Articles Published in: September 2018

September 28, 2018

FHA Home Loan Approval Questions Part Two

There are many questions borrowers have about home loan approval and how the lender decides which loans to approve. Knowing more about this process can help you better prepare for it; here are some of the most commonly asked questions about FHA home loan approval. Why Does My FHA Loan Application Get Denied With One Lender But Approved By Another? FHA home loan rules include minimum standards for FICO scores, credit history, and other factors. But these minimums are not the only guidelines that affect home loan approval. Your FHA mortgage loan is also subject to lender standards which will vary from lender to lender but also may be different than FHA loan minimums. FICO scores, employment history, and other factors may vary from the FHA minimums, which is permitted | more...

September 28, 2018

FHA Home Loan Approval Questions Part One

By Joe Wallace

FHA home loan approval is a process that requires your lender to review your credit history, employment history, and many other factors before deciding to approve or deny a home loan application. There are many questions about this process, and the more answers you have before yo start filling out applications, the better. The answers in this blog post pertain to FHA loan basics, but also rules for self-employed borrowers and those earning commission income. FHA Loan Approval Basics: What Do I Need To Know? The lender will pull copies of your credit report and review your payment history for the 12 months leading up to the mortgage loan application. FHA loan rules are similar to other home loan requirements in this area; coming to your FHA mortgage application process | more...

September 27, 2018

Will I Be Approved For An FHA Mortgage Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

We get many reader questions asking about scenarios they are worried might cause trouble when it’s time to apply for an FHA mortgage. Here are some of the most common questions related to situations that may or may not be an issue when applying for an FHA home loan or FHA refinance loan. I have a FICO score of 500. Can I Qualify For An FHA Mortgage? Technically the answer is yes, if you go by FHA loan standards alone. However, lender standards for FICO scores and loan approval will also apply and the lender’s FICO score requirements are likely to be higher than the FHA loan minimums. Those with FICO scores between 500 and 579 are technically eligible for an FHA loan but they are required to pay 10% | more...

Refinancing a Second Home With An FHA Mortgage Loan

September 27, 2018

Why Isn’t The Mortgage Loan Interest Rate I See On The Internet The Same Offered To Me?

By Joe Wallace

Why do house hunters find FHA home loan interest rates advertised online to be different than the interest rates offered to them by a lender? Many borrowers want to know what the difference in rates will be and why. The answer is that several variables combine when your lender is reviewing your application for a new mortgage. Your interest rate will be offered based in part on those variables. What are some of these variables? FHA Home Loan Interest Rates And Daily Market Conditions FHA home loan interest rates are affected daily by investor behavior, breaking financial news, politics, even natural disasters and holidays. The daily changes in mortgage rates may or may not be passed on to the consumer in the form of an actual higher or lower rate; | more...

September 26, 2018

What Happens If I Pre-Pay My FHA Mortgage?

By Bruce Reichstein

What happens if you pre-pay your FHA mortgage? FHA home loans are known for having no pre-payment penalty but there may be certain steps the borrower is required to take in order for such pre-payments to be used as intended. The date of your FHA loan may make an important difference in how you are to proceed; it’s best to discuss pre-payment options with your loan officer ahead of time to learn what, if any, additional lender requirements may exist above and beyond the FHA loan standards we’re discussing here. What follows is NOT lender policy but the FHA loan rules. Lender requirements may add to or further develop these FHA guidelines. FHA Home Loan Rules For Pre-Payment On Mortgages Closed On Or After January 21, 2015 FHA loan rules | more...

September 26, 2018

FHA Loans And Your Credit Report: Check Ahead Of Time

By Joe Wallace

It’s generally advised for borrowers to check their credit reports a year ahead of time before applying for a home loan. One of the reasons for the early start has to do with the amount of time it could take to dispute items on your report; outdated information, errors, evidence of stolen identity, etc. But when you are pulling your credit report, what should you be looking for? There are plenty of items you should compile a credit report checklist and include in that list. Check The Basics Before Applying For Your FHA Mortgage Or Refinance Loan The first thing to do when pulling your credit report is to make sure all of your vital information is accurate. Your name should be correctly spelled, your Social Security Number should be | more...

September 25, 2018

Five Steps To An FHA Home Loan

By Bruce Reichstein

Buying a new home is a process. Do you need an FHA mortgage to purchase the home you’ve been looking for? There are five things you can start doing now without financially obligating yourself to purchase; these steps will definitely help you get ready for your new home. #5: Determine How Much Loan You Can Afford Before You Apply For Your FHA Mortgage Figuring out how much home loan you can afford isn’t just about how much you can afford NOW, but also down the road in light of future pay raises, upward mobility at work, changes in salary or bonuses, etc. The debt to income ratio you have at the moment may be lower six months into the future-it’s a very good idea to look ahead when planning for | more...

September 25, 2018

Types Of FHA Mortgages: Refinance Loans

By Joe Wallace

FHA home loans come in both forward mortgages for purchasing homes but also refinance loan options. You can refinance a home with FHA cash-out loans, FHA Streamline loans, and Reverse Mortgages. The type of FHA refinance that’s right for you depends on your financial needs and goals, but there is a refinance loan option for most needs. Which one is right for you? FHA Cash-Out Refinance Loans FHA cash-out refinancing is for any mortgage, FHA or non-FHA. You do not have to have an existing FHA mortgage to apply for an FHA cash-out refinance and you do not have to use the same lender that issued your original mortgage. Cash-out refinancing requires a new appraisal and the amount of cash back to you depends on how much of your new | more...

September 24, 2018

Lower Your Monthly Mortgage Payment

By Bruce Reichstein

Do you need to lower your monthly mortgage payment? There are several FHA refinance loan options to help you do that, and depending on your financial needs and goals you may find that an FHA refinance is exactly what you need to get into that lower monthly obligation. Lower Mortgage Payments Before They Begin Some applying for an FHA home loan have the option of not financing certain up front costs such as the FHA Up-Front Mortgage Insurance Premium. Any expense you add to the loan amount potentially increases your monthly payments. One of the best things you can do when looking for a new home loan is to try to avoid adding more funds to the loan amount if you do not need to. For some, it’s already too | more...

September 24, 2018

Types of FHA Mortgages: New Purchase Loans

By Joe Wallace

Looking for the right FHA mortgage loan for you? There are many different options available if you need to buy a home with an FHA loan including mortgages that allow you to buy and repair a home at the same time, and loans that allow you to build a home from the ground up. FHA Loans: What Is A Forward Mortgage? Once you start shopping around for a home loan, you will encounter terminology related to your home purchase. Some of the most common are “forward mortgage” and “purchase loans”. These two terms basically indicate that the loan is meant to buy a home rather than refinance it or apply for an FHA Reverse Mortgage which gives cash to the borrower secured by a home that is nearly paid off | more...