Articles Published in: November 2012

November 30, 2012

FHA Foreclosure Protection, Home Loans and Refinancing For West Virginia Storm Victims

The FHA and HUD have issued yet another Hurricane Sandy press release, this time announcing assistance for home owners in West Virginia affected by Hurricane Sandy. According to HUDNo.12-181, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan has announced that FHA/HUD will “speed federal disaster assistance to the State of West Virginia in addition to resources being provided by FEMA and other federal partners. HUD will provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to Hurricane Sandy.” On Wednesday November 28, 2012, President Obama issued a disaster declaration for the following West Virginia counties: Barbour, Boone, Braxton, Clay, Fayette, Kanawha, Lewis, Nicholas, Pendleton, Pocahontas, Preston, Raleigh, Randolph, Taylor, Tucker, Upshur, Webster, and Wyoming. This federal disaster zone declaration allows HUD to offer foreclosure relief and other | more...

November 29, 2012

FHA Home Loan Foreclosure Avoidance Policy Changes

By Joe Wallace

Recently, the FHA issued a press release announcing changes to its loss mitigation and foreclosure avoidance policies. We’ve reported on some of those changes in previous blog posts; we haven’t yet covered the FHA’s revised loss mitigation options and changes to those policies. According to HUDNo.12-22, in the section titled “Updated Loss Mitigation Priority Order Requirements” you’ll find the following new policy information on how the FHA handles its loss mitigation options–described in order of priority. According to the FHA, “After evaluating a delinquent mortgagor for Informal and Formal Forbearance Plans, FHA’s Loss Mitigation options must be considered in the following order: (1) Special Forbearances; (2) Loan Modifications; and (3) FHA-HAMP.” How does this evaluation process work? The FHA explains, “Before four full monthly installments due on the mortgage have | more...

November 28, 2012

FHA Loans For Older Homes: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “Can a borrower use an FHA loan for homes built in 1957?” We get many similar questions about FHA loan rules–does the FHA have any regulations that specify a home’s age as a factor in FHA loan approval? Not specifically. Instead, the FHA has guidelines that must be followed for the condition of the property–it must meet FHA minimum property standards and be compliant with state and local building code as applicable. There’s no single, centralized standard that can be cited for the age of a property; the FHA requires the home be safe, habitable, and meet other general requirements. One important factor to consider when viewing any property as a potential home is the property’s “remaining economic life”. A lender (or FHA rules) may preclude the | more...

November 27, 2012

FHA Foreclosure Avoidance Options

By Joe Wallace

In a recent Mortgagee Letter (ML2012-22), the FHA and HUD describe a variety of changes to FHA Loss Mititgation options. “Loss Mitigation” basically refers to foreclosure avoidance programs for borrowers in trouble on their FHA mortgages. The FHA Mortgagee Letter opens by stating, “No later than 90 days after issuance of this Mortgagee Letter, (November 16, 2012) mortgagees must begin to assess mortgagors in default under FHA’s loss mitigation priority order and policies referenced herein. FHA updates on its loss mitigation/foreclossure avoidance policies includes the following new requirements, as described below. According to the FHA, “Before a mortgagee considers a delinquent mortgagor for one of FHA’s Loss Mitigation Home Retention Options, the mortgagee must first evaluate the mortgagor for both Informal and Formal Forbearance Plans.” Additionally, “Informal and Formal Forbearance | more...

November 27, 2012

FHA and HUD Announce Extra Processing Time For Mortgages Affected By Hurricane Sandy

By Joe Wallace

On the FHA/HUD official site, borrowers will find a notice regarding the closing time requirements for loans affected by Hurricane Sandy. FHA loan rules have been temporarily modified to make exceptions for the normal closing time requirements for FHA borrowers in federally-declared disaster areas affected by Sandy. According to the FHA, ” In cases where there is no expectation of a material change in the loan application documentation, lenders closing on loans for properties located in Presidentially-Declared Major Disaster Areas affected by Hurricane Sandy will be granted an additional sixty days for all documents in the mortgage loan application at closing beyond the 120 days for completed construction or 180 days for new construction set out at HUD Handbook 4155.1 1.B.1.h.” Again, this announcement is only for what the FHA describes | more...

November 26, 2012

FHA/HUD Announce Foreclosure Protection For Delaware Storm Victims

By Joe Wallace

A recent press release issued by the FHA and HUD announces foreclosure protection and other relief for victims of storms in Delaware. According to HUDNo.12-173A, victims of Hurricane Sandy have more options now that three affected counties have been designated federal disaster areas. According to the press release, “President Obama issued a disaster declaration for Kent, New Castle and Sussex Counties. The President’s declaration allows HUD to offer foreclosure relief and other assistance to certain families living in these counties.” According to U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan, “Families who may have been forced from their homes need to know that help is available to begin the rebuilding process,” said Donovan. “Whether it’s foreclosure relief for families with FHA-insured loans or helping these counties to recover, HUD stands | more...

November 23, 2012

FHA Loans and Credit Scores Below 620: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “My husband and I have a credit score of 536. We have 41,000 to put down on a house. Can I get an FHA loan. I applied with a bank but could not.” This reader question doesn’t specifically ask, but it does imply that the reader might be under one of the most common misconceptions about the FHA loan program–that the FHA itself is responsible for making loans, lending money or otherwise distributing funds. The FHA does not loan money or disburse funds. Instead, it guarantees the home loans which are issued by a participating lender. The lender is responsible for processing, approving or denying the FHA loan applications it receives. FHA loan applicants should know that while FHA minimum credit scores at listed at 500 and | more...

November 22, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving!

By Joe Wallace

From all of us at FHANewsBlog.com, have a safe and fun holiday. We return on Friday with our regularly scheduled posts about FHA home loans, answering reader questions and related topics. Thank you for reading and we’ll see you after turkey day!

November 21, 2012

FHA Amends Loss Mitigation Policies

By Joe Wallace

The FHA has announced important changes to its Loss Mitigation Home Retention options, intended as stated in FHA Mortgagee Letter 2012-22, to “reduce the number of full claims against the FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund by assisting a greater number of qualified, distressed mortgagors in retaining their homes.” The new rules, posted on November 16, have specific requirements for the lender. “No later than 90 days after issuance of this Mortgagee Letter, mortgagees must begin to assess mortgagors in default under FHA’s loss mitigation priority order and policies referenced herein.” The new FHA loan rules alter FHA’s Home Affordable Modification Program’s (FHA-HAMP) guidelines, as well as “the definition of “Special Forbearance” in Mortgagee Letter 2002-17; and Loss Mitigation priority order guidelines in Mortgagee Letter 2000-05.” What are these changes? We | more...

November 20, 2012

FHA Issues Mortgagee Letter, Sets Policy For Federal Disaster Areas

By Joe Wallace

Whenever a natural disaster strikes and a federal disaster area is declared in the affected zone, the FHA and HUD have issued guidance about foreclosure moratoriums, assistance for those trying to recover from the disaster and other details. These announcements are usually issued as Mortgagee Letters and come out on an as-needed basis. But now the FHA has codified its position on federally declared disaster areas in general, thanks to the new FHA/HUD Mortgagee Letter, 12-23, “Guidance for FHA-Approved Mortgagees Originating and Servicing Mortgages in Presidentially-Declared Major Disaster Areas”. According to the announcement, “This Mortgagee Letter (“ML”) provides general guidance to FHA-approved mortgagees with loans in any Presidentially-Declared Major Disaster Areas (“Disaster Areas”). Further specific guidance for individual disasters may be communicated as necessary.” This general guidance includes, “A moratorium | more...