, San Antonio a district-based one with insurance requirements, Corpus Christi adopted registration in 2025 — while Houston and Fort Worth enforce without a registry.

7 min read

Philadelphia Licenses Vacant Property. Pittsburgh Doesn't. Here's How Pennsylvania Actually Works

Philadelphia requires an annual license for structures vacant more than three months — $202 a year, with bonds up to $500,000 on large commercial buildings. Pittsburgh has no registry at all. What owners and servicers need to know in each city.

6 min read

Birmingham Vacant Property Registration Is Coming: What Alabama's HB315 Authorizes

Alabama's HB315 takes effect October 1, 2026, authorizing Birmingham to adopt a vacant property registry — with fee caps, a 90-day post-foreclosure deadline, and fines up to $1,000 per violation. What the enrolled act actually says, before the city ordinance lands.

7 min read

NSPIRE for Landlords: What the Inspection Standard Changed and What Fails

HUD's NSPIRE standard shifted inspection focus toward the areas residents actually use and toward defects that affect health and safety. What that means for landlords with voucher tenants, and how to prepare.

8 min read

Vacant Property Registration in Ohio: Fees, Bonds, and Deadlines by City

Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Toledo and Youngstown each run a different vacant property registration program with different fees, deadlines, and registrants. This compares them, with each figure linked to the city's own page.

7 min read

Foreclosure Property Maintenance: Legal Requirements and Best Practices

Foreclosed properties carry legal maintenance obligations that vary by state, municipality, and investor. This covers the exact requirements — from initial securing timelines to recurring maintenance — and what happens when compliance lapses.

9 min read

Bank-Owned Property Maintenance: REO Preservation Requirements and Best Practices

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA each set different preservation standards for bank-owned properties — different timelines, different documentation, different penalties for non-compliance. This breaks down the exact requirements by investor so you know what's expected before the audit.

9 min read

Property Preservation Compliance Checklist: What Servicers and Vendors Need

Compliance failures in property preservation lead to chargebacks, contract termination, and audit flags that follow your company. This checklist covers FHA, VA, and GSE requirements, documentation standards, and the specific findings that auditors look for first.

8 min read

Conveyance Condition: Preparing REO Properties for Transfer

A property that fails conveyance gets sent back — and every day it sits costs the servicer money. This covers what HUD, VA, and GSE investors actually require for conveyance, the preparation steps that prevent rejection, and the specific condition issues that trigger re-inspection.

10 min read

Property Preservation Environmental Compliance | EPA & Hazmat Regulations

EPA violations in property preservation carry fines up to $75,000 per day — and lead paint, asbestos, and mold are present in a significant percentage of preservation properties. This covers the exact regulatory requirements, testing protocols, and handling procedures that keep vendors compliant.

4 min read

What Is Conveyance Condition in Property Preservation?

Conveyance condition is the standard a foreclosed property must meet before being transferred to HUD, VA, or a GSE. Properties that fail conveyance get sent back at the servicer's expense. Here's what each agency requires and the specific issues that trigger rejection.

7 min read

HUD Conveyance Timeline: Deadlines, Extensions, and Servicer Requirements

HUD conveyance deadlines are non-negotiable — miss them and the servicer absorbs the holding costs. This breaks down the exact timeline for FHA-insured foreclosed properties, the preservation work required at each stage, extension procedures, and the financial consequences of missed deadlines.

Explore More Topics

Property Preservation17 guides

Field Operations26 guides

Commercial & Institutional18 guides

Property Types24 guides

Seasonal & Regional14 guides

Risk & Insurance9 guides

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