Articles Tagged With: FHA Home Loans

April 7, 2017

FHA Loan Rules: Borrowers, Co-Borrowers, Co-Signers

Do you know what the FHA loan rules are for borrowers, co-borrowers, and/or co-signers? What are the requirements for each and how is your lender required to proceed with each? The FHA home loan rule book for single family mortgages, reverse mortgages, and refinance loans is HUD 4000.1 It instructs the lender that borrowers have an occupancy requirement-the borrower must agree to take ownership of the home and use it as her or his primary residence after loan closing. Usually the borrower will have to move in within 60 days of closing. HUD 4000.1 also tells the lender that borrowers may only purchase homes with FHA loans within the United States or its’ territories. Purchase of non-U.S. real estate is not permitted with an FHA mortgage. All parties to be | more...

March 27, 2017

FHA Loans and Co-Signers: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asked us a question about FHA loans and co-signers recently. “If I cosigned for a friend and he refinanced to get everything put in his name and me taken off, am I eligible for an FHA loan for my own home?” FHA mortgage loan requirements refer to co-signer arrangements and “contingent liabilities”. HUD 4000.1 says: “A Contingent Liability refers to a liability that may result in the obligation to repay only when a specific event occurs. For example, a contingent liability exists when an individual can be held responsible for the repayment of a debt if another legally obligated party defaults on the payment. Contingent liabilities may include Cosigner liabilities and liabilities resulting from a mortgage assumption without release of liability.” If the reader’s circumstances meet that definition | more...

March 17, 2017

FHA Condo Loans: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks a question in our comments section this week about FHA condo loans. “My husbands ex-wife failed to pay their condo dues and they foreclosed on the property (Not the bank.. the Condo Association). The property was deeded to a 3rd party by the court. The FHA Loan is still in my husbands name with no rights to the title.” “The property is being used as a rental and the bank will not ‘make’ them refinance the loan. They currently have been 2 months behind and continue to mark up his credit. No one seems to care Thoughts? Anything in the FHA Guidelines that addresses this?” Borrowers who find themselves in legal entanglements associated with FHA home loans or FHA condo loans should seek legal counsel. The advice | more...

How much can I borrow with an FHA refinance loan?

March 14, 2017

Mortgage Markets and FHA Loans

By Joe Wallace

At the beginning of 2017, Forbes.com published a housing outlook for 2017 which included predictions from experts about what could happen this year. Three months into the new year, how accurate were some of the highlights of this piece? How do current trends affect mortgage loan applicants and those looking to refinance? A quick look at current events shows that some of the observations made at Forbes.com in an article by Samantha Sharf are absolutely right and there’s no reason to expect anything different in the short to mid-term. Consider the prediction made in this piece about mortgage rates. According to the article: “By historic standards rates are still low. In 2017 experts expect movement, but differ on where for the 30-year fixed rate will land. Estimates out there range | more...

March 14, 2017

Mortgage Loan Interest Rates Surging Higher Ahead of Fed

By Joe Wallace

Since our last report, mortgage rates have pushed significantly higher. Industry professionals are watching the Fed very carefully at the moment as it’s expected that the Fed will hike interest rates soon. Any indication of that hike, the timing of the hike, or its’ severity is sure to send investors scrambling in one direction or the other. A hike in rates is a sign that the Fed has more confidence in the economy, but as we’ve mentioned here before, what is good for the economy is often bad news for mortgage loan interest rates. We are likely to see markets react in anticipation or out of a certain set of expectations rather than the actual reality of the situation. This sort of thing has happened before, when the Fed began | more...

March 9, 2017

FHA Mortgage Questions And Answers

By Joe Wallace

There are many questions about FHA loans-those who are new to the process want to know some very basic, but very important things including how down payments are calculated, who is eligible for an FHA loan, and whether the borrower is free to sell the home purchased with an FHA mortgage after buying it, and how soon. Let’s explore some of these questions: Am I Eligible For An FHA Loan? The implication with a question like this sometimes includes another question. “Do I make too much money to qualify?” This is due to a misconception that FHA mortgages are intended only for first-time buyers, the economically disadvantaged, or those who have earnings that fall within a certain range. But the truth is, FHA mortgage loans have no income limits and | more...

March 9, 2017

Mortgage Rates Sharply Higher

By Joe Wallace

This week we’ve devoted a bit more column space to mortgage rate trends, and for good reason. Markets hate uncertainty, investors tend to move to “safe haven” investments in times like these, and we’re seeing plenty of activity in markets that affect mortgage loan rates in this area. Add to that economic data releases which, though spelling out good things for the country, put upward pressure on mortgage rates. That adds up to significant short term activity. And the latest has both conventional mortgage loan interest rates and FHA mortgage rates moving into new, higher ranges. 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages are reported, at the time of this writing, in a new best-execution range between 4.25% and 4.375%, a sharp turn upward some professional market watchers are labeling the highest, | more...

When Is An FHA Loan Better Than A Conventional Loan?

February 22, 2017

Divorce And FHA Loans: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “I was divorced 5 years ago but he stayed in the house. He is always behind on the payments and it affects my credit. I have divorce papers that state he is solely responsible for the house and payment. Also he was court ordered to get the house in his name but hasnt and the courts wont do anything about it but extend his time. Can I buy a house even though because of his late payments has made my credit score less than 500. How do I handle this?” This reader question should be answered by legal counsel-giving legal advice is outside the scope of this blog, except to recommend that when legal help is needed that it’s best to get the services of someone with | more...

Can I get an FHA home loan if I owe back taxes?

January 31, 2017

Eligibility Rules For FHA Loans

By Joe Wallace

Eligibility rules for FHA loans are found in HUD 4000.1, which addresses who is permitted to apply for an FHA single-family home loans. Who can apply for an FHA loan and what do the rules say about these applicants? The most basic eligibility rules for FHA loans include the requirement that the borrower be an owner-occupier of the property to be purchased. FHA loan rules do not permit FHA single family home loans to be used for investment properties, so the borrower who wishes to buy a multi-unit property and rent out all of those units to other people would not be approved for the mortgage. The same is true of those who wish to purchase time shares, condo hotels, or other “transient occupancy” or short-duration occupancy properties. That said, | more...

January 30, 2017

FHA Appraisals and Inspections: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

FHA appraisals are NOT the same as home inspections. This week we received a question about the appraisal process that serves as a reminder of this. A reader asks: “I purchased a home that was funded by FHA but the foundation is in significant disrepair it. There are whole sections where the beams are not being supported by anything therefore the beams will eventually not be able to sustain the floor. Approximately 30 Jacks or posts need to be added, addition to a few beams, most significantly in one 8 X 31-foot section of the house where there is nothing supporting it other than the outside foundation wall on one side.” “Basically it needs $35.000+ of work. The FHA guideline says that a structure has to be in good repair | more...