Articles Tagged With: FHA HECM

August 12, 2024

Reverse Mortgages: HECM and Non-FHA Options

Reverse mortgages have become increasingly popular as a retirement financial planning tool. They give homeowners a way to access their home equity without having to make monthly payments, and that equity can come as a lump sum of cash or installment payments, or via a line of credit. Some disbursement options may be open to all applicants, others may depend on circumstnaces. When looking into reverse mortgage options, you will come across two main types: FHA reverse mortgages, also known as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, and non-FHA reverse mortgage options offered by conventional lenders. The FHA HECM is a reverse mortgage with a government guarantee. That government backing provides the lender with some protection in the event of loan default, making it easier for the lender to approve the loan. | more...

August 1, 2024

Comparing Conventional Reverse Mortgages To FHA HECMs

By Joe Wallace

A reverse mortgage is a refinance option for homeowners 62 or older who want to tap into their home equity. These loans are designed for senior homeowners who own their homes outright or are close to doing so. There are FHA reverse mortgages and conventional equivalents. Some borrowers are right for a conventional option, while others should consider the FHA HECM. Traditional mortgages require monthly payments to a lender. In contrast, reverse mortgages allow senior homeowners to borrow money secured by the equity in their home. These loans offer cash back to the borrower in a variety of options, including a lump sum, monthly payments, or a line of credit. Typically, repayment is not required during the borrower’s lifetime unless the home is sold or no longer used as the | more...

July 16, 2024

Do You Need Help Understanding Your FHA Loan?

By Joe Wallace

The variety of FHA home loan programs, including construction loans and reverse mortgages, can be overwhelming for many borrowers. HUD-approved housing counseling offers invaluable support to help borrowers make informed decisions about these complex programs. You can get a free referral to a HUD-approved housing counselor by calling 1-800-CALL FHA. FHA Loan Counseling: Your Path to Homeownership The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures mortgages, reducing lender risk and expanding access to homeownership for individuals with lower credit scores or limited down payment funds. However, understanding the nuances of certain FHA loans, such as reverse mortgages and construction loans, can be challenging. Did you know you can call HUD to get a referral to an approved housing counselor to help you through the process? Housing counselors can help you in the | more...

July 15, 2024

Understanding the Costs of an FHA Reverse Mortgage

By Joe Wallace

An FHA reverse mortgage, or Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM), can provide financial flexibility for qualifying homeowners aged 62 or older, but it’s crucial to understand the associated fees and expenses. If you meet the HECM age requirement and either own your home outright or are very close to doing so, what follows will be helpful for you. Primary Costs When considering an FHA reverse mortgage, you should be prepared to pay several key costs: FHA mortgage insurance, interest fees, lender’s fees, and potential service charges are among them. FHA mortgage insurance premiums consist of an initial 2% charge, followed by annual premiums of 0.5% of the outstanding loan balance. The FHA does allow borrowers to finance the upfront mortgage insurance premium as part of the loan. Additional Expenses In | more...

April 2, 2024

FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgages In 2024

By Bruce Reichstein

As further news comes in about improving housing market conditions (however slowly the market may improve), some homeowners are again thinking about their options, including FHA refinance loans and programs that let borrowers take the equity in their homes out in cash. For those reviewing FHA loans, options can include cash-out refinancing as well as an option for those 62 or older who own their homes or have nearly paid them off. FHA Reverse Mortgage Facts The FHA reverse mortgage allows a qualified borrower to get cash at closing time on a loan that is not due until the borrower dies, sells the home, or stops using it as their home address. Borrowers do not make mortgage payments with an FHA reverse mortgage. However, there are payments to be made. | more...

December 4, 2020

2021 FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage Loan Limits

By Joe Wallace

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has published FHA loan limits for the FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loan program for 2021. Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, also known as FHA Reverse Mortgages, are offered to financially qualified borrowers age 62 or older who either own their homes outright or are very close to doing so. FHA HECM loans feature no monthly payments; the borrower receives cash from the loan based on terms negotiated with the participating lender; the loan is normally due when the borrower dies or sells the home. The loan may also be declared due in full if the borrower quits using the property secured by the HECM loan as their primary address. Borrowers are required to use escrow to pay property taxes and must follow | more...

June 26, 2019

Who Can Apply For An FHA Reverse Mortgage?

By Bruce Reichstein

Borrowers who want to pull cash out of their home, converting value into cash back, have two basic options with an FHA-guaranteed loan. One of those options is the FHA Reverse Mortgage, also known as a Home Equity Conversion Mortgage. This is for borrowers who either own the home or are very close to paying off the mortgage loan on the property. FHA HECM mortgages allow for cash back with no monthly payments required since the loan is paid off when the borrower dies, or sells the property. Does this sound like an option you would like to explore? There is one very important caveat with FHA Reverse Mortgages-they are not available to borrowers under the qualifying age, which is 62 or older. That is why your lender may try | more...

October 25, 2018

FHA Reverse Mortgage Policy Changes Explained

By Bruce Reichstein

In a recent blog post we discussed recent changes to FHA Reverse Mortgage loan policies. Here are some explanations of some of those policy changes and how they affect mortgage loan processing for FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, also known as reverse mortgages. Evidence of Current Hazard Insurance FHA reverse mortgages require the lender to verify the existence of hazard insurance where required and to make sure that insurance is current, not delinquent. According to the 2018 HECM policy updates, participating FHA lenders who issue reverse mortgages are now allowed to accept alternative documentation of hazard insurance: “In lieu of a current hazard insurance declaration page, HUD will accept a document from the hazard insurance provider (i.e., hazard insurance company underwriting the property and responsible for paying a claim) on | more...

October 23, 2018

FHA Announces Revisions To FHA Reverse Mortgage Policies

By Joe Wallace

The Federal Housing Administration has issued a press release with revised FHA requirements for Home Equity Conversion Mortgages. Effective immediately, when processing FHA Reverse Mortgages, also known as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages, alternative supporting documentation is permitted as an alternative to “previously required materials that, in many instances, delayed claim processing” according to the FHA official site. FHA Commissioner Brian Montgomery is quoted in the press release saying that the rule changes would help keep the FHA Reverse Mortgage program on a “more financially viable path”. Montgomery says, “Streamlining the HECM claim payment process makes us more responsive to participating lenders…” FHA’s new HECM guidelines are intended to keep lenders from being “unduly burdened when seeking claims payments when the HECM reaches 98 percent of its maximum claim amount”. It | more...

July 2, 2018

Should I Consider An FHA Reverse Mortgage?

By Bruce Reichstein

Should I consider an FHA reverse mortgage? Many qualified borrowers are asking that question now in light of recent housing market stats indicating rising property values well into 2019. A Zillow.com report (through May 2018) indicates that housing is on an upward trend at the time of this writing. Home values have increased more than eight percent according to the Zillow report, and the same report says values could go up another 6.5% in the next year. Rising home values in U.S. housing markets means that borrowers applying for appraisal-required refinancing or FHA Reverse Mortgages (also known as FHA HECM loans) may discover their home is worth more than they realized. Naturally, this won’t apply in every single housing market, trends vary nationwide and your experience may vary based on | more...