Articles Published in: 2017

July 18, 2017

How Do You Refinance An FHA Loan? FHA Refi Options

How do you refinance an FHA loan? In our last blog post on this subject, we discussed the need to determine your financial needs and goals before examining the different types of FHA refinance loan options. Are you planning to stay in your home for the duration of the loan? Do you need to sell long before then? The answers to those questions will help determine which refi loan is right for you. But what ARE those options? FHA Cash-Out and No Cash Out Refinance Loans Borrowers who have existing FHA mortgages or even non-FHA home loans can refinance with either FHA Cash-Out refinancing or a no-cash version of the same. Cash out refinance loans permit the borrower to get money back on the transaction. Basically once your original mortgage | more...

July 18, 2017

How Do You Refinance An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

How do you refinance an FHA loan? There are some important questions to answer before getting to the actual application process-questions that can help you narrow down the right kind of FHA mortgage refinance loan for you. Examining Your Financial Goals and Needs FHA refinance loans come in a variety of types designed to fit different financial needs. Are you looking for a refinance loan that will lower your monthly mortgage payments? Do you need to take cash back on the refinance loan transaction? Depending on circumstances, those two issues may or may not be mutually exclusive. FHA refinance loans do offer the ability to get into a lower payment or interest rate, but getting cash back likely involves a different kind of FHA refinance loan. Deciding what result you | more...

July 17, 2017

What Is A One-Time Close FHA Construction Loan?

By Joe Wallace

The FHA single family loan handbook tells us that FHA home loans are for a variety of different types of purchases including existing construction, “new construction” which means a home recently built but never occupied by an owner, and “proposed construction” loans which allows the buyer to apply for a loan to fund both the construction phase and the “permanent” phase of the mortgage. How do FHA construction loans differ from new purchase loans? Aside from the obvious (new purchase loans for existing construction move faster than construction loans do thanks to the lack of a construction phase for the existing construction loan) there are some important considerations to think about when contemplating your construction loan options. Is An FHA Construction Loan Right For Me? If you need to get into | more...

July 17, 2017

Is There A One-Time Close FHA Construction Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

Is there an FHA construction loan? Let’s look at what the FHA single family home loan handbook (HUD 4000.1) says about these transactions: “FHA offers various mortgage insurance programs which insure approved Mortgagees against losses on Mortgages. FHA-insured Mortgages may be used to purchase housing, improve housing, or refinance existing Mortgages. Purchase/Construction to Permanent The Borrower may finance the purchase of an existing one- to four-unit residence, and may also finance construction of a one- to four-unit residence through a Construction to Permanent Mortgage. Properties to be acquired through an unrecorded land contract must be treated as a purchase.” That information is found on page 130 of HUD 4000.1. But some borrowers may be confused by this, having approached a lender only to be told “we don’t do FHA construction loans” | more...

July 14, 2017

What Is An FHA Loan And How Does It Work?

By Bruce Reichstein

What is an FHA loan and how does it work? There are many differences between conventional and FHA mortgages, and those differences could mean significant savings depending on your home buying needs and goals. What An FHA Loan Is Not An FHA loan is a mortgage loan, first and foremost. It is intended to buy or refinance a property. An FHA “forward mortgage” or new home loan not intended to act as a personal loan, with cash back to the borrower at closing time. FHA loan rules don’t permit the borrower to apply for a loan greater than the adjusted value of the property plus additional costs that may be rolled into the loan. While your FHA mortgage may be greater than the total adjusted value of the property, you | more...

July 13, 2017

How Do You Apply For An FHA Loan? What You Need To Get Started

By Joe Wallace

How Do You Apply For An FHA Loan? In our last blog post we covered some basics about preparing to apply. You can’t get to the application process without saving up for closing costs, examining your credit, and making sure you come to the application with at least 12 months of on-time payments on your credit history for all financial obligations. Once you are ready to start looking for a home, one of the best things a borrower can do is to get pre-approved for an FHA mortgage. Pre-approval means starting a business relationship with your chosen participating FHA lender. The lender asks for credit information from you, does a preliminary check of the data you’ve provided (as well as looking at your FICO scores, income, etc.) and makes a | more...

July 13, 2017

How Do You Apply For An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

How do you apply for an FHA loan? There are several things you can do to get the process started on an FHA home loan, but the first step is to determine if you are ready to fill out the application paperwork. Some aren’t as ready as they think, while others are definitely able to get started right away. Let’s examine what’s needed to come to the application process. Preparation And Savings Preparing for an FHA loan means the doing following things: checking your credit reports so that you see what the lender will see when you fill out your application data, correcting any erroneous entries in your credit report, making sure you have 12 months of on-time payments on all financial obligations before applying, and saving up for your | more...

Do I Have To Make A Down Payment On An FHA Mortgage?

July 12, 2017

What Is An FHA Loan Down Payment? Sources Of Down Payment Funds

By Joe Wallace

What is an FHA loan down payment? We examined the basics in our last blog post, but one important issue related to down payment funds? Their source. FHA loan rules state that the lender must verify the source of all funds to be used in the down payment. Not all sources are eligible to be used; FHA loan rules have strict guidelines about how and where such funds may be derived. For example, while borrowers are permitted to get down payment help from outside sources, none of those sources may have a financial stake in the outcome of the transaction. So your seller may not directly provide down payment funds, and any other contributing party cannot get reimbursement from anyone involved in the transaction. Down Payment Source Funds: The Official | more...

July 12, 2017

What Is An FHA Loan Down Payment?

By Bruce Reichstein

What is an FHA loan down payment? Simply put, your down payment on a home loan is an investment paid up-front which is separate from other loan expenses. The original idea behind making a down payment likely had something to do with the idea that a borrower who has invested a serious portion of cash up front on the home purchase has a greater interest in paying their mortgage, not defaulting on the loan, and being a successful home owner. FHA loan rules which govern the down payment are found in HUD 4000.1, the FHA loan handbook, and have plenty to say about the amount and sourcing of an FHA mortgage loan down payment. What Is An FHA Loan Down Payment? The FHA loan handbook describes the down payment, also | more...

July 11, 2017

When Is An FHA Loan Better Than A Conventional Loan? Refinancing Issues

By Joe Wallace

When is an FHA loan better than a conventional loan? If you are exploring your refinance options, you may find your FHA loan options provide you with some unexpected flexibility. Refinancing Conventional To FHA Yes, FHA loan rules permit those who have existing conventional, VA, or other non-FHA mortgages to refinance them into an FHA loan using cash-out refinancing or no cash-out FHA refinancing. Borrowers will need to budget for a new appraisal for these FHA refinance loan transactions, and you’ll be required to do the usual credit and employment checks. Refinancing from a conventional loan to an FHA loan also includes flexibility where interest rates are concerned. Have you ever compared FHA fixed-rate mortgage loans with FHA adjustable rate mortgages (ARM loans)? For some borrowers, refinancing out of an | more...