Articles Published in: 2011

June 23, 2011

What is the FHA 203(b) Loan Program?

If you’re new to FHA home loans, it’s easy to get confused by the different types of FHA insured mortgages available. There are FHA 203(b) loans, the FHA 203(k) and a host of others. Some borrowers are ready, after seeing the alphabet soup of different programs a borrower could apply for, to throw up their hands and just ask for “the FHA loan everybody applies for when they want a new home.” That loan is known as the FHA 203(b), the single-family mortgage insurance program most commonly used all over America. According to the FHA official site, the FHA 203(b) “may be used to purchase or refinance a new or existing one-to-four family home in both urban and rural areas including manufactured homes on permanent foundations. Typically, lenders offer terms | more...

June 22, 2011

FHA Announces Help For Montana, Vermont Storm Victims

By Joe Wallace

2011 has been a bad year for storms and floods. In the past several months, Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri and many other states have been hit with tornadoes and flooding. Some areas get minor damage, while others are declared Presidential disaster areas. Recently the President also had to make a disaster declaration for parts of Montana and Vermont as storms and flooding there forced people from their homes. HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan has also made some announcements of his own, stating that HUD will rush federal disaster assistance to these areas to support home owners and low-income renters there. FHA borrowers affected by these storms should know help is on the way. According to recent press releases from HUD, Secretary Donovan says,

June 22, 2011

Why Choose an FHA Home Loan?

By Joe Wallace

According to the official site at HUD.gov, the FHA loan program has been running since 1934. Designed to help Americans purchase affordable home loans, the FHA insured mortgage loan program features low down payment requirements, low closing costs and more forgiving credit requirements than conventional loans. Many people turn to the FHA loan program because they may not be able to qualify for loans with good interest rates or terms as favorable as those offered by the FHA. Some go directly to the FHA because they don’t feel their credit is good enough to qualify for a conventional mortgage. In many cases, an FHA loan is the best way to realize the dream of home ownership. But how does the FHA make that happen? The FHA mortgage low down payment | more...

June 21, 2011

Facts About FHA Loan Fees

By Joe Wallace

When you apply for an FHA home loan, make the commitment to buy and close the deal, there are a variety of services which must be paid for as part of the home buying process. Some fees are paid by the borrower, some by the lender, and some by the seller. Do you know what fees you’re responsible for as a borrower taking out an FHA mortgage? FHA loan fees the borrower must pay include a loan origination fee, which includes payment for the cost of doing business with your chosen lender. The buyer is also responsible for any title search and examination fees, plus legal fees where applicable. For some home sales with an FHA loan, the sellers may agree to pay the legal fees–part of an incentive to | more...

June 20, 2011

Can I Use Rental Income on My FHA Loan Application?

By Joe Wallace

An FHA loan applicant who owns a property he or she is currently renting would naturally want to include that income on the loan application. As with all other sources of income, the borrower must not only list the amount of that income, but also be able to show to the lender that the money is stable. Since an FHA lender is charged with verifying all sources of income, the borrower must provide proof that rent money coming in is likely to continue. What does the FHA require as proof of dependable income when it comes to rent payments? According to the FHA official site, “Examples of stability may include a current lease, an agreement to lease, or a rental history over the previous 24 months that is free of | more...

June 20, 2011

FHA Loans and Rehab Grants

By Joe Wallace

One frequently asked question about FHA loans is about FHA grants for home repair. Does the FHA provide grant money for home buyers or FHA borrowers to repair or fix up a home? The short answer is no. While you may read FHA press releases such as a recent item about the FHA awarding $27 million in “sweat equity grants”, (HUD Press Release No. 11-122), it’s important to make the distinction between a grant to

June 17, 2011

The FHA Energy Efficient Mortgage

By Joe Wallace

Making improvements in a new home to include energy efficient upgrades can save a borrower a lot of money in utility bills. Modern windows, solar powered water heaters, improved air conditioning systems and other upgrades are all within a borrower’s reach when purchasing a home with an FHA insured mortgage thanks to a feature called the Energy Efficient Mortgage. FHA Energy Efficient mortgages are for qualified borrowers buying a single family home. Under the terms of an FHA Energy Efficient Mortgage or EEM for short, energy efficient improvements must be selected by the borrower and the amount of energy savings the improvements would give every month. There must be a tangible benefit to the borrower in terms of energy efficiency and/or savings for each improvement. These savings must be calculated | more...

June 16, 2011

Can I Use a Power of Attorney For an FHA Home Loan?

By Joe Wallace

There are many situations where borrowers, co-borrowers or family members might need to use a power of attorney to continue financial arrangements, including an FHA home loan. Some borrowers or their family members, acting on behalf of someone who can’t represent themselves, may furnish a power of attorney (POA) to continue a financial arrangement or give final approval. One popular use for a power of attorney is when a military member is suddenly deployed or sent on a military assignment on short notice. The purchase of a new home shouldn’t be cancelled on account of an important job requirement–if the person is willing to let someone else represent him or her using a power of attorney. When it comes to FHA home loans, the rules state, “A power of attorney | more...

June 15, 2011

What Is the FHA Streamline 203(k) Program?

By Joe Wallace

A type of loan called the FHA Streamline 203(k) allows a borrower to finance up to an additional $35 thousand of repairs and upgrades to a FHA mortgage. This loan is designed to “to purchase and improve or upgrade the home before move-in” but can also be used to refinance an existing mortgage and add repairs or improvements up to the same $35,000 amount. According to the FHA official site, “Unlike the standard 203(k) program, any FHA approved lender may originate a Streamlined 203k mortgage.” The availability of additional funds to repair or improve a home can be a powerful incentive to close the deal on a home that still needs work to make it truly attractive to the buyer, but it’s important to know exactly what the Streamline 203(k) | more...

June 15, 2011

Types of Reverse Mortgages

By Joe Wallace

Federal law, including FHA regulations and requirements, govern how loans and many real estate services may be advertised or marketed to the consumer. But in spite of these laws, some companies choose to include misleading or intentionally vague wording about some loan products that may seem to imply that company is endorsed by the government or that the services offered are somehow in connection with the FHA or HUD. For example, not all reverse mortgages are FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgages or HECM loans. But it would be very easy for a company to describe something very similar to an FHA HECM or reverse mortgage and allow the public to draw their own conclusions–however true or false–about whether that program is FHA approved. There are three basic types of reverse | more...