Articles in Category: Closing Costs

June 4, 2021

FHA Home Loan Down Payment Assistance

Do you worry about making a down payment on a home loan? There are home loans that require higher down payments than others but the FHA loan program requires only 3.5% down for borrowers with qualifying FICO scores. FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 say: Borrowers with FICO scores at 580 or higher qualify for the lowest down payment. Borrowers with FICO scores between 500 and 579 are required to put 10% down. These are FHA guidelines, not individual lender standards. FHA home loans don’t have a zero down payment option, but FHA construction mortgages allow the borrower to use land equity as part of the down payment where applicable. But borrowers don’t always have to make the downpayment themselves thanks to down payment assistance programs that can help. Here | more...

May 12, 2021

Down Payment Sources: The Rules

By Joe Wallace

Are you struggling to save enough money for a down payment for a home loan? It’s tempting to turn to quicker sources of funds for that minimum required investment, but FHA loan rules say some potential sources for down payment money cannot be used. Those prohibited sources include considering cash advances from a credit card, payday loans, and certain other sources for a larger sum of money that can be used for a down payment including down payment “gifts” that actually have an expectation of repayment. The guidelines that cover these downpayment issues are found in HUD 4000.1, also known as the FHA Lender’s Handbook. The rules? For any type of FHA loan that requires a down payment (a new purchase loan, an FHA One-Time Close construction mortgage, condo loan, | more...

November 20, 2020

FHA Home Loan Up-Front Costs

By Bruce Reichstein

The amount of planning and saving time you give yourself ahead of your home loan application is very important. Without enough lead time to save for your up front costs and prepare your credit you may fill out an application without being truly ready. And part of being ready is understanding what costs you may be responsible for up front. Do you know what to anticipate needing to have saved for your new loan? There are two important areas to begin with–your down payment, and the FHA Up-Front Mortgage Insurance Premium which is part of your closing costs. Both the down payment and the UFMIP calculations require at least a rough estimate of what the asking price of the home and/or the amount of the mortgage might be; you can | more...

July 30, 2020

First-Time Home Buyer? FHA Loan Basics You Should Know

By Joe Wallace

2020 has brought incredible low mortgage rates, surging refinance loan applications, and sustained buying and selling homes; all this in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Historically low mortgage loan interest rates mean greater interest in loans and the savings current rates could provide. If you are just getting started on the road to homeownership, there are some FHA home loan basics to know as you research your mortgage options. Different Homes, Different Loans One myth of the home loan market is that there is a generic loan for any type of property you want to buy. That’s not true–there are different loans for different purposes. For example, if you want a low-down-payment loan to help you build a house on your own land, the FHA One-Time Close construction loan | more...

June 12, 2020

Conventional Loan Interest Rates Make History, FHA Loan Rates Still Incredibly Low

By Joe Wallace

Low mortgage rates have stolen the headlines on some finance blogs; as a result, 2020 has seen high volumes of refinance loan applications. The low rates also has many renters potentially finding themselves in a more affordable position to become homeowners. But another development has taken things in an even more historic direction; in June 2020 conventional loan rates made big headlines by plunging below the three percent threshold. The sub-three percent range has been familiar territory for FHA mortgage loans and VA mortgages. The same day conventional rates fell below three percent, the best-execution FHA mortgage loan interest rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage was reported at 2.50%. The rates offered to any borrower will depend on the type of loan, the loan term, and other variables. Borrowers | more...

April 28, 2020

HUD Updates Coronavirus Home Loan Guidelines For Loan Closing

By Bruce Reichstein

The FHA and HUD have issued guidelines for mortgage loan closing procedures that may be affected by coronavirus lockdown measures, quarantine, and other issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many home buyers were caught by surprise by coronavirus issues and there are many home loans that are affected. The Department of Housing and Urban Development issued initial policies in March, 2020, but updated them in mid-April to include provisions in several areas designed to help facilitate FHA home loans during the outbreak. FHA Loan Rules On Title insurance The FHA and HUD issued guidance on loan servicing issues designed to address situations in counties where recording offices are not operational during the national emergency. The FHA/HUD official site answers the following question related to such scenarios: “Will FHA accept title | more...

April 23, 2020

FHA Loan Down Payments: What You Need To Know Today

By Bruce Reichstein

When the time is right to explore your FHA home loan options, there are some things you need to know about down payments that can help you better prepare for the loan process. FHA home loans have strict rules about the source of your down payment funds and you will be required to document those sources no matter where your down payment money is sourced from. Here are the basic rules for FHA down payments: A down payment is required 100% of the time for new purchase FHA loans; Your down payment amount may be affected by your credit scores; You will be required to pay a minimum of 3.5% if your credit score meets FHA and lender standards; all others will be required to pay a minimum 10% down. | more...

February 13, 2020

Get A Better Home Loan Deal By Asking One Question

By Joe Wallace

Some people are born negotiators, and they don’t mind telling the rest of the world about it. But more people seem to feel uncomfortable with the idea even when it’s in their best interest to do so. Are you trying to buy a home? If so, you’ve already committed to spending a lot of money to make this important investment. Why pay MORE if you don’t have to? Negotiating the details of your home loan can save you money and get you a better deal. Does it have to be uncomfortable and awkward? No. Actually, you can negotiate quite successfully by asking one simple question, but that question needs a bit of homework to ask properly. What’s the secret to negotiating a loan? What is that one question? before we | more...

February 5, 2020

What Affects The Cost Of Your Home Loan

By Joe Wallace

Shopping around, haggling over terms, and negotiating your home loan are not unusual practices, but some are not comfortable with trying them. Want an advantage in the home loan process? Learn how to do some low-key bargaining as it can save you money and time over the long haul with your home loan. Negotiating with the seller, for example, could get you extra money (provided by the seller) toward closing costs; up to six percent of the sale price of the home! But haggling isn’t the only factor that can affect the cost of your home loan. The Wuhan virus, discussed in the news as a coronavirus or a “coronavirus outbreak”, affected mortgage loan interest rates and sent them to the lowest levels we’ve seen in some time. The virus, | more...

January 2, 2020

How To Buy A Home In 2020

By Joe Wallace

Need to know how to buy a home in 2020? Making a plan to become a home owner includes budgeting, research, and even sharpening your negotiating skills. Are you ready to start your home loan journey? Shopping Around For A Home AND A Home Loan FHA mortgages allow first-time borrowers and experienced home owners alike to apply for a loan to buy or build a property. But you don’t have to limit your search to one kind of home OR one kind of FHA mortgage. For example, you could apply for an FHA Condo loan to purchase a condominium unit, or you could buy a mobile home or townhouse. FHA mortgage loans allow you to buy properties with as many as four living units, and that could be any number | more...