June 26, 2012
A reader asks, “Hello, I am interested in getting an FHA 203K mortgage to buy a fixer-upper and add repair costs on top of the loan amount. In the conditions of the FHA 203K plan, there is a stipulation that requires the homeowner to occupy the house. Must all of the people listed on the mortgage/loan live in the home? Can just one person listed live there without violating the terms?”
FHA loans do make provisions for non-occupying co-borrowers. However, there are limits which apply to these transactions that can affect the amount of the FHA home loan.
In most cases an FHA loan with a non-occupying co-borrower has a limit–for qualified borrowers the loan would be approved for 75% of the loan-to-value ratio, rather than the maximum loan amount. This rule does not apply in cases where a family member is the non-occupying co-borrower.
FHA loan rules say parents and children who qualify for an FHA mortgage may be approved the maximum amount of FHA financing available.