Articles Tagged With: FHA Condo Loan

July 4, 2011

FHA Refinancing Loans for Condominium Units

When an FHA loan applicant wants to get a condo loan, they are only permitted to get loans for FHA approved condominium projects. Condos must meet certain FHA requirements in order to be approved. Those requirements aren’t limited to the usual minimum property requirements, they also include how many units can or must be sold with FHA insured loans and other rules unique to condominium loans. One aspect of condo loans borrowers might not be aware of is that the FHA may withdraw its approval of a particular condo project. The property that fails to meet FHA requirements for approved condos may lose its approval, directly affecting those interested in purchasing units in that building and those who want FHA refinancing for units already purchased. According to the FHA, “Generally, | more...

June 29, 2011

FHA Condo Loan Rules

By Joe Wallace

In previous blog posts, we’ve discussed the different types of FHA loans available and the various types of properties that can be purchased with an FHA insured home loan. Those properties include typical suburban houses, manufactured homes, multi-family units and condominiums. FHA condominium loans are more complex than other loans because the FHA has requirements when it comes to these loans. Borrowers can’t purchase just any condominium unit–it has to be on the FHA’s list of approved condominium projects in order to be considered for an FHA mortgage. That’s one reason why the FHA publishes a searchable list of approved condo projects on its website at https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/condlook.cfm. What does it take for a condominium project to be approved by the FHA so a borrower can apply for a loan to | more...

June 28, 2011

The Different Types of FHA Home Loans

By Joe Wallace

There are many different types of FHA insured home loans to choose from. Buying a home or refinancing one isn’t a one-size-fits-all process, and FHA guaranteed loans come in a variety of types to accommodate the various needs different house hunters or current home owners bring to the lender. The two most basic types of FHA home loans are new purchase loans and refinancing loans. New purchase FHA loans, by name alone, may seem to indicate that these loans are intended only for new construction houses, but new purchase simply refers to the type of transaction (a “new to you” home purchase), not the age or condition of the property itself. FHA refinancing is, as the name implies, a home loan intended to pay off an old home loan and | more...

May 16, 2011

FHA Loans: Non-Occupying Co-borrower Requirements

By Joe Wallace

In our last blog post we discussed the FHA loan rules for parents and children who want to apply for an FHA loan together. A parent who acts as a non-occupying co-borrower on an FHA loan for a condominium for a child in college, for example, would be eligible for 100% of the maximum FHA loan amount. Compare that to non-occupying co-borrowers who are not related; such loans are limited to 75% of the loan-to-value ratio. The family status of a borrower and non-occupying co-borrower is an added benefit in such cases. But the FHA has additional rules for non-occupying co-borrowers. For example, all co-borrowers are required to sign the FHA loan regardless of occupancy status. On the surface, that rule wouldn’t seem terribly important, especially in a situation where | more...

May 3, 2011

FHA Loans, Appraisals and Refinancing

By Joe Wallace

FHA loan applicants who find a suitable home and want to buy it must wait out the required FHA appraisal process before a loan can be approved. The FHA appraiser’s job is to make sure the home meets minimum property requirements and to assign the fair market value. The fair market value establishes a baseline for the FHA loan amount and is a very important part of the process. That appraisal has an expiration date. According to FHA rules, ” Effective for all case numbers assigned on or after January 1, 2010 the validity period for all appraisals on existing, proposed, and under construction properties, including HUD REO appraisals that have an effective date of on or after April 1, 2010, will be 120 days.” That doesn’t give the borrower | more...

April 29, 2011

FHA Loans: How Does the Bank Approve FHA Loan Applicants?

By Joe Wallace

There are many types of FHA insured loans available for single-family residences. Borrowers can apply for a traditional home loan with a down payment, fixed interest rate and a 15 or 30-year mortgage. But there are plenty of other loans which can be applied for including; Section 203h Insured Mortgage for Disaster Victims Section 255 Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) Section 203k Rehabilitation Mortgage Energy-Efficient Mortgage Program (EEM) Adjustable rate mortgages Section 248 Indian Reservations and Other Restricted Lands Title I Home Improvements Regardless of what loan product is preferred, for new purchases and many FHA refinancing options, borrowers must fill out an application giving information that includes employment and residence history, detailed accounts of outstanding debts and monthly financial obligations and much more. The FHA requires this information in | more...

February 9, 2011

FHA Home Loans: The HUD-1 Settlement Statement

By Joe Wallace

Buying a home with an FHA loan involves a process with a set of milestones along the way. The first of set of milestones includes finding a suitable home, negotiating a price, applying and being approved for a home loan and agreeing to the terms and conditions. When it's finally time to close the deal, sign on the dotted line and get ready to take possession of the property, there's another important part of the process--getting a HUD-1 Settlement Statement.

January 31, 2011

FHA Loans: Submitting a Written Offer to the Seller

By Joe Wallace

Buying a home with an FHA mortgage is very similar to purchasing a home with a conventional loan in many ways. Once the loan application itself has been approved and it's time to make an offer, buyer and seller interact with one another the same as with any other real estate purchase. First time home buyers with an FHA insured home loan may not know what to expect or what's expected of them at this stage in the process, but the steps are very simple. When the buyer decides that a property is the one for them, they may make an offer to the seller. As long as the offer is not submitted in writing as a binding agreement, there's plenty of room to negotiate but it's important for FHA | more...

January 17, 2011

FHA Loans and Predatory Lending–Ask an Agent

By Bruce Reichstein

When a first time home buyer wants to apply for an FHA home loan, they have a lot of learning to do about the whole process. The marketplace is full of reputable lenders, but as with any industry there are some individuals and even whole companies with business practices designed to take advantage of the lack of knowledge a newcomer might have. That's one reason the FHA offers a collection of resources for house hunters which includes plenty of advice on how to avoid predatory lending.

January 14, 2011

FHA Appraisal Facts

By Bruce Reichstein

The appraisal process is one of the most important aspects of the FHA loan process. Once the buyer has applied for an FHA guaranteed loan and has established that he or she is a good credit risk, the next phase of the process--finding a suitable home and making an offer--is directly affected by the appraisal system. The rules say an FHA-approved appraiser must view the property to establish the fair market value of the home. But there are a number of issues that the buyer should know about--things that affect the process that have nothing to do with the appraisal itself.