Articles in Category: Condominium Mortgage

January 13, 2016

FHA Home Loan Questions: FICO Scores

A reader got in touch recently in the comments section to ask a question about FICO scores and FHA home loan applications. “My new wife’s credit score is 749 and mine is 620 due to an ugly divorce and transfer several years ago. We make over 287K per year with very little debt. Would we qualify for a loan together with a favorable rate? All debt paid except car loans.” This question implies that FICO scores are the deciding factor for an FHA loan approval decision, and while credit scores are very important, they are not the only factor taken into account by the lender. When you apply for an FHA home loan, the lender will examine not just your FICO scores, but your history of payments–especially those made in | more...

January 8, 2016

FHA Loan Rules: When Landlords Sell To Tenants

By Joe Wallace

Sometimes when a borrower wants to buy a property with an FHA mortgage, it’s a situation where the applicant has been renting for some time and has an offer from the landlord to purchase. FHA loans do permit these transactions but there are special rules that govern them. These rules, published in HUD 4000.1, state that in some cases a higher down payment is required. But in others an exception to that requirement is possible depending on the relationship between landlord and tenant. The higher down payment requirement is needed because tenant/landlord sales can fall under something known as the “identity of interest” rule, which requires a 15% down payment in cases where identity of interest applies. According to HUD 4000.1: “The maximum LTV percentage for Identity-of-Interest transactions on Principal | more...

January 7, 2016

FHA Loan Down Payment Requirements

By Joe Wallace

A recent question in our comments section asked if the down payment for an FHA home loan could be financed, or does it need to come “out-of-pocket”. This is an important factor for FHA single family home loans as there is what the FHA describes as a “minimum cash investment” or down payment required that a potential FHA home loan applicant will need to budget for. That down payment is, at the bare minimum, 3.5% of the “adjusted value” of the property. This is stated in HUD 4000.1 which says specifically: “Minimum Required Investment (MRI) refers to the Borrowers contribution in cash or its equivalent required by Section 203(b)(9) of the National Housing Act, which represents at least 3.5 percent of the Adjusted Value of the Property.” This must be | more...

When Is An FHA Loan Better Than A Conventional Loan?

December 31, 2015

FHA Loan Rules In HUD 4000.1 On Closing Costs, Discount Points

By Joe Wallace

FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 include some instructions to the lender about closing costs, discount points, down payment funds, and much more. Can a borrower use closing costs as part of his or her down payment? What does the FHA rulebook say about interest rate lock-in fees? There are many rules and regulations–borrowers and lenders alike should be familiar with the guidelines. For example, when it comes to the down payment question, FHA loan rules are clear that the down payment money is a separate and distinct thing from closing costs. Specifically, HUD 4000.1 states: “The Mortgagee is not permitted to use closing costs to help the Borrower meet the Minimum Required Investment (MRI).” So that means an FHA borrower will need to budget for both closing costs and | more...

December 4, 2015

FHA Adds Additional Temporary Guidelines For Condos

By Joe Wallace

The FHA and HUD eased certain condo guidelines earlier this year, and have since added a second round of temporarily eased “approval provisions” for condo projects to be added to the FHA approved list for single family home loans. According to an FHA mortgagee letter, both rounds of these temporarily eased guidelines are designed to help more people get into FHA condo loans. According to Mortgagee Letter 2015-27, “It is anticipated that the issuance of these additional temporary provisions will increase the pool of condominium projects eligible for FHA approval, thus increasing affordable housing options for first-time and low to moderate income homebuyers. The requirements of this Mortgagee Letter are applicable to all Title II programs including the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) insurance program, unless otherwise stated.” One area | more...

November 16, 2015

Temporary FHA Guidance Eases Condo Project Approval Requirements

By Bruce Reichstein

The FHA has issued a press release announcing temporary guidance that will make it easier to get a condo project added to the approved list for an FHA mortgage loan. According to HUDNo.15-145, the FHA/HUD, “published new guidelines under its condominium approval process intended to increase affordable housing options for first-time and low- to moderate-income homebuyers. Effective immediately, FHAs temporary guidance will streamline the agencys condominium recertification process and expand the eligibility of acceptable owner-occupied units to include second homes that are not investor-owned.” These new guidelines, the FHA press release says, will be in effect for one year, and will “serve to revise FHAs condominium approval process until the agency can implement a more comprehensive condominium rule change.” The new guidance, issued on the FHA/HUD official site on November | more...

August 5, 2015

FHA Condo Loans: Site Condos and Manufactured Housing Condo Projects

By Joe Wallace

In our last post we discussed basic eligibility rules for FHA condo loans–a condo project must be on or added to the FHA approved list in order to be approved for an FHA mortgage. But there are additional rules in some cases. For example, site condo projects don’t require being added to the FHA approval list IF those condo projects meet certain requirements. These requirements may vary depending on the nature of the condo project, state law, and other factors. The FHA condo project requirements are found in a PDF file you can download directly from the FHA/HUD official site. It contains the following provisions for site condos: Condominium project approval is not required for Site Condominiums meeting all of the below defined requirements. Site Condominiums are defined as: –Single | more...

August 5, 2015

FHA Condo Loans: Eligibility Rules For Adding Condo Projects To The FHA Approved List

By Joe Wallace

We get frequent questions about FHA condo loans–are they available? What are the rules? It is true that FHA mortgage loans are available for condos, town homes and other properties that aren’t typical suburban homes. Condo loans have special rules due to the unique nature of these building projects. The communal residency issues associated with condos (homeowner associations, shared roof repair costs and related upkeep issues, for example) requires any condo project for consideration for an FHA mortgage loan to conform with certain guidelines, which is why all condo projects must be on or added to the FHA approved list before a home loan can be approved for a unit in that project. How does a condo get added to the FHA approved list? Before any decisions can be made, | more...

May 2, 2015

FHA Loan Reader Questions: Septic Tanks, Condo Loan Rules

By Joe Wallace

We have two questions today that are linked by a common answer. The first question: “Isabela, PR (00662). what is HUD/FHA requirement regarding septic tank covered with grass. the complete back yard, including septic tank is covered. I am undergoing a HARP refinance…” The answer to this question depends on what the state/local code requirements are for septic tanks. FHA loan rules include a requirement that septic systems meet the approval of the local authority. If you contact the FHA directly by calling their toll-free number, you will learn that the FHA does not–and cannot–maintain archives of all state and local building codes across the United States. A borrower who needs information like this should contact the local authority to learn what the rules might be. The second reader question: | more...

April 24, 2015

FHA Refinance Loans For Investment Property? A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “I have rental property with a mortgage balance of $26000. The property shows a current value of $98900. I would like to refinance but seem to have a problem getting it refinanced? What would you advise me to do in order to utilize my equity to finance another investment.” The scope of this blog is FHA single-family home loans, and we answer questions about FHA loans with that scope in mind. Non-FHA loan related questions that deal with general finance topics may or may not be outside our range of topics. The reader question above may have been submitted under a mistaken assumption that the FHA single family home loan program might include refinance loans (which it does) for investment properties or other non owner-occupied residences (which | more...