EXECUTION
ASSIGNMENT, ASSUMPTION AND
RECOGNITION AGREEMENT
THIS ASSIGNMENT, ASSUMPTION AND RECOGNITION
AGREEMENT made as of the 1 st day of October, 2006 (this
“Assignment Agreement”), is among SunTrust Mortgage,
Inc., as servicer and seller (“SunTrust” or the
“Servicer”), U.S. Bank National Association, not in its
individual capacity but solely as trustee on behalf of GSR Mortgage
Loan Trust 2006-9F (the “Assignee”), and GS Mortgage
Securities Corp., a Delaware corporation, as assignor (the
“Assignor”), and is acknowledged by Wells Fargo Bank,
N.A. (“Wells Fargo”), as master servicer (in such
capacity, the “Master Servicer”).
RECITALS
WHEREAS Goldman
Sachs Mortgage Company (“GSMC”) and the Servicer have
entered into (i) a certain Amended and Restated Flow Seller’s
Warranties and Servicing Agreement dated as of December 1, 2005, as
amended by Amendment No. 1, dated as of July 1, 2006 (the
“Servicing Agreement”) and (ii) the related Commitment
Letter dated as of August 7, 2006 (the “Commitment
Letter”), pursuant to which GSMC has acquired certain
mortgage loans, including the Mortgage Loans (as defined
below);
WHEREAS, GSMC has assigned and conveyed certain
mortgage loans (the “Mortgage Loans”), which Mortgage
Loans are subject to the relevant provisions of the Servicing
Agreement, to the Assignor pursuant to an Assignment, Assumption
and Recognition Agreement dated as of October 1, 2006 (the
“GSMC Assignment Agreement”);
WHEREAS, the Assignee has agreed on certain
terms and conditions to purchase from the Assignor the Mortgage
Loans acquired by the Assignor pursuant to the GSMC Assignment
Agreement, which Mortgage Loans are listed on the mortgage loan
schedule attached as Exhibit 1 hereto (the “AAR
Mortgage Loan Schedule”); and
WHEREAS, pursuant to a Master Servicing and
Trust Agreement dated as of October 1, 2006 (the “Trust
Agreement”), among the Assignor, as depositor, the Assignee,
as trustee, Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as a custodian,
and Wells Fargo, as securities administrator (in such capacity, the
“Securities Administrator”) and Master Servicer, the
Assignor will transfer the Mortgage Loans to the Assignee, together
with the Assignor’s rights under the Servicing Agreement, to
the extent relating to the Mortgage Loans (other than the rights of
the Assignor to indemnification thereunder).
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the
Servicing Agreement, in the event the Servicer is obligated to make
an advance pursuant to the Servicing Agreement, the aggregate
payment due shall be the minimum monthly payment due under the
mortgage note, net of servicing fees.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual
promises contained herein and other good and valuable
consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, the parties agree as follows:
1. Assignment and Assumption
. (a) The Assignor hereby assigns to
the Assignee, as of the date hereof, all of its right, title and
interest in and to the Mortgage Loans, the GSMC Assignment
Agreement and the Servicing Agreements, to the extent relating to
the Mortgage Loans (other than the rights of the Assignor to
indemnification thereunder), and the Assignee hereby assumes all of
the Assignor’s obligations under the Servicing Agreement, to
the extent relating to the Mortgage Loans from and after October
30, 2006, and the Servicer hereby acknowledges such assignment and
assumption and hereby agrees to the release of the Assignor from
any obligations under the Servicing Agreement from and after
October 30, 2006, to the extent relating to the Mortgage Loans;
provided, however, it is understood and agreed upon by the parties
hereto, that the Assignee shall not be liable for (i) any breach of
any obligation or representation of the Assignor pursuant to the
GSMC Assignment Agreement or (ii) any breach of any obligation,
covenant, representation or warranty of the Assignor, or be
responsible for any indemnification amounts owed by the Assignor,
pursuant to the Servicing Agreement arising prior to October 30,
2006. The Assignor shall remain liable for all such liability
arising prior to October 30, 2006 and for its own actions and
omissions apart from those assumed by the Assignee.
(b) The Assignor represents and warrants to the
Assignee that the Assignor has not taken any action which would
operate to impair or encumber the Assignor’s ownership
interest in the Mortgage Loans since the date of the Servicing
Agreement and the Commitment Letter.
(c) The Servicer and the Assignor shall have the
right to amend, modify or terminate the Servicing Agreement or the
Commitment Letter without the joinder of the Assignee with respect
to mortgage loans serviced under such Servicing Agreement but not
conveyed to the Assignee hereunder; provided, however, that such
amendment, modification or termination shall not affect or be
binding on the Assignee.
(d) The Assignor hereby assigns to the Assignee,
any rights of the Assignor with respect to early payment defaults
or first payment defaults in the Commitment Letter, but only to the
extent such provision relates to the Mortgage Loans. The foregoing
shall constitute the Assignor’s consent to the assignment of
the Commitment Letter (to the extent required by the terms of each
Commitment Letter).
(e) The trust (including the Trustee and the Master
Servicer acting on the trust’s behalf) shall have all the
rights and remedies available to the Assignor, insofar as they
relate to the Mortgage Loans, under any early payment default or
first payment default provisions of the Commitment Letter
including, without limitation, the enforcement of the repurchase
requirements set forth therein, and shall be entitled to enforce
all the obligations of the Servicer thereunder insofar as they
relate to the Mortgage Loans.
2. Accuracy of the Servicing Agreement
. The Servicer and the Assignor
represent and warrant to the Assignee that (i) attached hereto as
Exhibit 2 is a true, accurate and complete copy of the
Servicing Agreement, (ii) the Servicing Agreement and the
Commitment Letter are in full force and effect as of the date
hereof, (iii) neither the Servicing Agreement nor the Commitment
Letter have been amended or modified in any respect as to the
Mortgage Loans, and (iv) no notice of termination has been given to
the Servicer under the Servicing Agreement or the Commitment
Letter. The Servicer, in its capacity as seller and servicer under
the Servicing Agreement, further represents and warrants that (i)
the representations and warranties contained in Section 3.1 of the
Servicing Agreement are true and correct as of October 30,
2006.
3. Recognition of Assignee; Recognition of Master
Servicer; Modifications .
(a) From and after the date hereof, (i) the Assignor shall note the
transfer of the Mortgage Loans to the Assignee in its books and
records, (ii) the Assignor shall recognize the Assignee as the
owner of the Mortgage Loans and (iii) the Servicer shall, subject
to clause (b) below, service the Mortgage Loans for the benefit of
the Assignee pursuant to the Servicing Agreement, as modified
hereby. It is the intention of the Assignor, the Servicer and the
Assignee through the execution of this Assignment Agreement that
the Servicing Agreement shall be binding upon, and inure to the
benefit of, the Assignee and its successors and assigns as to the
Mortgage Loans.
(b) The Servicer further acknowledges that, from
and after the date hereof, it (and any of its successors under the
Servicing Agreement) will be subject to the supervision of the
Master Servicer (except that the Master Servicer shall not be
responsible for supervising the servicing of defaulted Mortgage
Loans and REO Properties) and that the Master Servicer, acting on
behalf of the Assignee as the owner of the Mortgage Loans, shall
have the same rights as were assigned by GSMC, in its capacity as
the original purchaser under the Servicing Agreement, to the
Assignor under the GSMC Assignment Agreement, and further assigned
by the Assignor to the Assignee, on behalf of the trust,
hereunder.
(d) All reports, notices and other written
information as to the Mortgage Loans required to be delivered to
the Assignee, as the successor in interest to GSMC and the Assignor
under the Servicing Agreement, shall also be delivered to the
Master Servicer at the address set forth in Section 9 hereof. All
remittances required to be made to the Assignee, as the successor
in interest to GSMC and the Assignor under the Servicing Agreement,
shall be made instead to the Master Servicer by wire transfer to
the following account:
For credit to:
SAS Clearing
FFC to: GSR
2006-9F Acct# 50955200
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the
Servicing Agreement, with respect to the Mortgage Loans, not later
than the tenth calendar day of each month (or if such tenth
calendar day is not a Business Day, the immediately succeeding
Business Day), the Servicer shall furnish to the Master Servicer
(i)(a) monthly loan data in a mutually agreed-upon format, (b)
default loan data in the format set forth in Exhibit 3 and
Exhibit 4 hereto and (c) information regarding the realized
losses and gains in the format set forth in Exhibit 5 and
Exhibit 6 hereto, in each case relating to the period ending
on the last day of the preceding calendar month, (ii) all such
information required pursuant to clause (i)(a) above on a magnetic
tape, electronic mail, or other similar media reasonably acceptable
to the Master Servicer, and (iii) all supporting documentation with
respect to the information required under the preceding
paragraph.
4. Representations and Warranties of the
Assignee . The Assignee
hereby represents and warrants as follows:
(a) Decision to Purchase . The Assignee is a sophisticated investor able
to evaluate the risks and merits of the transactions contemplated
hereby, and it has not relied in connection therewith upon any
statements or representations of the Assignor or the Servicer other
than those contained in the Servicing Agreement, the Commitment
Letter, or this Assignment Agreement.
(b) Authority . The Assignee is duly and legally authorized to
enter into this Assignment Agreement and to perform its obligations
hereunder and under the Servicing Agreement.
(c) Enforceability . This Assignment Agreement has been duly
authorized, executed and delivered by the Assignee and (assuming
due authorization, execution and delivery thereof by each of the
other parties hereto) constitutes its legal, valid and binding
obligation, enforceable in accordance with its terms, except as
such enforcement may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization or other similar laws affecting the enforcement of
creditors’ rights generally and by general equitable
principles (regardless of whether such enforcement is considered in
a proceed-ing in equity or at law).
5. Representations and Warranties of the
Assignor . The Assignor
hereby represents and warrants as follows:
(a) Organization . The Assignor has been duly organized and is
validly existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws
of the State of Delaware with full power and authority (corporate
and other) to enter into and perform its obligations under the
Servicing Agreement, the Commitment Letter, and this Assignment
Agreement.
(b) Enforceability . This Assignment Agreement has been duly
executed and delivered by the Assignor, and, assuming due
authorization, execution and delivery by each of the other parties
hereto, constitutes a legal, valid, and binding agreement of the
Assignor, enforceable against it in accordance with its terms,
subject to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium, or
other similar laws affecting creditors’ rights generally and
to general principles of equity regardless of whether enforcement
is sought in a proceeding in equity or at law.
(c) No Consent . The execution, delivery and performance by the
Assignor of this Assignment Agreement and the consummation of the
transactions contemplated hereby do not require the consent or
approval of, the giving of notice to, the registration with, or the
taking of any other action in respect of, any state, federal or
other governmental authority or agency, except such as has been
obtained, given, effected or taken prior to the date
hereof.
(d) Authorization; No Breach
. The execution and delivery of this
Assignment Agreement have been duly authorized by all necessary
corporate action on the part of the Assignor; neither the execution
and delivery by the Assignor of this Assignment Agreement, nor the
consummation by the Assignor of the transactions herein
contemplated, nor compliance by the Assignor with the provisions
hereof, will conflict with or result in a breach of, or constitute
a default under, any of the provisions of the governing documents
of the Assignor or any law, governmental rule or regulation or any
material judgment, decree or order binding on the Assignor or any
of its properties, or any of the provisions of any material
indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, contract or other instrument to
which the Assignor is a party or by which it is bound.
(e) Actions; Proceedings . There are no actions, suits or proceedings
pending or, to the knowledge of the Assignor, threatened, before or
by any court, administrative agency, arbitrator or governmental
body (A) with respect to any of the transactions contemplated by
this Assignment Agreement or (B) with respect to any other matter
that in the judgment of the Assignor will be determined adversely
to the Assignor and will if determined adversely to the Assignor
materially adversely affect its ability to perform its obligations
under this Assignment Agreement.
(f) Prior Assignments; Pledges
. Except for the sale to the
Assignee, the Assignor has not assigned or pledged any Mortgage
Note or the related Mortgage or any interest or participation
therein.
(g) Releases . The Assignor has not satisfied, cancelled, or
subordinated in whole or in part, or rescinded any Mortgage, and
the Assignor has not released any Mortgaged Property from the lien
of the related Mortgage, in whole or in part, nor has the Assignor
executed an instrument that would effect any such release,
cancellation, subordination, or rescission. The Assignor has not
released any Mortgagor, in whole or in part, except in connection
with an assumption agreement or other agreement approved by the
related Federal Insurer, to the extent such approval was
required.
(h) Mortgage Loans . With respect to the Mortgage Loans, the
representations and warranties contained in Section 3.2 of the
Servicing Agreement, to the extent they relate to matters arising
on or after the related Closing Date (as defined in the Servicing
Agreement), are true and correct as of the date of this Assignment
Agreement. For purposes of making the representations and
warranties contemplated in the foregoing sentence, each reference
in Section 3.2 of the Servicing Agreement to (i) the “Cut-off
Date” shall be deemed to be a reference to October 1, 2006,
(ii) the “Mortgage Loan Schedule” shall be deemed to be
a reference to Exhibit 1 hereto and (iii) the “Closing
Date” shall be deemed to be a reference to October 30,
2006.
(i) Predatory Lending . Each Mortgage Loan, at the time it was
originated, complied in all material respects with applicable
local, state and federal laws, including, but not limited to, all
applicable predatory and abusive lending laws; and none of the
Mortgage Loans are “high-cost,” “high-cost
home” or “covered” loans under any applicable
federal, state or local predatory or abusive lending
law.
(j) No High Cost or Covered Loans
. No Mortgage Loan
is a High Cost Loan or Covered Loan, as applicable (as such terms
are defined in the then current Standard & Poor’s
LEVELS ®
Glossary, Appendix E, in effect on
October 1, 2006) and no Mortgage Loan originated on or after
October 1, 2002 through March 6, 2003 is governed by the Georgia
Fair Lending Act.
For the purposes of this Section 5(j) the
following definitions shall apply:
Covered Loan : A Mortgage Loan categorized as Covered
pursuant to Appendix E of Standard & Poor’s
Glossary.
Home Loan : A Mortgage Loan categorized as a Home Loan
pursuant to Appendix E of Standard & Poor’s
Glossary.
Standard & Poor’s Glossary
: The Standard & Poor’s
LEVELS® Glossary, as may be in effect from time to
time.
High Cost Loan : A Mortgage Loan classified as (a) a
“high cost” loan under the Home Ownership and Equity
Protection Act of 1994, (b) a “high cost home,”
“threshold,” “covered,” (excluding New
Jersey “Covered Home Loans” as that term is defined in
clause (1) of the definition of that term in the New Jersey Home
Ownership Security Act of 2002), “high risk home,”
“predatory” or similar loan under any other applicable
state, federal or local law (or a similarly classified loan using
different terminology under a law imposing heightened regulatory
scrutiny or additional legal liability for residential mortgage
loans having high interest rates, points and/or fees) or (c) a
Mortgage Loan categorized as High Cost pursuant to Appendix E of
Standard & Poor’s Glossary. For avoidance of doubt, the
parties agree that this definition shall apply to any law
regardless of whether such law is presently, or in the future
becomes, the subject of judicial review or litigation.
(k) Bring Down . With respect to the Servicing Agreement,
nothing has occurred or failed to occur from and after the Closing
Date (as such term is defined in the Servicing Agreement) to
October 30, 2006, that would cause any of the representations and
warranties relating to the applicable Mortgage Loans set forth in
Section 3.2 of the Servicing Agreement to be incorrect in any
material respects as of the date hereof as if made on the date
hereof.
It is understood and agreed that the
representations and warranties set forth in this Section 5 shall
survive the sale of the Mortgage Loans to the Assignee and the
delivery of the respective Mortgage Files to the Custodian and
shall inure to the benefit of the Assignee and its assigns
notwithstanding any restrictive or qualified endorsement or
assignment. Upon the discovery by the Assignor, the Master Servicer
or the Assignee of a breach of the foregoing representations and
warranties, the party discovering such breach shall give prompt
written notice thereof to the other parties to this Assignment
Agreement, and in no event later than two (2) Business Days from
the date of such discovery. It is understood and agreed that the
obligations of the Assignor set forth in Section 6 below to
repurchase a Mortgage Loan constitute the sole remedies available
to the Assignee and its assigns on their behalf respecting a breach
of the representations and warranties contained in this Section
5.
6. Repurchase of Mortgage Loans
. Upon discovery or notice of any
breach by the Assignor of any representation, warranty, or covenant
under this Assignment Agreement that materially and adversely
affects the value of any Mortgage Loan or the interest of the
Assignee therein (it being understood that any such defect or
breach shall be deemed to have materially and adversely affected
the value of the related Mortgage Loan or the interest of the
Assignee therein if the Assignee incurs a loss as a result of such
defect or breach), the Assignee promptly shall request that the
Assignor cure such breach and, if the Assignor does not cure such
breach in all material respects within 60 days from the date on
which it is notified of the breach, the Assignee may enforce the
Assignor’s obligation hereunder to purchase such Mortgage
Loan from the Assignee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, however, if
such breach is a Qualification Defect, such cure or repurchase must
take place within 75 days of the discovery of such Qualification
Defect.
In the event of a repurchase of any Mortgage
Loan by the Assignor, the Assignee shall promptly deliver to the
Assignor or its designee the related Mortgage File and shall assign
to the Assignor all of the Assignee’s rights under the
Servicing Agreement, but only insofar as the Servicing Agreement
relate to such Mortgage Loans.
Except as specifically set forth herein, the
Assignor shall have no responsibility to enforce any provision of
this Assignment Agreement, to oversee compliance hereof, or to take
notice of any breach or default thereof.
7. Continuing Effect . Except as contemplated hereby, the Servicing
Agreement shall remain in full force and effect in accordance with
its respective terms.
8. Governing Law . THIS ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY
AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK,
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ITS CONFLICT OF LAW PROVISIONS (OTHER THAN
SECTIONS 5-1401 AND 5-1402 OF THE GENERAL OBLIGATIONS LAW), AND THE
OBLIGATIONS, RIGHTS AND REMEDIES OF THE PARTIES HEREUNDER SHALL BE
DETERMINED IN ACCORDANCE WITH SUCH LAWS.
EACH PARTY HERETO HEREBY KNOWINGLY, VOLUNTARILY
AND INTENTIONALLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHTS IT MAY HAVE TO A TRIAL
BY JURY IN RESPECT OF ANY LITIGATION BASED ON, OR ARISING OUT OF,
UNDER, OR IN CONNECTION WITH, THIS ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT, OR ANY
OTHER DOCUMENTS AND INSTRUMENTS EXECUTED IN CONNECTION HEREWITH, OR
ANY COURSE OF CONDUCT, COURSE OF DEALING, STATEMENTS (WHETHER ORAL
OR WRITTEN), OR ACTIONS OF SUCH PARTY. THIS PROVISION IS A MATERIAL
INDUCEMENT FOR THE PARTIES TO ENTER INTO THIS ASSIGNMENT
AGREEMENT.
9. Notices . Any notices or other communications permitted
or required hereunder or under the Servicing Agreement shall be in
writing and shall be deemed conclusively to have been given if
personally delivered at or mailed by registered mail, postage
prepaid, and return receipt requested or transmitted by facsimile
and confirmed by a similar mailed writing, to:
(a)
in the case of the
Servicer,
SunTrust Mortgage, Inc.
1001 Semmes Avenue
Richmond, Virginia 23224
Attention: Annette Holman-Foreman
Telephone (804) 291-0262
Facsimile: (804) 291-0950
or such address as may hereafter be furnished by
the Servicer;
(b) in the case of the Assignee,
U.S. Bank National Association
100 Wall
Street, 16 th Floor
Attention:
Structured Finance Department - GSR 2006-9F
or such other
address as may hereafter be furnished by the Assignee;
and
(c) in the case of the Assignor,
GS Mortgage
Securities Corp.
Facsimile: (212) 902-3000
or such other address as may hereafter be
furnished by the Assignor, and
(d) in the case of the Master Servicer,
Attention:
Corporate Trust Group (GSR 2006-9F)
(or in the case
of overnight deliveries,