Articles Tagged With: Fixed Rate Mortgage

Conventional Loan Interest Rates Make History, FHA Loan Rates Still Incredibly Low

July 23, 2018

FHA Lenders With The Lowest Mortgage Loan Interest Rates

Which FHA lender offers the lowest interest rates? This is a question on the minds of all FHA borrowers, whether you are looking for an FHA new purchase loan, an FHA cash-out refinance, or even an FHA Reverse Mortgage. The answer to this question, however, is more complicated than “Lender X offers the best rates”. It Pays To Shop Around For FHA Loan Interest Rates If you need to know the lowest interest rate offered by a group of lenders, you will need to check with each participating lender. But there’s a catch-interest rates fluctuate, and can change daily. The rates you see today may not apply tomorrow, and those interest rates are listed without reference to a borrower’s credit rating and credit history. Shopping around for an interest rate | more...

July 13, 2018

Should You Sell Your Home? The FHA Cash-Out Refinance Option

By Joe Wallace

There are a lot of websites urging home owners to consider selling your home, especially for those who own homes on the West Coast. Home owners on the West Coast and other increasingly profitable housing markets have the potential (at the time of this writing) to earn more than ever by selling a house. But borrowers looking to get cash from their homes in a housing market where property values are going up have another option to consider. It doesn’t matter if your home is in San Jose, San Francisco, Seattle, or Nashville, if your home could appraise for more money today due to the influence of a hot housing market? It could be worth an amount worth considering in the form of an FHA cash-out refinance. If you are | more...

April 9, 2018

FHA Loan Appraisal Tips

By Joe Wallace

FHA loan appraisal tips can be hard to come by if you are a first-time home buyer and aren’t even sure about the right questions to ask. Do you need to clear up any confusion over the FHA appraisal? Keep reading, you’ll learn that the appraisal process is more simple and straightforward than it may appear at first glance. FHA Appraisals Are Ordered For The Home You Wish To Purchase That may seem alike a simple and obvious fact if you have some experience with the home loan process, but some borrowers might not realize that the appraisal stage of the mortgage comes when you find a home you are serious about buying. You won’t need to know the actual fair market value of a home that you’re just “window | more...

February 5, 2018

Does Being A Co-Signer Affect My FHA Loan Application?

By Bruce Reichstein

Does being a cosigner on another loan or line of credit affect your chances at FHA home loan approval? It’s a good question to ask before you commit yourself to being named on another person’s loan. HUD 4000.1 has the FHA loan rules for “contingent liabilities” created when you cosign another person’s loan, starting with the basic definition of the term: “A Contingent Liability refers to a liability that may result in the obligation to repay only when a specific event occurs. For example, a contingent liability exists when an individual can be held responsible for the repayment of a debt if another legally obligated party defaults on the payment.” This section of the FHA home loan rules adds that contingent liabilities can include, “Cosigner liabilities and liabilities resulting from | more...

December 13, 2017

FHA One-Time Close Requirements: Appraisals

By Bruce Reichstein

FHA One-Time Close / Single-Close construction loans feature a single loan application and closing date for both the construction phase of the loan and the “permanent” portion of the loan. Like other FHA mortgages, an appraisal is required on the property to be secured by the mortgage. In general, FHA loan appraisal requirements include the following guidelines on the timing, as found in HUD 4000.1, the FHA loan handbook: “The effective date of the appraisal cannot be before the FHA case number assignment date unless the Mortgagee certifies that the appraisal was ordered for conventional lending or government-guaranteed loan purposes and was performed pursuant to FHA guidelines.” While this may not normally be an issue for construction loans given the timing of the appraisal, another portion of the same section | more...

December 12, 2017

Getting Ready For An FHA Home Loan In 2018

By Bruce Reichstein

Are you getting ready for an FHA home loan in 2018? There are some checklist items you should be thinking about in the planning stages of your FHA loan. Credit Monitoring 2017 was a very bad year for many companies because of hacker activity. Many high-profile brands, corporations, even credit reporting agencies themselves were the victims of security breaches. Do you know if your accounts have been affected? If you don’t, you may not be as ready for a home loan as you think you are. For some, it may be best to have regular credit monitoring in the months leading up to your credit application to avoid surprises. Know the contents of your credit report, dispute inaccurate data, and keep an eye on new activity. You’ll be glad you | more...

October 20, 2017

How Many Times In My Life Can I Get An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

How many times in my life can I get an FHA loan? If you are buying your first home, this is a question you might not ask until later. But it’s a good idea to know what your options are should you need to sell your first home later and begin a new house hunt. Understanding FHA Loans Knowing that FHA home loans are intended for owner-occupiers who want to use their property as their home address and primary residence helps a lot when trying to understand FHA loan rules. If you don’t plan to use the property you want to buy as your home, you won’t be able to use an FHA single-family home loan to purchase it. There are certain exceptions for government agencies and non-profit groups, but | more...

Refinancing a Second Home With An FHA Mortgage Loan

August 8, 2017

How Soon Can I Sell My Home After My FHA Loan Closes?

By Joe Wallace

How soon can a borrower sell the home purchased with an FHA mortgage loan? The answer depends greatly on circumstances, but there are a few things to keep in mind. FHA home loans are intended for owner-occupiers, not investment property, so borrowers will need to keep that in mind when learning about the requirements and restrictions on an FHA mortgage in this area. In general, the FHA loan rules in this area are directed at the buyer’s side of the transaction. Owners are not prevented from offering property for sale, and FHA loan rules generally favor a home owner’s ability to freely sell property without restriction. But if you want to sell your property to someone looking to buy with certain types of mortgage loans backed by the government (like | more...

July 11, 2017

When Is An FHA Loan Better Than A Conventional Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

When is an FHA loan better than a conventional loan? Many potential FHA borrowers ask this question. Do you know how FHA loans stack up against their conventional loan counterparts? Purchase And Refinance The FHA Single Family Loan program features loans for both new purchases and refinancing. If you are considering a refinance loan in your home buying strategy, an FHA mortgage may be the right move for you. If you buy FHA and refinance FHA, you can take advantage of the FHA-to-FHA only Streamline Refinance loan to get into a lower mortgage payment and/or interest rates. We’ll cover the refinancing aspect of FHA mortgage loans more closely in another blog post. FHA Loan Interest Rates FHA home loans feature interest rates that are often competitive with their conventional loan | more...

July 10, 2017

When Is An FHA Loan A Good Idea?

By Bruce Reichstein

When is an FHA loan a good idea? The answer depends on what you’re looking for from a home loan. Some borrowers are exactly right for an FHA mortgage, others may need another alternative. Is an FHA loan right for you? FHA Loan Occupancy Requirements Most FHA single family home loans require occupancy. The lender will ask you to certify in writing that you intend to occupy the property as your primary residence and not as a vacation home or other occasional occupancy type situation. Borrowers are free to purchase homes with up to four units and rent out the unused living units, but at least one borrower must occupy the home as her or his primary residence (usually within two months of loan closing). So if you are looking | more...