Articles Tagged With: FHA 203k Mortgage

January 17, 2018

Who Can Apply For An FHA Mortgage? Part Two

Who Can Apply For An FHA Mortgage? In our previous blog post we addressed some common misconceptions about FHA mortgages, but there is a long list of FHA home loan uses including refinancing, fixer-upper loans, and much more. Who can apply for an FHA home loan? You may find your own needs represented somewhere in this list of approved FHA loan uses. FHA Loans Are For Owner/Occupiers You can apply to buy a property up to four units, and act as a landlord to rent out the units you won’t be living in; FHA loans have an occupancy requirement so you cannot buy a home with an FHA mortgage unless at least one person obligated on the loan will live there as the primary residence. FHA Loans Are For U.S. | more...

January 12, 2018

Can Disaster Relief Grants Be Used As Money To Close An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

Can disaster relief grants be used as money to close an FHA mortgage loan? In the wake of the many natural disasters in 2017, many home owners in Texas, California, Puerto Rico, and other affected areas want to know what their options are to recover, rehab, repair, or replace their homes. FHA loan rules require the lender to verify the source of all funds used as a down payment on FHA mortgage loans; down payment money (also known as a Minimum Required Investment or MRI) cannot come from unsecured loans, gifts with an expectation of repayment, or other unapproved sources. The FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, have rules for down payments that are sourced in whole or in part by disaster relief grants. But what does the FHA consider to | more...

January 9, 2018

FHA Home Loan Rules For Buying Investment Properties

By Joe Wallace

What are the FHA home loan rules for buying investment properties? Regular readers of this blog may be confused by this question since our posts emphasize time and again that FHA single family home loans are for owner/occupiers and not for investment properties. So how can the FHA loan Handbook, HUD 4000.1, have rules that govern the purchase of an investment property with an FHA mortgage? The answer is actually fairly simple; FHA loan rules make an exception in certain cases. The FHA home loan policy in this area is explained on page 142 of HUD 4000.1, starting with a definition of the term “investment property”. According to the FHA, “An Investment Property refers to a Property that is not occupied by the Borrower as a Principal or Secondary Residence”. | more...

January 2, 2018

Do Townhomes Qualify For FHA Loans?

By Bruce Reichstein

Do townhomes qualify for FHA home loans? It’s a variation of the question on the minds of those looking for several different types of properties to consider buying with an FHA mortgage. What do the FHA home loan rules say about purchasing town homes with an FHA mortgage? FHA Loan Rules For Property Eligibility Page 149 of the FHA Single Family Home Loan rule book, HUD 4000.1, states that the following property types may be purchased with an FHA mortgage: -detached or semi-detached dwellings -Manufactured Housing -townhouses or row houses -individual units within FHA-approved Condominium Projects As you can see from the above, FHA loans are possible for town homes. In some cases, special rules are in place regarding town homes. For example, FHA 203(k) rehab loans have specific requirements | more...

December 28, 2017

FHA Rehab Loans and Appraisal Requirements

By Bruce Reichstein

FHA rehab loans have different appraisal requirements than FHA “forward” mortgages used to simply purchase an existing-construction property. Because the borrower is applying for a home loan to buy property that (likely) does not meet FHA minimum standards or state/local building code, the lender is required to determine both the existing condition of the home and the “after completion” version of it. What do FHA loan rules say about the appraisal process for this type of home loan transaction? Today we’re examining the rules for the FHA 203(k) rehab loan. We’ll cover rehab loan rules for properties in federally declared disaster areas in a separate blog post. FHA Appraisal Rules For 203(k) Rehab Loans As mentioned above, FHA loan handbook (HUD 4000.1) requires the lender to determine the value the | more...

December 18, 2017

What Should I Know About FHA Home Loans?

By Bruce Reichstein

What should I know about FHA home loans? The first thing to remember is that your options with an FHA mortgage include new purchase loans, reverse mortgages, refinance loans, and rehab loans. You can do a lot more than just buy a house as a first-time home loan applicant. FHA Home Loans Are Not Just For First-Time Buyers The most common misconception about FHA home loans is that they are ONLY for first-time buyers. This is not true. No matter how many times you have borrower money to buy a home before, if you are interested in purchasing a primary residence, the FHA home loan is an option for you. FHA Loans Include Mobile Home Loans and FHA One-Time Close Construction Loans The list of FHA home loan options include | more...

FHA One-Time Close Construction Mortgage Basics

November 22, 2017

How Do You Get A One-Time Close FHA Construction Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

How do you get an FHA construction loan? If you want to have a new home built from the ground up (as opposed to buying an “existing construction” home that already exists), an FHA new construction loan is possible. The FHA One-Time Close / Single-Close construction loan makes it much easier with a single application and closing for the entire project. Other types of construction loans feature TWO closing dates and a more complex process. FHA One-Time Close mortgages simplify the construction loan by wrapping the entire loan process up with a single application and loan approval. Not all FHA lenders offer construction loans, so you’ll need to shop around to find the right lender for your needs. There are two basic types of FHA construction loans-a “traditional” construction loan, | more...

November 15, 2017

Do The Same FHA Loan Requirements Apply to All Borrowers?

By Joe Wallace

Do the same FHA loan requirements apply to all borrowers? This is a complex question, and the answer depends greatly on whether credit issues are being discussed or whether general requirements for loan approval outside FICO scores are the topic. What’s the difference? Basically, FHA loan rules apply for all borrowers when it comes to the basic minimum requirements, standards, and verification processes for a certain type of mortgage. If you apply for a new purchase mortgage, those basic requirements will affect your transaction. But the basic requirements for an FHA reverse mortgage are not the same as those for a new purchase loan and so there are different standards for that type of loan including an age requirement. FHA reverse mortgages are only for qualified borrowers age 62 or | more...

November 13, 2017

Does FHA Have A Disaster Loan Program?

By Bruce Reichstein

Does FHA have a disaster loan program? The short answer is yes, and it is quite different than a standard FHA forward mortgage. The FHA 203(h) loan is available as a new purchase mortgage or a refinance loan. In this case “new purchase” may lead some to believe you are only allowed to buy a new home with an FHA 203(h), but the reality is that you can use the 203(h) to rehab an existing damaged home, or purchase a replacement home. FHA 203(h) Disaster Loans: Unique Requirements FHA 203(h) disaster loans are only approved for those who are in federally-declared disaster areas. You cannot be approved for an FHA 203K(h) mortgage if you are not in a one of the official presidentially-declared federal disaster areas. You can check the | more...

November 10, 2017

FHA Loan Debt-To-Income Ratios Part Two

By Bruce Reichstein

What is the debt-to- income ratio (DTI) for an FHA loan? We answered that question in a previous blog post, discussing the FHA loan rules for loan approval where loan affordability is concerned. In general, FICO scores and debt ratios are reviewed together. You may have a debt ratio that comes close to or exceeds the general standard for these limits, but compensating factors may apply to help the lender justify approving your home loan. What are these factors? FHA Loan Compensating Factors For Higher Debt-To-Income Ratios FICO scores play an important part in determining who must have compensating factors for a high DTI. As the FHA loan handbook states, borrowers who meet the FHA loan FICO score requirement for maximum financing (580 or above) can have a debt to | more...