Articles Published in: June 2019

June 19, 2019

How Much Is My Down Payment With An FHA Mortgage?

Many buyers want to know how much their FHA loan down payment requirement is. The answer is not as easy as quoting a percentage since there are variables that can affect the amount of the down payment you will be required to make. FHA Loan Down Payment Basics There is no fixed dollar amount for the down payment-each transaction will have its’ own required down payment amount based on the calculation below. The lowest down payment you can make with an FHA mortgage is 3.5% of the adjusted value of the home. There are circumstances where a higher down payment is required because a borrower’s FICO scores don’t qualify them for maximum financing. In those cases, FHA loan rules dictate that where a borrower’s FICO scores are between 500 and | more...

June 18, 2019

Why Do People Use Cash-Out Refinancing?

By Joe Wallace

There are many reasons why people want to convert the value of their home to cash. Some people use FHA cash-out refinancing to pay off credit cards or help lower student loan debt, others have needs they want to meet around the house whether its’ home improvement in general, building a rec room, or replacing old appliances. But whatever your cash-out refinance loan needs, there are some important issues to consider that may help you decide whether FHA cash-out refi options are right for your plans. Why do we say this? Because some people choose to pay for their home improvement projects or other expenses using a cash-out refi loan while others consider using a credit card to pay for them instead. What’s the best choice? In many cases the | more...

June 17, 2019

How To Prepare Your Finances For A Home Loan

By Bruce Reichstein

Do you know how to prepare your finances for a home loan application? There are several areas you should pay attention to before applying for an FHA home loan to buy real estate, and the are all equally important for loan approval. How To Prepare Your Credit Cards For A Home Loan Application Reduce your credit card balances as much as possible before applying for your home loan. Ideally your initial goals should be to get the balances below 50% of your credit limit, but your goal should also definitely include 100% on-time payments for a full year before you fill out a home loan application. How To Prepare Your Student Loans For A Home Loan Application You will, as a first-time home buyer or repeat borrower, hear again and | more...

June 16, 2019

Six FHA Home Loan Tips

By Joe Wallace

Know Your FHA Home Loan Limits All housing markets are subject to variations, and not all of them have the same costs or median house prices. And not all housing types are available in a given market. The home in California averaging at one price range won’t be the same as a housing market in a less expensive area. FHA home loan limits for high-cost and low-cost areas are adjusted rather than featuring an one-size-fits-all approach, and those limits are adjusted annually. You should always check the current loan limits before committing to a new home loan to see what you can expect in your chosen market. FHA Loans May Be Available With Adjustable Mortgage Rates and You Can Always Choose A Fixed Rate Loan Instead The fixed-rate FHA mortgage | more...

June 13, 2019

FHA Refinance Rules

By Bruce Reichstein

Mortgage loan interest rates have hit long-term lows according to recent headlines and that is driving more people to consider refinancing their mortgages to take advantage of those rates. There are FHA home loan refinance rules you need to know going into the refi process that will help you get closer to loan approval-do you know what they are? FHA Refinance Loan Rules: No Cash Back Unless You Apply For Cash-Out Refinancing Like new purchase home loans, unless you specifically apply for an FHA cash-out refinance loan, you won’t be permitted to take cash back on the transaction except in the form of refunds. FHA rehab loans that provide money for improvements to the home must be used in specific ways and cannot simply provide funds for the borrower that | more...

June 12, 2019

Should Homeowners Turn Into Real Estate Investors?

By Joe Wallace

If you are thinking about buying real estate with an FHA mortgage loan you may have run across some trends in recent times addressing the topic of ordinary home owners becoming real estate investors. Is this something that is possible with an FHA single-family mortgage loan? The first thing you need to know about buying real estate with an FHA mortgage is that FHA single-family home loans are for owner-occupiers only. The occupancy requirement is non-negotiable for a new purchase home loan guaranteed by the FHA. There is no FHA loan rule against buying a multi-unit property and renting out the unused living units. Borrowers are free to do so since you can buy a home with as many as four units with an FHA mortgage. But what you cannot | more...

June 11, 2019

FHA Home Loans: Solar And Wind Technology

By Bruce Reichstein

Did you know that you can ask for an add-on to your FHA home loan or refinance loan to get funds for solar or wind-powered energy efficient upgrades to the home? Whether you want to add such features to your home at purchase time or refinance time is up to you but it is possible to apply for extra funds to install wind or solar power features. Some reading at this stage might assume we are talking about the FHA Energy-Efficient Mortgage add-on, but this is actually a different program. Under a section in the FHA loan rulebook, HUD 4000.1, labeled “Solar And Wind Technologies” we find the following information: “The solar and wind technologies policy allows the Mortgagee to increase the Base Loan Amount to cover the cost and | more...

June 10, 2019

FHA Cash Out Refinancing Advice

By Joe Wallace

What do home owners need to know about FHA cash-out refinancing? There are a number of questions to ask yourself before you commit. Refinancing can be a big financial help for a home owner but getting the right loan for your needs is half the battle. Ask Yourself If You Need Cash-Out Refinancing And Why A cash out refinance loan can help you thanks to the cash back on the transaction, but is cash back really what you need? If your real goal is to improve the home, for example, you can apply for a different type of refinancing that could provide more money for those improvements than a cash-out refi loan could. An FHA 203(k) rehab loan is perfect for those who need to do home improvement projects and | more...

June 7, 2019

Buying A Fixer-Upper With An FHA 203(k) Rehab Loan

By Joe Wallace

FHA 203(k) mortgages are different than a typical home loan for a new or existing construction home. These loans allow you to buy and renovate a property that would not necessarily meet FHA loan standards as-is. These loans are often called fixer-upper loans, rehab loans, etc. FHA rehab loans are available as both new purchase loans and refinance loans, you can use the loan for a property you already own or to buy a fixer-upper to begin working on. Rehab loans should not be confused with FHA Construction loans, construction-to-permanent mortgages sometimes referred to as FHA One-Time Close mortgages. The two types of loans can be similar in some respects, including the FHA minimum standards and construction requirements where the approved renovation work is concerned. And yes, the work you | more...

June 6, 2019

HUD Announces Charges In Idaho Fair Housing Case

By Joe Wallace

April was Fair Housing Month, and while HUD’s annual push to raise awareness of housing laws in the United States has come and gone, the agency prosecutes Fair Housing cases year round. One the most recent; the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced charges of Fair Housing Act violations against the owners and manager of a rental home in Nampa, Idaho. HUD’s case alleges that a married couple was refused a rental property there because they have children. The Fair Housing Act makes it a crime to “deny or limit housing because a family has children under the age of 18, make statements that discriminate against families with children, and impose different rules, restriction and policies on them” according to the HUD announcement at HUD.gov. “Denying a | more...