Morningstar DBRS Assigns Credit Ratings to Finance of America Structured Securities Trust, Series 2024-S4

DBRS, Inc. (Morningstar DBRS) assigned credit ratings to the Mortgage-Backed Notes, Series 2024-S4 (the Notes) issued by Finance of America Structured Securities Trust, Series 2024-S4 (the Issuer) as follows:

-- $100.0 million Class AV at AAA (sf)
-- $352.5 million Class A1 at AAA (sf)
-- $90.3 million Class A2 at AAA (sf)
-- $63.3 million Class A3 at AAA (sf)
-- $35.0 million Class A4 at AA (low) (sf)

The AAA (sf) credit ratings reflect 110.0% of cumulative advance rates, and the AA (low) (sf) credit rating reflects 116.4% of cumulative advance rates.

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

Reverse mortgage loans are typically offered to people who are at least 62 years old. Through reverse mortgage loans, borrowers are able to access home equity through a lump sum amount or a stream of payments without periodic repayment of principal or interest, allowing the loan balance to accumulate over a period of time until a maturity event occurs.

Loan repayment is required (1) when the borrower dies; (2) if the borrower sells the related residence; (3) if the borrower no longer occupies the related residence for a period (usually a year), or if it is no longer the primary residence; (4) upon the occurrence of a tax or insurance default; and (5) if the borrower fails to properly maintain the related residence. In addition, borrowers are required to be current on any homeowner's association dues if applicable.

Reverse mortgages are typically nonrecourse: Borrowers are not required to provide additional assets in cases where the outstanding loan amount exceeds the property's value (the crossover point). As a result, liquidation proceeds will fall below the loan amount in cases where the crossover point is reached, contributing to higher loss severities for these loans.

As of the September 30, 2024, cut-off date, the collateral consists of approximately $551.00 million in current unpaid principal balance (UPB) from 738 nonrecourse reverse mortgage loans secured by first liens on single-family residential properties, condominiums, multifamily (two- to four-family) properties, townhomes, and planned unit developments. All of the loans in the asset pool were originated between 2018 and 2024.

As of the cut-off date, 108 loans in the transaction are line-of-credit loans, representing roughly $53.42 million in UPB (9.69% of total UPB), 612 are lump sum loans, representing roughly $478.93 million in UPB (86.92% of total UPB), and 18 are term/modified term loans, representing $18.65 million in UPB (3.39% of total UPB). Of the pool, 90.31% of the loans are fixed rate and have a weighted-average (WA) mortgage interest rate of 8.03%. The remaining 9.69% of the pool is floating rate with a WA mortgage rate of 11.32%. This brings the entire transaction's WA interest rate to 8.35%. The current unadjusted WA loan-to-value ratio (LTV) of the pool is 42.96%.

The transaction uses a structure in which cash distributions are first made to reduce the accrual amount on the Class AV, Class A1, Class A2, Class A3, and Class A4 Notes followed by reducing the note principal amounts on the Class AV, Class A1, Class A2, and Class A3 Notes on a pro rata basis until such notes are paid off.

The Class A4 Notes will not be entitled to any payments of principal until the Class AV, Class A1, Class A2, and Class A3 Notes have been paid in full.

The pro rata distribution of cash flows between the senior notes changes to sequential if the Home Price Percentage (as measured using the S&P Global Ratings' CoreLogic Case-Shiller National Index) declines to lower than 62.50% of the value on the closing date, but it reverts to pro rata if the index rises above said threshold. The payment arrangement (pro rata or sequential) can vary up until the 47th payment period, but after the 47th period any breach of this home price depreciation trigger would then persist. Said differently, any failure of the test in periods 48 and beyond would remain in place, even if home prices recover above the threshold.

The Notes are expected (but not required) to be paid in full, or redeemed by the Issuer, on the mandatory redemption date in November 2029.

Morningstar DBRS' credit ratings on the Notes address the credit risk associated with the identified financial obligations in accordance with the relevant transaction documents. The associated financial obligations are the related Accrual Amount and Note Principal Balance.

Morningstar DBRS' credit ratings do not address nonpayment risk associated with contractual payment obligations contemplated in the applicable transaction document(s) that are not financial obligations. For example, the credit ratings on the Notes do not address Additional Accrual Amounts based on their position in the cash flow waterfall.

Morningstar DBRS' long-term credit ratings provide opinions on risk of default. Morningstar DBRS considers risk of default to be the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy the financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which a long-term obligation has been issued. The Morningstar DBRS short-term debt rating scale provides an opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, AND GOVERNANCE CONSIDERATIONS
There were no Environmental/Social/Governance factors that had a significant or relevant effect on the credit analysis.

A description of how Morningstar DBRS considers ESG factors within the Morningstar DBRS analytical framework can be found in the Morningstar DBRS Criteria: Approach to Environmental, Social, and Governance Factors in Credit Ratings (August 13, 2024), https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/437781.

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

The principal methodology applicable to the credit rating is Rating and Monitoring U.S. Reverse Mortgage Securitizations (September 30, 2024), https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/440088.

Other methodologies referenced in this transaction are listed at the end of this press release.

The credit ratings were initiated at the request of the rated entity.

The rated entity or its related entities did participate in the credit rating process for these credit rating actions.

Morningstar DBRS had access to the accounts, management, and other relevant internal documents of the rated entity or its related entities in connection with these credit rating actions.

These are solicited credit ratings.

The full report providing additional analytical detail is available by clicking on the link under Related Documents below or by contacting us at info-DBRS@morningstar.com.

DBRS, Inc.
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New York, NY 10005 USA
Tel. +1 212 806-3277

The credit rating methodologies used in the analysis of this transaction can be found at: https://dbrs.morningstar.com/about/methodologies.

-- Interest Rate Stresses for U.S. Structured Finance Transactions (February 26, 2024), https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/428623
-- Legal Criteria for U.S. Structured Finance (October 28, 2024),
https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/441840
-- Operational Risk Assessment for U.S. RMBS Originators and Servicers (September 30, 2024), https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/440086
-- Third-Party Due-Diligence and Representations & Warranties Criteria for U.S. RMBS Transactions (September 30, 2024), https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/440091

For more information on this credit or on this industry, visit https://dbrs.morningstar.com or contact us at info-DBRS@morningstar.com.