Articles Tagged With: Escrow

October 31, 2012

FHA Energy Efficient Mortgages: Is Escrow Required?

When learning abo0ut FHA home loans, escrow is one issue some borrowers have questions about. The FHA frequently asked questions pages include the following about escrow, which is governed by something called the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act or RESPA: “Does RESPA require borrowers to maintain an escrow account? NO. It is the lender’s decision whether the borrower must maintain an escrow account for the purpose of paying taxes and other items. The HUD regulations only limit the maximum amount that a lender can require a borrower to maintain in an account.” That Q&A from the FHA official site seems to indicate that the FHA does not require escrow; indeed, it is the lender’s choice to require escrow or not. But are there situations where an escrow account may actually | more...

October 23, 2012

FHA Loans and Escrow Accounts: What You Should Know

By Joe Wallace

Many home loan applicants find themselves opening escrow accounts at the request of their lender for such things as property taxes and other expenses related to owning a home purchased with an FHA mortgage. While the FHA loan program does not require an escrow account, the lender may. The FHA official site reminds borrowers and lenders alike that it’s misleading for any lender to imply that FHA loan rules issued by the Federal Housing Administration require escrow; this is not true but the lender is free to do so. The FHA official site says of escrow, “Section 10 of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) limits the amount of money a lender may require the borrower to hold in an escrow account for payment of taxes, insurance, etc. RESPA | more...

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...

April 13, 2012

Steps To An FHA 203(K) Fixer Upper Loan

By Joe Wallace

Some FHA loan applicants are interested in what the FHA calls “Handyman Specials” or “Fixer-Upper Loans” known as the FHA 203(K) mortgage. The FHA 203(K) is a loan guaranteed by the FHA, issued through a private lender for the purpose of buying and repairing property at the same time. There is a down payment requirement, which according to the FHA is “approximately 3.5%” of the purchase and repair costs. FHA 203(K) mortgages are available for those who intend to buy and occupy the property, but non-profit agencies and government entities can also apply. According to the FHA official site, there are a series of steps the borrower takes to apply for a 203(K) loan. First, the buyer finds a suitable property to purchase and repair. According to the FHA, both | more...

December 6, 2011

FHA Loan Debt To Income Ratio Rules

By Joe Wallace

In recent blog posts we’ve been examining the FHA loan debt-to-income ratio rules. The FHA requires borrowers to have a combined monthly debt load and projected FHA home loan obligation that does not exceed 41% of the borrower’s income. As stated in previous blog posts, FHA guidelines require the lender to examine the borrower’s monthly debts and compare to his or her monthly income. The total amount of debt including credit card payments, auto loan payments, student loans, and other payments, is added together, then combined with the total amount due each month for the FHA home loan. That figure does not just include the mortgage payment itself–it also includes any home owner association dues, amounts which must be deposited in escrow for property taxes and insurance, etc. When the | more...

December 6, 2011

FHA Loans and the Debt To Income Ratio: Projected Debt

By Joe Wallace

In a previous blog post, we mentioned the importance of the debt to income ratio as part of the FHA loan application process. Calculating the debt to income ratio for the purpose of underwriting an FHA mortgage loan includes adding up the entire monthly mortgage obligation (principal and interest, escrow for taxes, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance premium, and any homeowners’ association dues) and reviewing all revolving and installment debt due per month. These can include personal and automobile loans, student loans, credit card debt and more. These amounts are combined and divided by the borrower’s verified gross monthly income. FHA rules say the maximum ratio to qualify is 41%. But when calculating that debt to income percentage, the FHA requires lenders to examine not only current financial obligations but also | more...

December 5, 2011

FHA Loans and the Debt To Income Ratio

By Joe Wallace

The debt to income calculation is a very important part of a borrower’s FHA loan application review. The lender must analyze the amount of verified income and compare it to the amount of debt the borrower has to see whether the borrower can afford his or her current monthly obligations and the projected monthly FHA mortgage loan payment. To do this, the lender takes income (only income which can be verified as stable and reliable) and compares it to all current debt and calculates what percentage the debt takes of the verified income. How is this done? The lender adds up the total mortgage payment, which includes principal and interest, escrow deposits for taxes, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance premium, homeowners’ dues, and any other payments that are considered part of | more...

November 22, 2011

FHA Loans, Escrow Accounts, and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act

By Joe Wallace

If you’re new to the home buying process, chances are good you’re learning plenty of new things about banking, the loan process, and escrow accounts. An escrow account is often required by lenders as part of an FHA home loan in order to pay property taxes, home insurance and other required expenses. But what are the rules governing escrow and what should the borrower know? To begin, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act or RESPA states that escrow is NOT mandatory as a condition of applying for an FHA home loan. That said, the lender is free to require an escrow account–but the FHA does not insist upon one. When a lender does require money to be held in escrow, the financial institution is limited by RESPA–there’s a maximum calculation | more...

October 31, 2011

FHA Rehab Loans

By Joe Wallace

The FHA 203(k) Rehab loan allows buyers and current home owners to “finance both the purchase (or refinancing) of a house and the cost of its rehabilitation through a single mortgage or to finance the rehabilitation of their existing home.” The 203(k) can help raise the value of a property or simply make the home more comfortable for those who aren’t interested in selling. Many people think of the 203(k) only when considering large projects, but did you know there’s a smaller version of the 203(k) allowed by the FHA? According to the HUD official site, “For less extensive repairs/improvements” borrowers are encouraged to apply for a Streamlined 203(k). According to the rules of an FHA 203(K), the property must be at least one year old–the 203(k) isn’t meant for | more...

October 7, 2011

Buying a Fixer-Upper With an FHA Loan

By Joe Wallace

The FHA fixer-upper loan, technically called an FHA 203(k) mortgage, is for those who want to purchase property which is in need of repair. The borrower purchases the property with the understanding that it must be renovated or repaired by the purchaser (with funds from the loan) as part of the loan agreement. Borrowers apply for this type of home loan in a different manner than for new purchase loans where the property must be in acceptable condition–the loans known as FHA 203(b) mortgages. For the fixer-upper or 203(k) loan, the borrower applies for a loan and agrees to make a down payment for at least 3.5% of the purchase price and repair costs of the property. According to FHA loan rules, the buyer finds the right home and gets | more...