DBRS Finalizes Provisional Ratings on Towd Point Mortgage Trust 2015-3

DBRS, Inc. (DBRS) has today finalized the following provisional ratings on the Asset Backed Notes, Series 2015-3 (the Notes) issued by Towd Point Mortgage Trust 2015-3 (the Trust):

-- $530.4 million Class A1 at AAA (sf)
-- $530.4 million Class A1A at AAA (sf)
-- $530.4 million Class A1B at AAA (sf)
-- $530.4 million Class A1C at AAA (sf)
-- $530.4 million Class X1 at AAA (sf)
-- $530.4 million Class X2 at AAA (sf)
-- $530.4 million Class X3 at AAA (sf)

Classes X-1, X-2, X-3, X-4, X-5, X-6, X-7, X-8 and X-9 are interest-only notes. The class balances represent notional amounts.

Classes A1A, A1B, A1C, X1, X2, X3, A3, A3A, A3B, A3C, X4, X5, X6, A4, A4A, A4B, A4C, X7, X8 and X9 are exchangeable notes. These classes can be exchanged for combinations of exchange notes as specified in the offering documents.

The AAA (sf) ratings on the Notes reflect 34.85% of credit enhancement provided by subordinated Notes in the pool.

Other than the specified classes above, DBRS does not rate any other classes in this transaction.

This transaction is a securitization of a portfolio of seasoned performing and re-performing residential mortgages. The Notes are backed by approximately 4,239 loans with a total principal balance of $814,052,804 as of the Cut-off Date.

The portfolio contains seasoned performing loans that have been modified, of which 53 loans have non-interest bearing deferred amounts, which equates to 0.1% of the total principal balance as of the Cut-off Date (June 30, 2015). For 92.8% of the modified loans, the modifications happened more than two years ago.

The loans are approximately 107 months seasoned and all are current as of the Cut-off Date, including 0.1% bankruptcy-performing loans. All of the mortgage loans have been zero times 30 days delinquent for at least the past 36 months, with 93.9% consistently current for the past 84 months under both the OTS and MBA delinquency methods.

Certain entities affiliated with Cerberus Capital Management, L.P. (Cerberus) acquired the loans, which were originated and previously serviced by various entities through purchases in the secondary market. As of the Cut-Off Date, all loans are serviced by Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc.

There will not be any advancing of delinquent principal or interest on any mortgages by any servicer; however, the servicers are obligated to make advances in respect of taxes and insurance, reasonable costs and expenses incurred in the course of servicing and disposing of properties.

FirstKey Mortgage, LLC, as the Asset Manager, has the option to sell certain non-performing loans or real estate owned (REO) properties to unaffiliated third parties individually or in bulk sales. The asset sale price has to equal a minimum reserve amount in order to maximize liquidation proceeds of such loans or properties. The minimum reserve amount equals the product of 52.4% and the then-current principal amount of the mortgage loans or REO properties.

The transaction employs a sequential-pay cash flow structure. Principal proceeds can be used to cover interest shortfalls on the Notes, but such shortfalls on Class M1 and more subordinate bonds will not be paid until the more senior classes are retired.

The ratings reflect transactional strengths that include high-quality underlying assets that have generally performed well through the crisis, a strong servicer and Asset Manager Oversight. Additionally, satisfactory third-party due diligence review was performed on the portfolio with respect to regulatory compliance, payment history, data capture as well as title and lien review. Updated broker price opinions or form 2055 drive-by appraisals were provided for 100% of the pool; however, a reconciliation was not performed on the updated values.

The transaction employs a relatively weak representations and warranties framework that includes one-year sunset, an unrated provider (Cerberus Global Residential Mortgage Opportunities Fund, L.P.), certain knowledge qualifiers and fewer mortgage loan representations relative to DBRS criteria for seasoned pools. Mitigating factors include (1) significant loan seasoning and clean performance history in recent years, (2) comprehensive due diligence review and (3) strong representations and warranties enforcement mechanism, including delinquency review trigger and breach reserve accounts.

The lack of principal and interest advances on delinquent mortgages may increase the possibility of periodic interest shortfalls to the Noteholders; however, principal proceeds can be used to pay interest to the Notes sequentially and subordination levels are greater than expected losses, which may provide for timely payment of interest to the rated Notes.

The full description of the strengths, challenges and mitigating factors are detailed in the related report.

Notes:
All figures are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted.

The applicable methodologies are RMBS Insight 1.2: U.S. Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities Model and Rating Methodology, Unified Interest Rate Model for Rating U.S. Structured Finance Transactions, Third-Party Due Diligence Criteria for U.S. RMBS Transactions, Representations and Warranties Criteria for U.S. RMBS Transactions and Legal Criteria for U.S. Structured Finance, which can be found on our website under Methodologies.

These ratings are endorsed by DBRS Ratings Limited for use in the European Union.