FHA Connection setup and case numbers

Overview

ReversePilot integrates with FHA Connection (FHAC) to interface with the Federal Housing Administration for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loan processing. The integration enables you to validate property addresses, request case numbers from the FHA, manage appraisals, submit financial assessments, and process insurance applications—all without leaving ReversePilot.

Setup and Credentials

Before you can use the FHA Connection integration, a Company Administrator must configure your organization's FHA Connection credentials.

FHA Case Numbers

An FHA case number is a unique identifier assigned by the Federal Housing Administration for each HECM loan. Once assigned, the case number is stored in the loan record and used for all subsequent FHA interactions.

Requesting a Case Number

Typical HECM Workflow

ReversePilot guides you through a logical workflow for HECM loans:

1. Address Validation — Validate the property address with FHA Connection to confirm HECM eligibility.
2. Case Number Assignment — Request and store your FHA case number.
3. Financial Assessment — Complete and submit the borrower's financial assessment.
4. Appraisal Logging — Log the property appraisal with the FHA.
5. Insurance Application — Submit the HECM insurance application.
6. Certificate Retrieval — Retrieve your HECM certificate once processing is complete.

Key Features

The FHA Connection integration includes the following capabilities:

• Address Validation — Validates property addresses for HECM eligibility.
• Case Number Assignment — Assigns FHA case numbers to HECM loans.
• Certificate Search — Searches for HECM certificates in FHA Connection.
• Financial Assessment Submission — Submits financial assessment data to the FHA.
• Insurance Application Processing — Submits HECM insurance applications.
• Case Transfer and Restore — Transfers cases to other lenders or restores cancelled cases.
• Appraisal Logging — Logs appraisal information with the FHA.
• CAIRVS Authorization — Requests Credit Alert Interactive Voice Response System authorization.
• Duplicate MIC Check — Checks for duplicate Mortgage Insurance Certificates.
• Escrow Closeout — Processes escrow closeout for completed loans.

Troubleshooting

Credentials Not Found

Problem: You receive an error that FHA Connection credentials are not configured.

Solution:

1. Verify that a Company Administrator has entered credentials in Company Settings.
2. Ensure both the username and password are correct and complete.
3. If credentials are still missing, ask your Company Administrator to configure them.

Connection Errors

Problem: ReversePilot cannot connect to FHA Connection.

Solution:

1. Check your network connectivity and firewall settings.
2. Verify that the FHA Connection service is operational (check FHA status pages if available).
3. Retry the request after a few moments.
4. If the error persists, contact FHA Connection support.

Invalid Responses

Problem: FHA Connection returns an unexpected error or invalid response.

Solution:

1. Review your loan data to ensure all required fields are complete and accurate.
2. Verify that property address, borrower information, and loan purpose are valid and match FHA requirements.
3. Consult the FHA Connection documentation or contact support if the issue continues.

Best Practices

• Validate addresses early — Use Address Validation early in the loan process to catch eligibility issues before investing in processing.
• Assign case numbers promptly — Request your FHA case number as soon as address validation is complete, so you have it for all downstream operations.
• Complete all required data — Ensure all required loan and borrower data is entered and accurate before submitting to FHA Connection.
• Monitor FHA responses — Check integration responses after each FHA Connection operation to confirm success and catch errors early.
• Document issues — Keep notes on any integration errors or unusual FHA responses to help diagnose patterns over time.

Security and Credentials

FHA Connection credentials are sensitive authentication information. ReversePilot protects them as follows:

• Credentials are stored securely in the database and accessible only to Company Administrators.
• All communication with FHA Connection uses encrypted data transmission.
• Credentials are not displayed in logs, error messages, or user interfaces.
• Regularly update your FHA Connection password through FHA Connection's password management tools for ongoing security.