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Articles Tagged With: Mortgage Underwriting

July 17, 2012

General FHA Refinancing Loan Rules

By Joe Wallace

There are many things borrowers ask when applying for an FHA refinancing loan for the first time. Some borrowers are interested in lowering their monthly payments, others are interested in cash-out refinancing loan options. But there are some basics every borrower should know about FHA refinancing loans, regardless of what kind of refinancing they wind up applying for. For example, FHA loan rules as written in HUD 4155.1 Chapter Three state that a borrower must be current on any loan being financed. “The borrower must be current on the loan being refinanced for the month due prior to the month in which he/she closes the refinancing, and for the month in which he/she closes.” “Example:

 

June 13, 2012

FHA Loan Reader Questions: Can I Buy Another Home With An FHA Mortgage Loan?

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “We purchased our first home using an FHA loan – 5% down. We have outgrown our home due to an expanded family and we are looking to purchase another home that is bigger – is it possible to qualify for another FHA loan – we have at most 10% to put down towards a new home. Our plan would be to rent out this current home we have as it is in a good rental area. Any advice on how we can achieve this?” FHA loan rules, according to the official site at FHA.gov, include a restriction on issuing single-family mortgage loans to investors. Due to this restriction, the official site says, “FHA generally will not insure more than one mortgage for any borrower (transactions in which | more...

 

May 25, 2012

FHA Rules For Streamline Refinancing With or Without a Credit Check

By Joe Wallace

FHA Streamline Refinancing loans–which are issued for those with existing FHA mortgages–are available in two ways. One is a non-credit qualifying streamline loan which is available to qualified borrowers, the other is the “with credit check” or “credit qualifying” streamline refinance. When is a borrower eligible for a no-credit check FHA streamline loan? Part of the answer requires a look at the FHA definition of the streamline loan. According to the FHA official site, “Streamline refinances are designed to lower the monthly principal and interest payments on a current FHA-insured mortgage, and must involve no cash back to the borrower, except for minor adjustments at closing that are not to exceed $500.” The FHA permits streamline refinancing loans with no credit check with the borrower has owned the property for | more...

 

May 18, 2012

HUD Studies Reveal Important Benefits Associated With Housing Counseling

By Joe Wallace

A press release from the Department of Housing and Urban Development says FHA/HUD approved housing counseling offers significant benefits “for families who purchase their first homes and those struggling to prevent foreclosure”. Those benefits were the focus of two HUD research projects. According to HUDNo.12-085, ” HUD found housing counseling significantly improved the likelihood homeowners remained in their homes” . That finding comes from two housing counseling research projects, one that involved pre-purchase counseling and one focusing on foreclosure avoidance counseling by HUD-approved agencies. “Both the pre-purchase counseling and foreclosure counseling studies enrolled clients in the fall of 2009 and early 2010. HUD found that 35 percent of participants became homeowners within 18 months of pre-purchase counseling and only one of those buyers subsequently fell behind in their mortgage payments.” | more...

 

May 2, 2012

FHA Appraisals: Who Is Responsible For Appraisal Quality?

By Joe Wallace

One question about FHA home loans doesn’t usually come up unless someone in the FHA loan process is dissatisfied with the appraisal, but it’s a question asked often enough to be included in the FHA/HUD list of the most frequently asked questions: Who is responsible for the quality of an FHA appraisal? According to the FHA FAQ, “The lender is held responsible, equally with the appraiser, for the integrity, accuracy and thoroughness of an appraisal submitted to FHA for mortgage insurance purposes. FHA may pursue appropriate enforcement actions against both or either party for violations.” In Mortgagee Letter 2009-41, The FHA also says, “FHA requires that all appraisers performing appraisals of properties that will be security for FHA-insured financing be knowledgeable of FHA appraisal reporting requirements…” and, “Appraisals performed for | more...

 

May 1, 2012

FHA Loans For Disaster Victims

By Joe Wallace

Every spring and summer, we report on local communities that become eligible for federal disaster relief, including FHA loans, FHA foreclosure relief and other types of assistance for those who have had homes damaged by natural disasters. One of the most recent examples was our blog post on the relief efforts for those affected by storms in Hawaii, and unfortunately that likely won’t be the only such post we’ll have to make in coming months as tornado season and hurricane season for 2012 approach. What does the FHA offer those affected by natural disasters? There are many programs, but one of the most widely used is the FHA’s Mortgage Insurance for Disaster Victims, also known as a Section 203(h) loan. According to the FHA, “This program helps victims in presidentially | more...

 

April 27, 2012

FHA Loans: The Road To Refinance

By Joe Wallace

The official White House You Tube channel posted a video on April 18th, 2012, detailing the President’s plan for refinancing for borrowers. According to the YouTube post, “Brian Deese, Deputy Director of the National Economic Council, explains how President Obama’s plan would make it much easier for millions of American homeowners to refinance their mortgage and save hundreds of dollars every month.” This plan has been proposed, but has not been passed by Congress. As described in the video (see below at the end of this blog post), there are many advantages to refinancing, and the Obama plan would, if passed, offer more options for borrowers who need lower monthly payments and lower interest rates. But in the meantime, many FHA borrowers need refinancing and can’t afford to wait to | more...

 

April 18, 2012

Prison Time For Reverse Mortgage Scammers

By Joe Wallace

From time to time, we report news of housing scams that can affect FHA borrowers. It’s a way of raising the awareness that such scams exist, a reminder of the necessity of being careful in the loan process. The latest news from the FHA and HUD includes a report of three loan officers and a title agent who have been barred from doing business with the FHA/HUD following their convictions on fraud charges. The action was announced in a press release at HUD.gov, HUDNo.12-069: “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the indefinite debarment of three South Florida mortgage loan officers and a Pittsburgh title agent following their criminal convictions on charges they defrauded elderly borrowers, mortgage lenders and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Marcos Echevarria, | more...

 

April 17, 2012

FHA Loan Reader Question: Chapter 7 Bankruptcy and Foreclosure Actions

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “I filed Chapter 7 in 2010 and only 1 item was included. I filed due to divorce in 2007 and ex spouse did not pay house payments and he was evicted in 1/09 and home was padlocked and forgotten about by B of A. After so many letters and calls B of A finally foreclosed on padlocked property in 2011 THREE YEARS later. I have great credit score of over 700+and would like to buy. I have been renting for over 3 years. Is