Articles Tagged With: FHA Loan News

March 30, 2017

Mortgage Rate Trends: Moving Lower

Since our last mortgage rate report, the overall trend has been downward in the short-term. Over the past several business days we have seen rates see-saw back and forth within a certain range, but at the time of this writing, rates are lower than when we reported on them last. 30-year fixed rate mortgages are at 4.25%, best execution. That’s in the middle of the range we last reported, with 4.375% at the upper end and 4.125% at the lower end. FHA loans are finally seeing a mortgage rate range falling back into the sub-four percent range; depending on the lender FHA mortgage rate numbers are reported between 3.75% and 4.25% best execution. Remember, “best execution” refers to rates offered to extremely well-qualified borrowers with outstanding FICO scores and other | more...

March 29, 2017

FHA Loans With A Non-Occupying Co-Borrower

By Bruce Reichstein

How does having a non-occupying co-borrower affect your FHA mortgage? What happens if one of the borrowers decides they want a change in their status as occupying or non-occupying? A reader asked us a question along these lines recently in the comments section: “I just purchased my home in November 2016 with my husband’s uncle as a co-borrower (not living in the property). Now he is getting a divorce and his soon-to-be ex-wife wants the househe basically just helped me qualify of put the down payment to purchase and pay the mortgage on my ownhe even signed hes rights to the title the day we signed for the property is I was told. I could put in that paper after about 6 months of having the property but now I | more...

March 15, 2017

Chapter 13 Bankruptcy: A Reader Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader got in touch recently about issues related to Chapter 13 bankruptcy and FHA mortgage loans. “I made all payments for 6 years on my chapter 13 and they said I have to wait 2 more years to be approved when my credit score is over 730. I dont get it I paid my dues and still have to wait.” The primary confusion here is associated with the FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 regarding “seasoning” periods that are required in the wake of certain types of negative credit events such as a bankruptcy. The rules vary depending on the type of bankruptcy you have filed, but in the case of this reader question, let’s examine what FHA loan rules have to say about Chapter 13 bankruptcy: “A Chapter | 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

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...

March 8, 2017

Mortgage Rate Trends: Edging Higher

By Joe Wallace

Since our last report, mortgage rates had one day of mild recovery, but yesterday rates took an upward turn. Many industry professionals are keen on next week’s Fed meeting as a potential make-or-break in terms of short-term rate trends. Will the Fed hike interest rates? What will the investor reaction to that news be if it comes to pass? These are the questions on the minds of those watching mortgage loan interest rate trends at the moment. And until next Wednesday, all anyone can do is wait and watch. At the time of this writing, 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages are reported at a best-execution 4.25%, borrowers have likely noticed recent rate changes reflected in closing costs rather than an actual rate change. FHA mortgages are holding in their range | more...

February 14, 2017

HUD Announces Relief For Louisiana Tornado Victims

By Joe Wallace

Federal relief is available for those affected by tornadoes in Louisiana. On Monday, February 13th 2017, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced it will “speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Louisiana and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to severe storms, tornadoes, and straight-line winds” according to a press release on the FHA/HUD official site. There has been a federal disaster declaration for Livingston and Orleans parishes. “The President’s declaration allows HUD to offer foreclosure relief and other assistance to certain families living in this county” according to HUD.gov. What types of assistance are available? Foreclosure relief, rehab loans, rehab refinance loans, and other options. There may also be assistance from FEMA available to affected home owners. According | more...

February 13, 2017

Mortgage Rate Trends: Higher

By Joe Wallace

Mortgage loan interest rates went higher on Friday, undoing some of the gains made earlier in the week but keeping things within the range we’ve been looking at since the start of 2017. The move higher wasn’t enough to push many lenders away from their earlier offerings; affected borrowers likely saw the results of Friday’s move reflected in closing costs in some markets, where actual changes to the rate may have occurred with some lenders. 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages were reported in a range between 4.125% and 4.25% on Friday (best execution). FHA mortgage rates remain in their 3.75% comfort zone. The ups and downs, give-and-take activity of recent weeks isn’t really enough to push FHA mortgage rates out of that zone without either a day’s worth of dramatic | more...

February 9, 2017

Mortgage Rate Trends: Improving

By Joe Wallace

There are factors that directly affect mortgage loan interest rates, and there are those that work more indirectly. Economic data, breaking news, and sometimes even the overall mood of investors on a given day or in a given week could be factors in which way rates are moving. Right now, investors seem very keen on putting money into less risky avenues (such as bonds), and that is one thing that is helping rates improve this week. We’ve seen an overall downward trend in the last few business days that has resulted in 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages creeping back towards the bottom part of the range we’ve seen rates hover in since the start of 2017. At the time of this writing, 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgages are at or | more...