Articles in Category: FHA Loan Types

October 4, 2016

FHA Loan Facts And Fiction: First Time Home Buyers

First time home buyers come to the FHA loan process with many questions. There are some long-held misconceptions about FHA mortgages that borrowers should know long before they fill out a loan application. Let’s examine some of them. One myth about FHA loans, and one of the most common, is that the FHA itself lends money to loan applicants. This is not true. Instead, the borrower must find a participating FHA lender, who has been certified by the FHA to issue home loans under the FHA single-family loan program. Another misconception has to do with the nature of the FHA loan program itself, which offers affordable home loans to all qualified applicants regardless of their status as a home buyer. That means that first time home buyers and those who | more...

October 3, 2016

Mortgage Loan Rate Trends: Mixed

By Joe Wallace

Mortgage loan interest rates closed mixed on Friday, gaining back some ground after a couple of days of slightly higher movement. Overall, last week was a bit of a tug-of-war, but on Friday best execution rates are still reported at levels we’ve seen all week, with minor ups and downs likely being reflected in closing costs rather than actual rate changes depending on the lender. 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages ended Friday at 3.375%, best execution. Market watchers noted on Friday that some lenders marked up, some marked down, and it’s likely that some also stayed the same from Thursday. Bond market activity is a player in the Friday numbers, but how that factors into the week ahead remains to be seen. FHA mortgage loan fixed interest rates remain in | more...

September 30, 2016

FHA Proposes New Condo Approval Processes

By Joe Wallace

A recent press release on the FHA official site announces new proposals for FHA condo loan approval procedures. According to HUDNo.16-146, there are significant alterations to current FHA loan policy that are currently under review. “In response to changing conditions in the condominium market, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) today proposed new regulations governing the approval process for condominium developments. FHA proposes to reinstate single unit approvals in unapproved condominium developments and to require condo projects to recertify their approval status every three years rather than the current two-year requirement.” Individual condo units in projects that are not currently on the FHA approved list would, under these proposed changes, have a better chance of getting single-unit loan approvals if the units meet FHA criteria including (but not limited to) the | more...

September 29, 2016

Mortgage Loan Interest Rate Trends: Higher After Days Of Recovery

By Joe Wallace

Mortgage loan interest rates moved higher on Wednesday after a recovery streak that would have hit seven straight business days otherwise. In many cases borrowers would notice the Wednesday changes in closing costs rather than an actual higher rate, but as market watchers are fond of pointing out, even with recent moves higher we are still seeing rates at respectable lows. 30-year fixed rate conventional loans ended Wednesday at a best-execution rate of 3.375%, while FHA mortgage loan interest rates (best execution) are at or near their current comfort zone of 3.25% depending on the lender. You may notice greater variation in the actual rates offered by participating lenders, so it pays to look for the best rates and terms. Best execution rates are listed here assuming an ideal borrower | more...

What if my home was damaged in a natural disaster?

September 28, 2016

FHA Construction Loans: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “Does FHA include loans for a construction to permanent mortgage?If so, can the construction be done by a licensed general contractor that does custom builds or does it have to be done by a licensed general contractor that only does spec builds? Is there other criteria/inspections that are specific to construction to permanent mortgage that are specific to an FHA loan?” This is a complex question, and FHA construction loans have issues far too numerous to address in a single blog post, but we’ll tackle the basics. FHA loan rules do allow for loans for new construction/proposed construction. This type of loan is more complex than a typical FHA mortgage and potential applicants are encouraged to discuss this option with a loan officer to learn what may | more...

September 27, 2016

Mortgage Loan Interest Rate Trends: Improving

By Joe Wallace

Mortgage loan interest rates improved on Monday, the fourth business day in a row that rates have recovered. There was an upward trend for some time, but some market watchers and industry professionals are using the word “rally” to describe what they’ve been seeing lately. There was considerable attention on the latest Fed statement about interest rates, but once “Fed day” came and went there was no significant change in investor activity-that is to say no increase activity unfavorable to interest rates in specific reaction to the Fed announcement. 30 year fixed rate conventional mortgage loan rates were reported at 3.375%, best execution, on Monday. That puts conventional loan rates in a single number rather than the range of best execution rates we saw previously. FHA mortgage loan rates are | more...

September 21, 2016

FHA Loan Questions: FHA Lenders

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “Do you have a local list of approved FHA lenders for first time home owners in the amount of $50,000.00 and lower?” This is a common type of question; we get asked this sort of thing quite frequently in the comments section. There are a variety of reasons why a borrower might wish to apply for a comparatively low-dollar amount FHA loan. One is that some housing markets simply don’t have the higher prices; another is that a borrower wishes to purchase a mobile or manufactured home rather than what’s known as “stick-built” housing which is built on-site. What’s important to know is that lender standards vary from place to place. What’s offered by one lender may not be offered by another. With that in mind, it’ | more...

September 21, 2016

Interest Rate Trends: Higher Ahead Of Fed

By Joe Wallace

Mortgage loan interest rates moved a bit higher on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s scheduled Fed announcement, which can and has influenced mortgage rates (depending on investor reaction to the contents of such announcements). Most likely borrowers affected by today’s increase will notice the changes in the form of closing costs, and today’s move is essentially a trend we’ve been watching in the short term. 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages are reported at the time of this writing at or near a best-execution 3.5%. FHA mortgage loan rates are holding, best execution, at 3.25%, having given up a previous range between 3.0% and 3.25% earlier. As always, the rates you see listed here are best execution rates, which means an ideal borrower is assumed (with outstanding FICO scores, credit history, and | more...

September 19, 2016

Interest Rate Trends: Unchanged To Slightly Higher

By Joe Wallace

Mortgage rates closed out unchanged for some, higher for others, depending on the lender. After some steady upward pressure on rates, we’ve seen both conventional and FHA mortgage loan interest rates affected ahead of an important week for rates with the Fed about to make another policy announcement, plus the release of housing data. The Fed meeting comes Wednesday and has had the power to influence loan rates in the past depending on investor reaction. There is strong potential for higher rates depending on what happens on Wednesday, so it’s best to assume that can and will happen and plan accordingly. On Friday, 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages were reported at or near 3.5% best execution, with FHA mortgage loan rates reported at or near a best execution 3.25%. That | more...

September 15, 2016

More On The FHA Limited 203(k) Rehab Loan

By Joe Wallace

Recently we wrote about the FHA 203(k) rehab loan and the FHA 203(k) limited rehab loan. With the “standard” rehab loan, borrowers can make major improvements to a property with a minimum of $5,000 required. The limited version of the FHA 203(k) rehab loan differs in several ways, but to start with there is no minimum dollar amount for the loan. HUD 4000.1 has rules that apply to the FHA requirements for 203(k) limited rehab loan. Those include a list of ineligible projects for the limited version of this type of mortgage loan: “The Limited 203(k) mortgage proceeds may not be used to finance major rehabilitation or major remodeling. FHA considers a repair to be major when any of the following are applicable: -the repair or improvements are expected to | more...