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FHA Home Loan Guidelines – 3 Major Changes Coming!

January 22nd, 2010

FHA Home Loan Guidelines will be changing in the near future. They are a few changes that may cost you more to get a FHA Loan and may prevent you from qualifying for a mortgage.

Change To The Amount of Mortgage Insurance Premium Cost.

One of the biggest announced changes to the FHA Policy is to Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP). Mortgage Insurance Premium will be increased to help build up the capital reserves and bring back private lending. The capital reserves have been depleted because all of the home foreclosures.

The first step of the change will raise the up-front MIP from 1.75% to 2.25% of the loan amount. They are also planning on asking Congress for legislative authority to increase the maximum annual amount of MIP they can charge.

If they get this authority from Congress then the next step will be to shift some of the premium increase to the annual MIP from the up-front MIP. The shift will help the capital reserves to increase without having much impact on the borrower because the annual Mortgage Insurance Premium is paid over the life of the loan instead at closing. This change should go into effect some time in the spring of 2010.

Change To Minimum FICO Credit Scores.

New borrowers with less than a 580 FICO score will now be required to have a 10% down payment. In reality most lenders are currently requiring at least 620 FICO score to quality for FHA’s 3.5% down payment. This will help FHA to balance its risk and to continue to provide funds to the borrowers that have performed well in the past. This change will be posted in the Federal Register this February and after a required notice and comment period it should go into effect some time in early summer.

There is an exception to the 3.5% down payment required by FHA.  HUD currently has a HUD $100 Down Payment Incentive if you buy a HUD foreclosed home.  You can click here to get more information on this HUD $100 Down Payment Incentive.

Reduction Of The Amount Of Allowable Seller Concessions.

The current allowable a Seller can contribute to Buyer’s closing costs is 6% of the purchase price. This will be changed to just 3% which is in more in line with industry standards on Seller concessions. This change also will be posted in the Federal Register in February and after a required notice and comment period it will probably go in effect in the early summer.

These changes in the FHA Home Loan Guidelines could cost you your chance of getting a low down payment FHA mortgage. But there is still time to beat these changes if you get find a home to purchase and get it under contract by early spring.  You can click here to get more information about FHA Home Loan Guidelines.

FHA Home Loan Program is a great way to finance your new home with a very low down payment of just 3.5% and low credit scores. But things are changing with the FHA Home Loan Guidelines, you need to take action now to find your dream home now!

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FHA Mortgage Streamline Refinance Loans – Advantages and Qualifications!

January 7th, 2010

FHA Mortgage Streamline Refinance loans are available to homeowners that financed their homes with FHA Loans.

First a little history on FHA Refinance Loans. They have been available for a long time, all of the way back to the 1980’s. Because of the popularity of FHA Home Loans the Streamline Refinance Loans have at least 20% of the home refinance market and it is increasing at a steady rate.

FHA Home Loan Program is very popular in today’s housing market because of the low 3.5% down payment and the lower credit scores needed to qualify for a loan. Most conventional and insured conventional loans require 20% down payment. The credit scores for FHA loans can be around 620.

There are many advantages for this type of refinancing.

The Advantages of FHA Mortgage Streamline Refinance Loans:

1. The homeowner can get a lower interest rate and this will help them to reduce their monthly mortgage payment.

2. They can change the terms of their existing loans such as the length of the loan.

3. Quick processing and reduced paperwork and documentation. This is how they get the name “streamlined”. It will take less time to close and you will spend less time trying to get all of the paperwork and information together.

4. Closing costs can be can choose to include them in the new loan if there is enough equity in the home or they can choose to have no closing costs but that may result in a higher interest rate.

5. The homeowner does not have to verify income or employment status.

Of course there are some qualifications that you will have to meet in order to get the Streamlined FHA Refinance loan.

FHA Mortgage Streamlined Refinance Loans Qualifications:

1. You can not be delinquent on your monthly mortgage payments within the last 12 months.

2. The new mortgage loan must reduced monthly payments or the length of the loan.

3. No cash-out option is available.

4. No credit qualifications.

Unfortunately things may be changing. FHA is considering changes to their loan program because of the cost of increased home foreclosures. Among the changes being discussed are the increase in mortgage insurance and higher credit scores to qualify for a mortgage.

If you are considering refinancing your home mortgage now is a good time to do it before the changes take place!

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