Timely news, information and advice concentrating on FHA, VA and USDA residential mortgage lending.

Vimeo Channel YouTube Channel

Articles in Category: HUD Regulations

June 29, 2012

Questions and Answers About Escrow Accounts and FHA Loans

By Joe Wallace

The Department of Housing and Urban Development official site at www.hud.gov offers a large amount of valuable resources for first time home buyers interested in purchasing a home with an FHA guaranteed mortgage loan. Among those resources are details of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) which governs a variety of aspects of the home loan process. One of those aspects is the escrow account–something many lenders may require as a part of doing business in a home loan transaction. What does RESPA say about escrow accounts? For starters, the FHA does not require an escrow account as a condition of loan approval. Escrow accounts may be required by the lender, but no lender should be telling you it’s because of FHA requirements or RESPA laws. HUD does regulate | more...

 

June 15, 2012

Important New HUD Rules For LGBT Home Buyers Seeking FHA Home Loans

By Joe Wallace

There are federal laws in place to prevent housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, and any number of other factors which have nothing to do with a borrower’s financial qualifications for credit. The Fair Housing Act is one such law, but many other rules apply. No matter if a borrower is applying for a conventional home loan, a VA guaranteed mortgage or an FHA mortgage loan, lenders, brokers, agents, landlords and other parties cannot discriminate in any aspect of the housing process. That said, one important set of protections has been, until recently, missing from the rulebooks for those in need of FHA/HUD services and programs. But in recent times, the Department of Housing and Urban Development has finalized a new set of rules | more...

 

June 13, 2012

FHA Loan Reader Questions: Can I Buy Another Home With An FHA Mortgage Loan?

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “We purchased our first home using an FHA loan – 5% down. We have outgrown our home due to an expanded family and we are looking to purchase another home that is bigger – is it possible to qualify for another FHA loan – we have at most 10% to put down towards a new home. Our plan would be to rent out this current home we have as it is in a good rental area. Any advice on how we can achieve this?” FHA loan rules, according to the official site at FHA.gov, include a restriction on issuing single-family mortgage loans to investors. Due to this restriction, the official site says, “FHA generally will not insure more than one mortgage for any borrower (transactions in which | more...

 

June 12, 2012

Bank Of America Settles Maternity Discrimination Claim

By Joe Wallace

A recent press release found at the official site for FHA/HUD announces, “Bank fund will compensate women denied loans because they were pregnant or on maternity leave”. According to the HUD press release 12-095, “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that Bank of America has agreed to pay up to $161,180 to settle allegations that one of the bank’s San Jose, California branches refused to refinance the mortgage of an Irvine woman because she was on maternity leave. HUD reached the agreement with Bank of America to resolve a Fair Housing Act complaint that had been filed by the Fair Housing Council of Orange County (FHCOC).” Those applying for any kind of home loan–including FHA guaranteed mortgages–may not be discriminated against due to pregnancy, family | more...

 

June 6, 2012

FHA Loans and Government Assistance Payments–Do They Count As Verifiable Income?

By Joe Wallace

One frequently asked questions about FHA home loans involves government benefits and/or government assistance payments. Can these income sources be used for the purpose of getting an FHA guaranteed home loan? Under the right circumstances, the answer is yes. It’s not automatic–the lender must verify the source of the income and also determine how long that income will last. According to HUD 4155.1 Chapter 4 Section E, “Income received from government assistance programs is acceptable for qualifying, as long as the paying agency provides documentation indicating that the income is expected to continue for at least three years.” Borrowers aren’t simply out of luck if that income will not last for three years; it can’t be used as income, but it can be considered in other ways according to the | more...

 

June 1, 2012

FHA Home Loan Appraisals: When Do They Expire?

By Joe Wallace

FHA home loans require an appraisal to establish fair market value and insure the property meets minimum standards. But many borrowers want to know how long the appraisal has until it expires and whether or not an appraisal can be re-used. There are several reasons why this question arises; a borrower may decide not to close on the deal and another FHA loan applicant may decide to purchase the same property, for example. Or a borrower and seller may take longer than expected to close the deal. What does the FHA say about these issues? According to the FHA’s property and appraisal requirements found on FHA.gov, “Effective for all case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2010 the validity period for all appraisals on existing, proposed, and under construction | more...

 

May 15, 2012

FHA/HUD Advice on Closing The Deal on Your New Home

By Joe Wallace

There are many things about closing the deal on a new home that first-time home buyers should understand before getting to the bargaining table. Do you know, for example, what information should appear on a Good Faith Estimate, or how to compare that estimate to your HUD-1 Settlement Statement? Some borrowers are surprised to learn that some cost adjustments may be necessary at closing time. According to the FHA official site, “At settlement it is usually necessary to make an adjustment between buyer and seller for property taxes and other expenses. The adjustments between buyer and seller are shown in Sections J and K of the HUD-1 Settlement Statement.” Property taxes are just one area where the borrower should come to the bargaining table knowing what to expect. In the | more...