Articles Tagged With: FHA Loan Rules

Can I buy a manufactured home with an FHA loan?

October 19, 2015

Fair Housing Laws: Support Animals And Discrimination

On the FHA/HUD official site this week there was a press release announcing HUD charges against New York City landlords for alleged discriminatory housing practices involving tenants with support animals. According to the press release HUDNo. 15-129, “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is charging the owners and landlords of a high-rise complex in New York City with violating the Fair Housing Act by refusing to allow a resident with disabilities to have an emotional support animal. HUDs charge alleges that Friedman Residence, LLC (formerly called the Aurora), Common Ground Management Corporation, and The Actors Fund of America refused to accept that the resident required a dog to cope with the symptoms of his disability.” The HUD press release adds that Fair Housing | more...

October 19, 2015

CFPB Updates Home Mortgage Disclosure Act

By Joe Wallace

Friday October 15, 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced it is updating mortgage loan regulations–specifically the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HDMA)–to make the home loan process more transparent and easier to understand. According to the to the CFPB official site, HMDA requires, “many financial institutions to collect, report, and disclose information about their mortgage activity. The original law was enacted by Congress 40 years ago to respond to concerns that some banks may be failing to serve their communities.” HMDA, the press release states, is a statute that provides “the public and policymakers with information about the mortgage market and ensures market transparency.” What does the HDMA do? According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, it: –Helps to show whether lenders are serving the housing needs of their | more...

October 16, 2015

FHA Loan Income Questions: Commissions

By Joe Wallace

There are lots of questions about FHA loan income standards–especially where commission income is concerned. Here’s one of the latest reader questions from the comments section, asking about FHA loan income rules for commissions–the reader has a job that “… pays 60% income from salary and 40% from commissions now and am being recruited to another company same industry, same job title and scope of work but better pay. A slight increase in salary and commissions with the new company recruiting me, but same type of ratio 60% salary 40% commissions.” “I have been in the same job title for 2+ year now. Can FHA or an underwriter use my new income with new higher commissions at the new company for a loan? Or do I have to wait for | more...

October 15, 2015

FHA Loans, Early Payoff, And Prohibited Fees: HUD 4000.1

By Joe Wallace

With the publication of HUD 4000.1, existing FHA loan rules have been restated, updated, modified, or reprinted. In some cases nothing has changed, in other cases there have been major or minor alterations to the language, terms or conditions of these FHA loan rules. We’re examining many sections of the new rulebook and discussing common issues that may be affected by those changes, even if in some cases the rules haven’t changed. Knowing what’s in HUD 4000.1 as opposed to the old FHA single family home loan rules found in HUD 4155.1 and 4155.2 is important as HUD 4000.1 is THE definitive source for the program now. One big question some borrowers have about FHA loans is what happens if an early payoff is chosen. Can the lender penalize or | more...

October 15, 2015

Types of FHA Refinance Loans: HUD 4000.1

By Joe Wallace

We’ve written elsewhere about the different types of FHA refinance loans, but we haven’t covered what the new FHA Single Family loan program policy handbook (HUD 4000.1) has to say about them. In many cases, HUD 4000.1 either updates or restates existing policy, and in others the new handbook replaces or supersedes the old policies. It’s impossible to know every single alteration in FHA loan rules that have been printed in the new handbook, so we’re simply reporting what the new rules say to clear up any confusion over FHA loan rules old and new. Here’s what HUD 4000.1 has to say about the different types of FHA refinance loans now available: (Remember that not all participating lenders offer each and every type of FHA loan product, so if you | more...

October 14, 2015

FHA Loan Mortgage Insurance Termination

By Joe Wallace

One commonly asked questions about FHA home loans involves when a borrower is permitted to terminate FHA-mandated mortgage insurance. There is a difference between FHA mortgage insurance premiums and private mortgage insurance–borrowers with questions about private mortgage insurance will need to contact the insurance provider. But for FHA mortgage insurance, there are rules in HUD 4000.1 that govern when such the coverage may be cancelled. These rules are found in Section III Part A, which includes the following: “A Mortgage Insurance Termination is the ending of FHA Single Family mortgage insurance at which time the Mortgagees obligation to remit MIP to HUD ends. Upon termination, the Borrower and Mortgagee will enjoy only those rights, if any, to which they would be entitled under the National Housing Act if the insurance | more...

October 10, 2015

Mortgage Rate Trends: Ending The Week Holding Steady After Upward Movement

By Joe Wallace

Mortgage rates closed out a week of upward movement with a hold-steady day on Friday. The three-day bank holiday weekend had rates staying still as bond market activity drew to a close in anticipation of the short trading week to come, so 30-year fixed rate mortgages are basically at 3.875% best execution, though our sources report some lenders may offer extremely well-qualified applicants something closer to 3.75% (best execution). FHA mortgage rates ended the week at 3.5% best execution. It’s far too early to tell whether this might be a new “comfort zone” for FHA rates–the last one was 3.75% and that held out for a long time–but if upward pressure continues on rates, it’s likely we’ll see that number fade away in favor of that previous 3.75%. But next | more...

October 9, 2015

Know Your Rights Under The Fair Housing Act

By Joe Wallace

Recently we posted about an FHA/HUD press release announcing action against a Pennsylvania landlord who allegedly discriminated against families with children in his rental practices. The same kinds of violations of the Fair Housing Act can occur when trying to buy a home, and such cases are important as awareness-raising tools. When examining these issues, it becomes apparent that many people aren’t fully aware of their rights under the Fair Housing Act. Renters, house hunters, landlords and property owners alike are affected by this important federal law. But what ARE the rules under the Fair Housing Act? You can find a wealth of information at the FHA/HUD official site, which features a page called Fair Housing-It’s Your Right. That page includes (but is not limited to) the following information: “The | more...

October 8, 2015

HUD Charges Pennsylvania Landlord With Discrimination Against Children

By Joe Wallace

In a press release on the FHA/HUD official site, you’ll find the following statement about Fair Housing laws: “The Fair Housing Actmakes it unlawful to deny housing because a family has children under the age of 18 and to make statements that discriminate against families with children. Housing may exclude families with children only if it qualifies as housing for older persons under the Act. The Fair Housing Act permits the familynot the landlordto decide what unit is appropriate or safe for them.” This is mentioned in connection with a case brought by HUD against a Pennsylvania landlord. In a press release (HUDNo.15-123) published recently, we learn, “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has charged a Pennsylvania landlord with housing discrimination for allegedly | more...

October 8, 2015

HUD 4000.1: FHA Loan Rules On Escrow Accounts

By Joe Wallace

When the FHA and HUD switched over to the new FHA Single Family Home Loan policy handbook (HUD 4000.1), it restated some policies, redefined others, and made additions where needed. We’ve been examining FHA loan rules as published in HUD 4000.1 over a variety of topics to help borrowers and lenders alike understand FHA policy as it now stands in the new rulebook. One area some borrowers need information on is escrow accounts. FHA loan regulations address the use of escrow, but do not require it. Your lender might, and is free to do so under the FHA Single Family Home loan program, so it’s good to know the rules. The first thing HUD 4000.1 does is to define the term “escrow”: “An Escrow Account is a set of funds | more...