Articles Tagged With: FHA Mortgage Loans

December 23, 2021

FHA Loan Applications In 2022

Are you one of the many house hunters planning on filling out FHA loan applications for 2022? Are you ready to apply? Here are some tips to help you determine how close you might be to the application stage of a new FHA mortgage. Credit Reports Do you know the contents of your credit reports? Do you know your FICO scores? If not, you’ll need some additional time before applying for your home loan to review your credit, see what the lender may see, and determine whether your credit history is free of errors or evidence of identity theft. If your credit report shows erroneous information or if you suspect identity theft based on questionable entries on your report, you will need additional time prior to your FHA loan application | more...

December 17, 2021

When Is An FHA Loan Assumable?

By Bruce Reichstein

When is an FHA loan assumable? Let’s start by examining what the FHA single-family home loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, defines as a loan assumption. “Assumption refers to the transfer of an existing mortgage obligation from an existing Borrower to the assuming Borrower.” An FHA loan assumption is generally possible-for most FHA loans closed today, the lender’s participation and approval will be required in order to carry out a loan assumption transaction. There are also occupancy requirements which may apply depending on what year the original mortgage was closed in. From HUD 4000.1: “If the original Mortgage was closed on or after December 15, 1989, the assuming Borrower must intend to occupy the Property as a Principal Residence or HUD-approved Secondary Residence. If the original Mortgage was closed prior to December | more...

November 12, 2021

How Long Do You Have To Be At A Job To Get An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

How long do you have to be at one particular job to get an FHA loan? The employment issue is an important one, but some borrowers misunderstand the rules, thinking them to be more strict than they actually are. What is the reality of the FHA loan employment rules? FHA Loan Rules For Minimum Employment Standards The rules governing FHA loan employment standards are found in the FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, which includes the following requirement on how the lender must verify the borrower’s employment history: “Mortgagees must not accept or use documents relating to the employment, income, assets, or credit of Borrowers that have been handled by, or transmitted from or through the equipment of unknown parties, or Interested Parties.” Furthermore, the lender “may not accept or use | more...

July 14, 2021

How Much Will My FHA Home Loan Be?

By Bruce Reichstein

How much will my FHA home loan be? That is a question many borrowers want to know, and the answer can be more complicated than just taking the sale price of the home and doing the math. FHA home loan maximum amounts are determined by factors including the maximum FHA loan guaranty for the housing market you are buying the home in, your credit history, the amount of your down payment, and more. The final amount of your FHA mortgage loan is affected by your down payment, the FHA loan limit in your area, and other factors. FHA Home Loan Limits FHA home loan limits are not the same in all housing markets. Some parts of the country are considered low-cost areas and have a lower FHA loan guaranty limit | more...

April 16, 2021

Learn More About Home Loans: Appraisals & Inspections

By Bruce Reichstein

It’s important to learn as much as you can about the home loan process when planning and saving for your new mortgage. If you are a newcomer to the home loan process, there are some good resources that can help you be more informed borrower. The less informed you are, the more likely you are to have some kind of regret at the end of the home loan process. The more you know, the more confident you will feel about your choices along the way. One important issue for many borrowers is the FHA appraisal process. Are you in-the-know about what happens during the appraisal, what it is intended to do and why you should never trust the appraisal to provide you the information that only a complete home inspection | more...

Buy or Build a House On Your Own Lot in 2020

February 17, 2021

FHA One-Time Close Construction Loan Advice: Hiring A Builder

By Bruce Reichstein

If you want to build a dream home on your own lot instead of buying somebody else’s house, the One-Time Close construction mortgage is an option you should explore. These loans require you to hire a builder (more on that below) and this is a part of the process that can be a bit intimidating for some borrowers until they learn there are some basic steps to follow that will make your hiring process a lot more hassle-free. Why Hire A Builder? Why go thru the trouble to find a qualified and reputable contractor to do the construction work for you? Why doesn’t the borrower act as their own builder or hire friends and family to pitch in? The answer is simple. For a start, most borrowers likely don’t have | more...

The FHA One-Time Close Construction Loan: An Option In 2020

October 23, 2020

FHA Implements New Construction Loan Rule Changes

By Bruce Reichstein

The FHA has announced rule modifications for its new construction loans. On October 22nd, 2020, the FHA and HUD issued a Mortgagee Letter detailing modifications made in 2018 and 2019 which have resulted in a need for further alterations of the rules for New Construction loans. Some of the changes end requirements for “Early Start Letters” and other requirements, others make provisions for “alternative inspections” as we’ll discover below. The FHA/HUD official site states there are also changes to the maximum financing policy for FHA New Construction loans. Effective immediately–lenders can choose to wait on implementing these modified rules until January 4, 2020, but have the option to start using the new rules now if they so choose) the following modifications are being added to HUD 4000.1: Eliminating Early Start | more...

Rent Or Buy? Arguments For Purchasing A Home With An FHA Mortgage

September 17, 2020

Does FHA Offer Adjustable Rate Mortgages?

By Bruce Reichstein

Does FHA offer adjustable rate mortgages? When you shop around for a participating FHA lender, be sure to ask about this type of FHA loan, sometimes known as an FHA ARM. Not all participating lenders may offer an FHA adjustable rate mortgage, but for those working with a lender that does, it is important to know some basics about the mortgage and how FHA loan rules govern the adjustments in the interest rates. Borrowers who apply for an FHA ARM loan must sign a disclosure statement that outlines the terms and conditions of the mortgage. The rules that govern FHA ARM loans are found in HUD 4000.1, and those rules begin with a definition of what the FHA considers to be an ARM loan. “An Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) refers | more...

Build on your own lot. Construction loan basics

May 1, 2020

FHA Construction Loan Facts: What You Need To Know

By Joe Wallace

There are many options available when you are searching for a house to buy. The first set of choices often involves the type of home loan you want to apply for–believe it or not there is no one-size-fits-all mortgage. If you want to purchase a condo with an FHA mortgage, for example, there is a specific loan and procedures for that. But what if you want to have a house built for you from the ground up? This is also an option, even for first-time home buyers. You can apply for a conventional one-time close construction loan, but you’ll be applying for conventional loan interest rates and terms; an FHA One-Time Close construction loan has a 3.5% down payment requirement, which is lower than you may be offered on a | more...

April 22, 2020

Mortgage Scams During COVID-19: Borrower Beware!

By Joe Wallace

The Federal Trade Commission warns mortgage borrowers to beware of scams that prey upon homeowners in trouble during the coronavirus outbreak. The FTC Chairman, Joe Simons, was quoted in an FTC press release advising borrowers about the FTC’s role in prosecuting scam artists taking advantage of Americans who have been affected by COVID-19. “The FTC is ready to assist businesses that may seek guidance about compliance obligations on consumer protection issues during this unprecedented time,” Simons said in the press release. If you have been contacted by a third party about coronavirus financial relief and suspect a scam artist at work, report coronavirus-related scams at ftc.gov/complaint. What should consumers do to protect themselves from coronavirus mortgage scams? The first step is simply to recognize that if you have not initiated | more...