Articles Tagged With: FHA Energy Efficient Mortgage

July 30, 2013

FHA Loan Answers: Buying Homes From Family Members With An FHA Mortgage

Here’s a question about FHA loans that isn’t as common as some, but still comes up often enough to discuss here: can a family member purchase a residence from another family member using an FHA mortgage? FHA home loans have rules designed to protect the integrity of the loan process–FHA loan rules in HUD 4155.1 say that some FHA loan transactions may have different or lower loan amounts depending on the circumstances of those loans. “Certain types of loan transactions affect the amount of financing available to a borrower and how the maximum mortgage amount is calculated. These transactions include identity-of-interest properties with non-occupying coborrowers three- and four-unit properties properties where a house will be constructed by a borrower on his/her land, and/or as a licensed general contractor payoffs of | more...

July 26, 2013

FHA Loan Downpayment Sources: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “Can I use money from a residential loan or my thrift savings towards a FHA downpayment and closing costs?” The rules that cover down payment funds for FHA insured mortgages are found in HUD 4155.1, Chapter Five. That chapter begins by stating, “Under most FHA programs, the borrower is required to make a minimum downpayment into the transaction of at least 3.5% of the lesser of the appraised value of the property or the sales price. Additionally, the borrower must have sufficient funds to cover borrower-paid closing costs and fees at the time of settlement. Funds used to cover the required minimum downpayment, as well as closing costs and fees, must come from acceptable sources and must be verified and properly documented.” Specifically, the reader wants to | more...

July 25, 2013

FHA Loans After Chapter 7 Bankruptcy: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “I filed chapter 7 in March 2010 and discharged in June 2010. I had a home included in the bankruptcy but after the two year waiting period the lender told me I had to wait an additional three years from the time of the final sale of the property which was not until March 2013. So are they correct in stating that it is a five year waiting period before I can qualify for an FHA loan?” FHA loan rules for FHA mortgages applied for in the wake of a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy are found in HUD 4155.1 Chapter Four, Section C, which states the following: “A Chapter 7 bankruptcy (liquidation) does not disqualify a borrower from obtaining an FHA-insured mortgage if at least two years have | more...

July 17, 2013

FHA Streamline Refinance Loans: Adding or Deleting Borrowers To The Title

By Joe Wallace

When borrowers with existing FHA mortgages want to apply for streamline refinancing, one question that sometimes comes up is whether or not a borrower is permitted to add or delete someone from the title of the loan at the time of refinancing. FHA loan rules do address this issue. Those rules are found in HUD 4155.1, Chapter Six, Section C under a section titled Borrower Additions or Deletions to the Title on a Streamline Refinance. The concern for some borrowers is whether or not adding or deleting someone might trigger the due-on-sale clause making the entire loan amount payable according to the terms of the clause. The FHA does permit additions and deletions to the title as described in Chapter Six: “Individuals may be added to the title on a | more...

July 10, 2013

FHA Loan Answers: Can I Add Appraiser-Required Repairs/Improvements Into My FHA Loan?

By Joe Wallace

When you want to purchase a home with an FHA mortgage, one of the most important steps after choosing the property is the appraisal. An appraisal is required in order to establish the fair market value of the home and to make sure the home lives up to FHA minimum property standards. Appraisals may result in some required improvements, corrections or alterations to the home in order to bring it up to minimum standards. In such cases, the appraiser may make FHA loan approval conditional upon the completion of these changes and require a compliance inspection to make sure the fixes or alterations now bring the home up to standard. In such cases, is the borrower permitted to include the cost of this work in the sales price of the | more...

July 8, 2013

FHA Loan Rules For Earnest Money

By Joe Wallace

In previous posts, we’ve discussed the rules for FHA loans when it comes to the sources of your required minimum cash investment or downpayment. But did you know the FHA has rules concerning the source of your earnest money, too? In some cases the source of your earnest money may be scrutinized in a manner similar to the verifications required for down payment funds. FHA loans require downpayments from approved sources such as personal savings, cashed-in investments, bona fide gifts that meet FHA loan rules, etc. So what are the rules for earnest money paid for a home to be purchased with an FHA mortgage? According to the FHA loan rules found in HUD 4155.1 Chapter Five, Section B, “The lender must verify and document the deposit amount and source | more...

July 3, 2013

FHA Loans: Broker and Agent Fees

By Joe Wallace

As with many other aspects of the FHA home loan process, there are rules and regulations that cover broker and real estate agent fees. Those rules are spelled out in Chapter Five of HUD 4155.1. In a section titled “Settlement Requirements Needed To Close” we find detailed rules on how such fees can be issued and paid. For example, FHA loan rules require real estate broker fees to be included in the HUD-1 settlement statement. The specific rule says, “If a borrower is represented by a real estate broker and must pay any fee directly to the broker, that expense must • be included in the total of the borrower’s settlement requirements, and • appear on the HUD-1 Settlement Statement.” The rules are different when the seller is paying a | more...

July 1, 2013

FHA Loan Reader Questions: FHA Loan Rates for First Time Home Buyers

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “What is the current interest rate for a first time home buyer and what is the income level to qualify?” The short answer to the first part of this reader question is that there is no specific interest rate set for “first time home buyers” when it comes to FHA home loans. The interest rate on an FHA mortgage is negotiated between the borrower and the lender. While some institutions may have a first-time home buyer program, the FHA does not set the rates on FHA loans nor does it regulate them beyond general requirements to be typical for the housing market the loan is offered in. FHA loan interest rates can change depending on the nature of the markets that affect mortgage rates. Rates can change | more...

June 28, 2013

FHA/HUD Announce Relief For Alaska Flood Victims

By Joe Wallace

The FHA and HUD have issued a press release announcing relief for victims of recent flooding in Alaska. According to HUDNo.13-100, released Thursday June 27, 2013, “U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced HUD will speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Alaska and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to recent flooding.” This assistance came after the President made an announcement declaring parts of Alaska affected by the flooding to be federal disaster areas. According to the press release, “President Obama issued a disaster declaration for Alaska Gateway Regional Educational Attendance Area, Copper River Regional Educational Attendance Area, Lower Yukon Regional Educational Attendance Area, Yukon Flats Regional Educational Attendance Area and Yukon Koyukuk Regional Educational Attendance Area.” The federal | more...

June 27, 2013

FHA Loan Questions: Seasoning Periods On FHA Streamline Refinance Loans

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “Is there a cutoff date for when the original mortgage (FHA) was started? I have been getting letters that I am prequalified and I finally called one lender today. After giving them all of my information so they could check my credit, they said I was not in the house long enough. From the info on this website and the FHA website I don’t see anything about the length of time.” The FHA issued guidance on this issue in 2011 with Mortgagee Letter 2011-11, which was a policy update on a variety of requirements for FHA refinance loan transactions in general, but specifically addressing issues such as the “seasoning period” for FHA loans before a borrower can apply for FHA refinancing. According to FHA Mortgagee Letter 2011-11, | more...