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Articles Tagged With: FHA Lenders

FHA Mortgage Loan

FHA Home Loan Approval Myths

There are plenty of myths about home loan approval, but for first-time home buyers looking for an FHA mortgage, some of those myths are more prevalent than others. What you don’t know about FHA home loans can hurt you-it’s best to know as much as possible going into the home loan process, which is another reason why it’s best to take your time preparing for a home loan. Rushing into the process can cost more money than taking your time. FHA Home Loan Myths: The FHA Has Separate Requirements For First-Time Home Buyers FHA home loans are open to all qualified borrowers with FICO scores in a certain range for the lowest down payment. FHA loan rules do not make any distinction between a first-time buyer and an experienced home | more...

 
FHA loans

Home Flipping And FHA Mortgage Loans: The Rules

A 2019 CoreLogic report states that home flipping, the process of purchasing, renovating, and putting a house back on the market in a short period of time and often at a substantial markup, is at its highest levels in about eight years. The CoreLogic report states, “…since the Great Recession, flippers have been increasingly good at acquiring properties at a discount, either because the properties were legally, financially or physically distressed”. Some borrowers may be tempted to flip homes, and others may wish to purchase a flipped home. What does the FHA home loan program’s rulebook say about this practice? HUD 4000.1 states that “eligibility of a Property for a Mortgage insured by FHA is determined by the time that has elapsed between the date the seller has acquired title | more...

 
FHA And HUD

FHA And HUD Announce Home Loan Policy Changes

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced policy updates and changes that have been added to the FHA Single Family Home Loan Program Handbook, HUD 4000.1. According to an FHA/HUD press release, these are the first changes and updates to the handbook since late 2016. “With today’s update, FHA is recommitting to the industry that it will continue to maintain and enhance the SF Handbook so that it becomes a single, comprehensive source of policy guidance for lenders and other stakeholders doing single family business with FHA” according to the press release. The updates, posted March 27, 2019, include a set of “technical changes for consistency and clarity” as well as FHA home loan program policy updates. These updates affect how the lender may handle certain issues associated | more...

 
Is your credit ready for an FHA loan?

FHA Home Loan Options For First-Time Home Buyers

When some people think about buying a first home, the stereotypical image of a suburban house may come to mind, but that isn’t the only option you have when searching for just the right real estate for your needs. Your participating FHA lender and real estate agents alike will tell you about a variety of housing types and configurations that go above and beyond a typical two-bedroom bungalow, ranch home, split-level home, etc. What other kinds of homes can you purchase with an FHA mortgage? There are FHA home loans for manufactured or modular homes that can be assembled and put on a permanent foundation on land the borrower either already owns or is purchasing as part of the FHA mortgage loan. FHA loans for mobile homes are similar, though | more...

 
FHA and HUD

FHA Refinance Loans For Non-FHA Mortgages

Did you buy your first home with the help of a real estate agent but without the benefit of an FHA mortgage? When you compare online mortgage rates you will notice that the websites publishing these interest rates listing FHA loans with mortgage interest rates than conventional equivalents. While it’s true that your FICO scores and other financial qualifications will play an important part in the rate you are offered, when it’s time to refinance you may find an advantage with FHA mortgages, and not just in the interest rate department. FHA Refinance Loans For Non-FHA Mortgages The FHA refinance loan options a non-FHA borrower has include cash-out refinancing, the equivalent of such a loan but with no cash back, and FHA rehabilitation mortgages known as FHA 203(k) rehab refinance | more...

 
FHA loans

Plan Ahead For Your First Home FHA Loan

You can never start planning too early when it comes to buying your first home. There are a lot of variables to take into account when planning your FHA home loan including the nature of your home loan itself. FHA Home Loans: Different Loans For Different Needs The first-time home buyer who wants to buy real estate that needs repairs will apply for a different FHA home loan than those who want to have a home built for them from the ground up using an FHA One-Time Close construction loan. The FHA fixer-upper loan is known as an FHA 203(k) Rehabilitation mortgage and can be applied for as either a new purchase loan or a refinance loan. The type of FHA loan you will need for mobile homes/manufactured housing is | more...

 
FHA loans

Is Now The Right Time To Buy Your First Home?

Is now the right time for a first-time home buyer to look at real estate listings and consider buying that first home? Is now a good time for those who have owned property before to examine their FHA mortgage loan options? In both cases, the answer may be yes. Recent headlines and reports by companies like Zillow and CNBC indicate rising optimism in the housing market in the first quarter of 2019; inventory is increasing and mortgage loan applications have gone up recently, too. Ask any real estate agent about the state of their market and you may learn that now is a good time to explore your home ownership options. Why choose an FHA mortgage in a climate like this? The low down payment requirement is a good start-you | more...

 
FHA Home Loans And The Biggest Credit Mistake You Can Make

Buying A Home With An FHA Mortgage Versus Renting

How much money do you spend renting a home instead of owning one? If you count the security deposit, any applicable pet deposit, and other expenses, the numbers can add up quickly. When you rent a home instead of buying real estate with a mortgage loan, you are also stuck with whatever appliances your landlord has seen fit to install in the home, regardless of quality. You have to live with someone else’s interior design and paint scheme preferences, and chances are the carpet is not what you would have chosen…at all. Renting A Home: Where Are The Long-Term Financial Benefits Compared to Home Ownership? When you rent, you get no equity, no cash-out refinance loan option, and no ability to sell the home at a higher price than you | more...

 
What Credit Score Is Needed For An FHA Mortgage?

How Does An FHA Mortgage Help A First-Time Home Buyer?

When it’s time to buy that real estate you’ve had your eye on, how can an FHA mortgage help out a first-time home buyer? What do you need to know about FHA loans that can help you make the most informed choices? FHA Loans Offer Lower Credit Requirements Yes, there are conventional home loans you may qualify for with lower FICO scores, but you may face larger down payment requirements, which means more money out of pocket up front. FHA home loans require a 3.5% down payment for those with FICO scores 580 or higher. Lender standards may be higher than this, but the FHA minimums are lower than conventional loans. FHA Loans Allow Certain Closing Costs To Be Financed Ask your lender which closing costs of your specific transaction | more...

 
FHA Mortgage Loan

Setting The Home Loan Closing Date For First-Time Home Buyers

When should a first-time home buyer expect to be able to move into the new home they have purchased with an FHA mortgage? Can you realistically expect to move into your new home on the day scheduled for closing? Believe it or not, the answer might be no. It is in the borrower’s best interest NOT to schedule move-in day at the same time your home loan closes. FHA Loans, Closing Day, And Anticipating Change Do you know what the day of funding is? For home loans, whether for first-time home buyers or experienced borrowers, the day of funding is when the loan funds transfer to the seller from the lender. This should happen before you take your keys the the property. Know the exact date of funding and you | more...