Articles Tagged With: FHA Mortgage Loans

January 25, 2018

FHA Loan Options For New Construction Homes: FHA One-Time Close Mortgages And More

FHA loan options for buying new construction homes include the FHA One-Time Close / Single-Close Construction Mortgage, which allows a borrower to apply once and have a single closing date for a house built from the ground up. FHA One-Time Close mortgages differ from other construction loans because this type of construction loan eliminates the two-step construction loan application process where the borrower applies once for the costs of construction, and has a closing date for that loan, then applies a second time for the mortgage on the property itself. It’s definitely an advantage to have a single application and closing date. But what are the other options to compare this type of loan to? It’s good to know what you can get from multiple options-making an informed choice to | more...

January 11, 2018

FHA Condo Loans And Site Condominiums

By Joe Wallace

FHA condo loans are available for both condo units and site condominiums. But what’s the difference? Many are surprised to learn that an FHA home loan is available for condo units, but are sometimes disappointed that the FHA condo loan requirements include being on or added to an FHA-approved condo project list. Borrowers must work with their participating FHA lenders to have condo projects not on that list added to it, but the requirements are different depending on whether you’re looking at a condo unit or a property classified as a “site condominium”. What’s the difference? FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 require a condo project to be added to the FHA approved list if it is not already when the borrower chooses to buy. FHA loan rules were created | more...

January 1, 2018

Welcome To 2018!

By Bruce Reichstein

Happy New Year! We look forward to another year of writing about FHA home loan topics, answering questions about the mortgage process, and passing along crucial news and updates about the FHA home loan program. We pause today from our usual schedule to celebrate the new year, but our regularly scheduled posts return on January 2nd. Thank you for reading and welcome to 20181

December 27, 2017

What Are FHA House Loans?

By Bruce Reichstein

What are FHA house loans? Are they really only for first-time home buyers? There are many things about the FHA home loan program that are easily misunderstood. Let’s explore how FHA home loans can help you even if you are NOT a first-time home buyer. FHA Home Loans: What They Are Designed To Do FHA mortgages allow qualified borrowers to buy, refinance, and repair/rehab homes intended to be used as the buyer’s primary residence. FHA mortgages include options for cash-out and no cash-out refinancing, and there are rehab loans, FHA fixer-upper loans, FHA construction loans, and several other options. FHA loans can be used to buy suburban homes, condo units, mobile homes, manufactured homes, and modular homes. You can also apply for an FHA One-Time Close construction loan to have | more...

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

December 26, 2017

What You Should Know About FHA Loan Down Payments

By Joe Wallace

What you should know about FHA loan down payments includes understanding the lender’s requirements for verifying the source of your down payment funds, and the fact that your down payment is not affected by other home loan fees or expenses. What do these things mean? The FHA Loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, has the answers. FHA Home Loan Down Payment Basic Requirements HUD 4000.1 tells the lender that the lowest possible down payment is 3.5% of the adjusted value of the property. This does not apply for HUD-owned “repo” homes also known as HUD REO properties. The rules for these homes includes the possibility of a $100 down payment (lender standards may also apply). The down payment is a condition of loan approval; the only FHA home loan “forward mortgage” for | more...

December 20, 2017

What FHA Appraisal Issues Should I Know About?

By Bruce Reichstein

What FHA appraisal issues should I know about? That’s a question that likely doesn’t get asked enough, but the answers can help you make a more informed choice when buying a home. FHA Appraisal Rules For The Living Unit The FHA loan handbook spells out several basic requirements for the living unit which include (but may not be limited to) the following guidelines-the lender is required to insure each home has the following: -a continuing and sufficient supply of safe and potable water under adequate pressure and of appropriate quality for all household uses; -sanitary facilities and a safe method of sewage disposal. Every living unit must have at least one bathroom, which must include, at a minimum, a water closet, lavatory, and a bathtub or shower; -adequate space for | more...

What You Should Know About FHA Home Loan Credit Checks As A First-Time Home Buyer

December 11, 2017

FHA Home Loans In 2018

By Joe Wallace

Any potential borrower examining options for FHA home loans in 2018 should keep in mind some very important factors that may affect your choices for a new loan. Do you know what they are? FHA Mortgage Loan Limits Have Increased for 2018 The average housing market (not a high-cost or low-cost area) will feature an FHA loan limit of $453,100 for a single-unit property. That is up from 2017’s limit for the same areas of $424,100. That increase might not make a huge difference to some, but the additional borrowing power may be helpful to others. The higher FHA loan limit applies to all FHA mortgages with case numbers assigned between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Check Your Credit Scores As Early As Possible There were many headlines | more...

December 6, 2017

FHA Construction To Permanent Loan 2018 / One-Time Close (Single-Close)

By Bruce Reichstein

FHA construction To Permanent loans in 2018 are a great option for those who want to buy a home but aren’t interested in purchasing existing construction properties. If having a home built for you sounds better than buying one that already exists, the FHA Construction-To-Permanent loan, also known as an FHA One-Time-Close loan / Single-Close loan, might be right for you. FHA Construction To Permanent Loan Requirements The basic credit qualifying guidelines for FHA One-Time Close mortgages may vary more among participating FHA lenders. You may find a minimum FICO score requirement of 620 or higher depending on the lender, and in some cases you may learn that a lender has a minimum FICO score benchmark of 660 or better and that two FICO scores may be required. Credit requirements | more...

November 7, 2017

HUD Takes Measures To Speed Up Hurricane Recovery Efforts

By Joe Wallace

HUD has announced it is taking measures to speed up hurricane recovery efforts through a series of red tape-cutting waivers that affect regulatory and administrative procedures. According to a press release on the official site, a set of 19 waivers have been created, intended to help communities “to accelerate their recovery from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. While HUD granted a number of individual waivers following disasters in the past, today’s announcement represents one of the largest collections of regulatory and administrative waivers ever issued by the Department at one time” according to the HUD official site. A variety of programs are affected by these new waivers. They include: The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) Program Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program Emergency | more...

November 6, 2017

Why Do People Prefer FHA Loans?

By Bruce Reichstein

Why do people prefer FHA loans? It’s a question many ask, especially when comparing loan options to conventional, VA, or other non-FHA mortgages. What’s the appeal of the FHA mortgage loan? Why should first-time home buyers consider this option? FHA Loans Are Flexible FHA home loans aren’t just for one type of home, or for one type of buyer. There is no income limit for an FHA mortgage, the borrower has to be able to afford the mortgage based on the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio (how much money you have coming in compared to the amount going out each month for financial obligations). Credit ratings, employment, and other factors are also important, but the misconception that FHA mortgages are only for those who need financial help isn’t true. Any financially qualified | more...