Articles Published in: June 2018

June 19, 2018

Get Money Out Of Your Home With FHA Cash-Out Refinancing

Do you want to get money out of your home with an FHA Cash-Out refinance loan? Need shore up your rainy day fund or pay down certain kinds of debt? Many borrowers want to do this but aren’t sure if they can use the funds from such a loan for the purposes they have in mind. Fortunately, FHA loan rules don’t specify approved or unapproved uses for the money you get when you refinance using a Cash-Out loan. The FHA Loan Handbook, HUD 4000.1, describes FHA Cash-Out Refinance loans as follows: “A Cash-Out Refinance is a refinance of any Mortgage or a withdrawal of equity where no Mortgage currently exists, in which the mortgage proceeds are not limited to specific purposes.” That is good news for borrowers who have been | more...

June 18, 2018

FHA Loans: What Does It Mean To Be A First-Time Home Buyer?

By Joe Wallace

What does it mean to be a first-time home buyer when applying for an FHA home loan? Many borrowers want to know if there is an advantage to applying for an FHA mortgage if they have never borrower money for a home before. What is the reality? The FHA loan program itself does not give advantages to the first-time home buyer, nor does it penalize someone who has owned a home before. All financially qualified applicants are able to get an FHA loan even if they have purchased a home before. That does NOT mean first-time home buyers won’t get offered incentives from a participating FHA lender, but those incentives are offered by the lender and not via the FHA home loan program itself. Borrowers who are first-time home buyers | more...

June 18, 2018

What If I Miss A Mortgage Payment Before Applying For An FHA Refinance Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

What if I miss a mortgage payment before applying for an FHA refinance loan? That is a question on the minds of some borrowers going into the refinance loan planning stages. What should a borrower do if they are worried about a missed mortgage payment? The first thing to understand is that FHA home loan rules for credit-including on-time payment requirements for new mortgage loans, are not the only standards which will apply. We could quote line after line of FHA regulations pertaining to refinance loan approval and missed or late payments, but lender standards will also apply above and beyond FHA loan rules. In general, FHA loan rules prohibit new loans for any borrower currently delinquent on an FHA mortgage. A loss mitigation program designed to prevent foreclosure may | more...

June 15, 2018

When Is An Appraisal Required For My FHA Mortgage Loan?

By Joe Wallace

When is an appraisal required for an FHA home loan? This important question often comes up when borrowers want to refinance a home using an FHA refinance loan such as cash-out refinance, FHA Streamline Refinance, or even when the borrower wants to apply for an FHA Reverse Mortgage. Appraisals are required for most FHA loan transactions-you will always have to pay for an appraisal for an FHA forward mortgage, which is the kind of loan you will apply for when purchasing a new home. Appraisals are required for both existing construction loans and FHA One-Time Close construction loans, though the process will vary for construction loans due to the nature of the transaction. Appraisals will also be required for FHA Rehab loans. The appraisal is intended to establish the fair | more...

June 15, 2018

HUD Settles Housing Discrimination Complaint Against San Francisco Real Estate Companies

By Bruce Reichstein

There are many types of housing discrimination; some occurs when a house hunter is searching for a home, trying to rent in the local area and encountering violations of the Fair Housing Act while trying to do so. Other types of housing discrimination can occur in the house hunting process itself. Housing discrimination may come from a variety of sources; including, in the case of a recent HUD Fair Housing settlement, real estate firms. The HUD official site announced a settlement in June in the case of two San Francisco-based real estate companies accused of Fair Housing Act violations. HUD approved “a Voluntary Compliance/Conciliation Agreement settling a complaint filed by a family whose infant has a disability against San Francisco, California-based John Stewart Company and Hunters Point East West, LP.” | more...

June 14, 2018

FHA Home Loan Questions And Answers About The Appraisal Process

By Joe Wallace

The FHA loan appraisal process is potentially confusing to a new borrower. If you are serious about purchasing a specific property with an FHA mortgage, the appraisal is an important step in the loan approval portion of your house hunting experience because it tells the lender whether the property is suitable for an FHA mortgage. What Is The FHA Appraisal And What Does It Do? FHA appraisals are performed when you want to purchase a specific property with a home loan. The appraisal is not done for a house you are “just looking” at; this process is reserved for the home you specifically want to buy. An FHA approved appraiser, assigned by your lender, will come to the property and give it a general review. This process is not as | more...

June 14, 2018

Can I Use My GI Bill Housing Allowance For An FHA Home Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

Military borrowers who are considering an FHA home loan may wonder if they are permitted to use their Post 9/11 GI Bill housing stipend as part of their qualifying income for an FHA mortgage. FHA loan rules found in HUD 4000.1 require the lender to verify all sources of income for the borrower; verifiable income that qualifies may be counted in the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio. This process is important because if a borrower’s debts exceed a certain ratio compared to the amount of income, it may be harder for the lender to justify approving the FHA mortgage. So it makes sense that a borrower who qualifies for Post 9/11 GI Bill benefits or Forever GI Bill benefits might want to have their housing stipend included in the income they submit | more...

June 13, 2018

Is There Such A Thing As A Refund For FHA UFMIP Mortgage Insurance?

By Joe Wallace

Is there such a thing as a refund for FHA Up-Front Mortgage Insurance or FHA UFMIP? This mortgage insurance premium is required on FHA loan transactions and must be paid either in cash at closing time or must be financed into the loan amount. FHA loan rules do not allow a borrower to pay a portion and finance a portion of the FHA UFMIP, it must be paid in full using financing or cash. Borrowers have many questions about this FHA mortgage insurance requirement, including whether or not a refund is possible under the right circumstances. FHA forward mortgages require UFMIP as a condition of the loan no matter if the transaction is an FHA One-Time Close construction loan, existing construction purchase, or whether the borrower is buying a manufactured | more...

What Credit Score Is Needed For An FHA Mortgage?

June 13, 2018

FHA Home Loans With Non-Occupying Co-Borrowers

By Bruce Reichstein

Do FHA home loans have rules for transactions with non-occupying co-borrower? The short answer is yes, there are considerations for FHA mortgage loans that feature one or more borrowers who will occupy the property, but also a borrower who will not. These rules are found in HUD 4000.1 and include requirements for the basic transaction-at least one borrower MUST occupy the home to be purchased with an FHA mortgage as a condition of loan approval. This is normally supposed to happen within 60 days of loan closing according to FHA loan rules. Lender standards may also apply. FHA loan rules have some basic requirements for co-borrowers who will not occupy the home, including the following from HUD 4000.1: “To be eligible, all occupying and non-occupying Borrowers and co-Borrowers must take | more...

the importance of credit for home loan approval

June 12, 2018

Home Loan Anxiety Part 2: Credit Issues Before Applying For An FHA Mortgage

By Joe Wallace

Do you suffer from “home loan anxiety”? Are you worried about your ability to qualify for an FHA mortgage loan? There are some important issues you should know about that can help reduce your worries about applying. The key is to address your concerns early enough in the planning stages of your new loan to make a real difference. Worried About Your Credit And How It Might Affect Your Home Loan Application? One of the best things any borrower suffering from anxiety over a home loan application can do is to contact the FHA directly at their toll-free number (1-800 CALL FHA) and request a referral to a local, HUD-approved housing counselor who can offer advice on preparing for an FHA loan application. The help of a housing counselor in | more...