Yes, Andy, most of the methods used do violate the DOS clause. You get around it basicly by not telling the lender. There are a numebr of courses here and plentiful discussion on how to do subject to.
Does a sellers current mortgage have to be assumable for you (the buyer) to purchase it ‘subject to’? Isn’t a ‘subject to’ purchase basically stating to the current lender that you are taking over the payments even though the seller is still legally liable?
No. It does not need to be assumable. And no, you are basically stating to the sellers that you are going to be making the payments, without jumping thru all the hoops that the lender would make you jump through for the honor of “assuming” the loan. (qualification, fees, etc)