Articles Tagged With: FHA Home Loan

January 11, 2019

On Buying A First Home With An FHA Mortgage

First-time home buyers looking for a new home to buy with a mortgage loan might not know all of their options at the time they start looking, but everyone stars house hunting with their own set of assumptions-some are right, and some are not. Some assume that an FHA home loan is made specifically for first-time home buyers, but this is not true-any financially qualified borrower can apply and be approved for an FHA home loan for a mobile home, suburban home, duplex, even condos and multi-unit properties. You read that correctly, FHA home loans can help first-time home buyers purchase multi-unit homes. This is good for those anticipating family growth, and for those who are thinking about becoming landlords and getting income from the unused living units in the | more...

January 4, 2019

Renters May Spend More In 2019: Is It Time To Buy?

By Joe Wallace

Do a Google search on the phrase “2019 rent increase” and you’ll find plenty of talk about higher rents. That “higher rents in 2019” includes one article published by Wilmette Week discussing the possibility that the State of Oregon may be considering state-enforced rent control with possible yearly rental increase limits of five percent. The fact that Oregon is considering this as a state-wide measure may not reflect the state of rent increases nationwide, but it certainly is food for thought for anyone living in or near that area. Is 2019 the year to consider buying a home with a low-down payment FHA mortgage instead of submitting to yet another rent increase? Some housing finance blogs and real estate bloggers are discussing how renters in 2018 spent more than the | more...

December 28, 2018

Rent Spending Was Higher In 2018; Is Now The Time To Buy A Home With An FHA Mortgage?

By Joe Wallace

Published reports coming in at the end of the year suggest that renters paid $13 billion more in rent in 2018 than in the previous year. The amount of money spent on rental housing in 2018 is higher, but in spite of this some sources point to a slowdown in rent hikes, saying that a stalling of rent hikes could bring down payments closer to some potential borrowers. The ability to save more each month toward a down payment can make a big difference in the timing of a new home loan, especially an FHA mortgage that requires only 3.5% down. FHA loans, like conventional mortgages, have a down payment requirement. But FHA loan down payments can be lower and also be supplemented by down payment grants or gift funds. | more...

December 26, 2018

Millennial First-Time Home Buyers, 20 Percent Down Payments, And FHA Mortgages

By Joe Wallace

If you make a 20 percent down payment, you save money over the lifetime of your mortgage loan, avoid private mortgage insurance (for conventional mortgages), and reap the benefits of doing these things over the long term. But millennial home buyers, especially first-time home buyers, may be unable to find the resources to make such a large down payment. If you make a 20 percent down payment, you save money over the lifetime of your mortgage loan, avoid private mortgage insurance (for conventional mortgages), and reap the benefits of doing these things over the long term. But millennial home buyers, especially first-time home buyers, may be unable to find the resources to make such a large down payment. You’ll find many internet articles and home finance blogs discussing the idea | more...

December 24, 2018

Winter Vacation Homes And FHA Loans: What You Need To Know

By Joe Wallace

Investing in a winter vacation home is tempting for many, especially in snow-bound states. Do borrowers have the option of purchasing a vacation home with an FHA mortgage? A look at FHA loan rules quickly reveals that one of the requirements for FHA loan approval is that the home be used as the primary residence; occupancy is a condition of loan approval for an FHA single family forward mortgage loan. But does this mean that borrowers can never use an FHA mortgage to buy a property that will become a winter vacation home? Not exactly. Borrowers who purchase a home with an FHA mortgage, use it as their primary residence, and refinance it with a conventional mortgage would be technically free (unless the conventional loan agreement states otherwise) to use | more...

November 30, 2018

Buying A Home With An FHA Loan: Should You Skip The Home Appraisal?

By Joe Wallace

When buying a home with an FHA mortgage, should you skip the home appraisal? Some buyers may wonder about this, especially in light of talk in late 2018 about whether the current real estate appraisal system should be kept or if appraisals should only be required of homes of a certain value or higher. According to data released by the National Association of Realtors, one big cause of home loan closing delays? Appraisal issues. The question remains; should borrowers skip the home appraisal? Borrowers Are Not Permitted To Skip The Appraisal Process FHA loans and other real estate lending require an appraisal as a mandatory part of the process. In spite of what you might see in headlines, borrowers and sellers cannot opt out. However, some borrowers may be thinking | more...

November 2, 2018

Five Reasons Lenders May Deny Your Home Loan Application

By Joe Wallace

There are many reasons why a home loan application might be denied. If you seek an FHA home loan, credit requirements and other rules may be more forgiving of past credit mistakes, but lender standards and other factors do mean the borrower is held to certain minimums for FICO scores, debt ratios, and other financial qualifications. #5: FHA Loan Rules Require A Minimum FICO Score Requirement If your FICO scores are below 500, FHA loan rules say you are not eligible for an FHA mortgage loan. But that 500 minimum score is the FHA requirement, NOT the lender’s. Your participating lender’s requirements may be higher than 500 as a minimum, and meeting the bare minimum can result in a higher down payment. FHA FICO score requirements for the lowest down | more...

October 26, 2018

FHA Home Loans: Should I Buy A House Or A Condo?

By Bruce Reichstein

One of the big choices facing some FHA home loan applicants is whether to concentrate on buying a suburban-type home or a condo unit. FHA home loans for condo unit purchases are definitely available from participating lenders willing to offer them; what are the differences between an FHA home loan for a condo or other types of properties? FHA Condo Loan Rules: The FHA Approved Condo Projects List FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 require all condo units secured by an FHA mortgage to be on or added to an FHA approved condo project list. Your lender can help work with you on a condo project to get it added to the list, assuming the project meets FHA loan requirements. If you want to search for an already-approved condo project | more...

October 18, 2018

How To Start Buying A Home With An FHA Mortgage

By Bruce Reichstein

What are the first steps towards purchasing a home with an FHA mortgage? That depends on the stage of your loan that you find yourself in-when it’s time to plan the mortgage, the steps involve pulling your credit report and saving up for your down payment and other expenses. But what about when you are ready to start actually house hunting? A few preliminary steps can save you headaches and wasted time later. Use A Mortgage Calculator To Determine A Price Range It’s strongly recommended that house hunters first calculate an estimated price range on homes they can afford. House hunting with a specific set of prices will help rule out neighborhoods that don’t fit into your budget. But the price range determination does not stand alone-knowing how much home | more...

October 17, 2018

Am I Ready To Apply For An FHA Mortgage?

By Joe Wallace

Are you ready to apply for an FHA home loan? There are some steps you can take in the planning stages to make sure that when you fill out those forms, you are absolutely ready. FHA Home Loans: Is Now The Right Time To Buy A Home? There are many things that come together to make a home loan transaction successful; one of them is the timing of your loan application. Is now the right time to buy? If you have a down payment saved or budgeted for, if you have checked your credit, if you have done the math on your finances, you have a very good idea of your financial status at the moment. If there are things left undone, you can pick some of the most simple | more...