Articles Published in: 2019

June 24, 2019

FHA Appraisal Standards: What You Need To Know

A recent press release by HUD applauds new lead paint hazard requirements issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. Those standards include a more strict requirement for lead levels in certain homes and “child-occupied facilities”. According to a press release on the HUD official site, “Since the 1970s, the United States has made tremendous progress in lowering children’s blood lead levels. In 2001, EPA set standards for lead in dust for floors and windowsills in housing, however since that time, the best available science has evolved to indicate human health effects at lower blood lead levels than previously analyzed.” The new rules don’t necessarily affect FHA appraisal guidelines with specific changes-FHA loan rules address lead paint issues, generally requiring abatement of lead-based paint in homes older than 1978 where there is | more...

June 23, 2019

Can I Buy Investment Real Estate With An FHA Mortgage?

By Joe Wallace

This is a question on the minds of many and the issue definitely has some nuances. The FHA lender’s handbook HUD 4000.1 states “Investment Properties are not eligible for FHA insurance.” But what is the FHA definition of an investment property and how flexible are these guidelines? To understand what constitutes an investment property, we have to examine what the FHA considers as an acceptable purchase and what is considered an investment property. FHA mortgages are intended for owner-occupiers. At least one borrower obligated on the mortgage must live in the home as the principal residence. FHA loan rules require this to happen “within a reasonable time” after the loan closes and that time is often considered 60 days unless other arrangements are made. FHA loan rules do permit, if | more...

June 21, 2019

FHA Home Loan Mortgage Rates

By Joe Wallace

Just as we headed into 2019, the FHA and HUD announced higher FHA loan guaranty limits for the new year, giving most counties a boost in the dollar amount the FHA would back for an FHA mortgage loan. Now, as we read headlines from reputable sources including Marketwatch, about home loan interest rates, it seems like now is a very good time to be a first-time home buyer or a repeat borrower looking to purchase or refinance residential property with an FHA mortgage. One recent Marketwatch article about home loan interest rates includes the blurb. “Rates for home loans were mixed, but stayed near recent lows, even as bond market moves suggest another big step down lies ahead. “ That is according to Andrea Riquier’s June 20th article titled, “Mortgage | more...

June 20, 2019

FHA Construction Loan Facts

By Bruce Reichstein

Some borrowers, including some first-time home buyers, don’t want to buy someone else’s house. They prefer a home built to suit; real estate built from the ground up using borrower-approved plans. This kind of home loan is available as an FHA mortgage from participating FHA lenders. It is called an FHA One-Time Close construction loan and it is an excellent alternative to buying an existing construction house. What do you need to know about FHA One-Time Close Construction Loans? For starters, these loans do not have a different down payment requirement than other FHA mortgages-the same low down payment options exist for borrowers with qualifying FICO scores. Your lowest possible down payment on a home built using an FHA construction loan is the same 3.5% as other FHA mortgage options. | more...

June 19, 2019

How Much Is My Down Payment With An FHA Mortgage?

By Joe Wallace

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...