Guarantees

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

NOTE 18 – GUARANTEES

At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 , the unamortized balance of the obligations undertaken in issuing the guarantees under standby letters of credit represented a liability of $4.5 million and $4.0 million, respectively.

As a result of the BBVAPR Acquisition, the Company assumed a liability for residential mortgage loans sold subject to credit recourse, pursuant to FNMA’s residential mortgage loan sales and securitization programs. At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, the unpaid principal balance of residential mortgage loans sold subject to credit recourse was $8.0 million and $20.1 million, respectively.

The following table shows the changes in the Company’s liability for estimated losses from these credit recourse agreements, included in the consolidated statements of financial condition during the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and 2016.

	Quarter Ended March 31,
	2017		2016
	(In thousands)
Balance at beginning of period	$	710	$	439
Net (charge-offs/terminations) recoveries		(140)		(258)
Balance at end of period	$	570	$	181

The estimated losses to be absorbed under the credit recourse arrangements were recorded as a liability when the credit recourse was assumed, and are updated on a quarterly basis. The expected loss, which represents the amount expected to be lost on a given loan, considers the probability of default and loss severity. The probability of default represents the probability that a loan in good standing would become 120 days delinquent, in which case the Company is obligated to repurchase the loan. The recourse obligation will be fully extinguished before the end of 2017.

If a borrower defaults, pursuant to the credit recourse provided, the Company is required to repurchase the loan or reimburse the third party investor for the incurred loss. The maximum potential amount of future payments that the Company would be required to make under the recourse arrangements is equivalent to the total outstanding balance of the residential mortgage loans serviced with recourse and interest, if applicable. During the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company repurchased approximately $41 thousand and $209 thousand, respectively of unpaid principal balance in mortgage loans subject to the credit recourse provisions. If a borrower defaults, the Company has rights to the underlying collateral securing the mortgage loan. The Company suffers losses on these mortgage loans when the proceeds from a foreclosure sale of the collateral property are less than the outstanding principal balance of the loan, any uncollected interest advanced, and the costs of holding and disposing the related property. At March 31, 2017, the Company’s liability for estimated credit losses related to loans sold with credit recourse amounted to $570 thousand (December 31, 2016– $710 thousand).

When the Company sells or securitizes mortgage loans, it generally makes customary representations and warranties regarding the characteristics of the loans sold. The Company's mortgage operations division groups conforming mortgage loans into pools which are exchanged for FNMA and GNMA mortgage-backed securities, which are generally sold to private investors, or are sold directly to FNMA or other private investors for cash. As required under such mortgage backed securities programs, quality review procedures are performed by the Company to ensure that asset guideline qualifications are met. To the extent the loans do not meet specified characteristics, the Company may be required to repurchase such loans or indemnify for losses and bear any subsequent loss related to the loans. During the quarter ended March 31, 2017, the Company repurchased $978 thousand (March 31, 2016 – $1.5 million) of unpaid principal balance in mortgage loans, excluding mortgage loans subject to credit recourse provision referred above.

During the quarters ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company recognized $100 thousand and $19 thousand, respectively, in losses from the repurchase of residential mortgage loans sold subject to credit recourse, and $308 thousand and $501 thousand, respectively, from the repurchase of residential mortgage loans as a result of breaches of the customary representations and warranties.

Servicing agreements relating to the mortgage-backed securities programs of FNMA and GNMA, and to mortgage loans sold or serviced to certain other investors, including the FHLMC, require the Company to advance funds to make scheduled payments of principal, interest, taxes and insurance, if such payments have not been received from the borrowers. At March 31, 2017, the Company serviced $822.1 million in mortgage loans for third-parties. The Company generally recovers funds advanced pursuant to these arrangements from the mortgage owner, from liquidation proceeds when the mortgage loan is foreclosed or, in the case of FHA/VA loans, under the applicable FHA and VA insurance and guarantees programs. However, in the meantime, the Company must absorb the cost of the funds it advances during the time the advance is outstanding. The Company must also bear the costs of attempting to collect on delinquent and defaulted mortgage loans. In addition, if a defaulted loan is not cured, the mortgage loan would be canceled as part of the foreclosure proceedings and the Company would not receive any future servicing income with respect to that loan. At March 31, 2017, the outstanding balance of funds advanced by the Company under such mortgage loan servicing agreements was approximately $367 thousand (December 31, 2016 - $334 thousand). To the extent the mortgage loans underlying the Company's servicing portfolio experience increased delinquencies, the Company would be required to dedicate additional cash resources to comply with its obligation to advance funds as well as incur additional administrative costs related to increases in collection efforts.