Articles Tagged With: FHA Mortgage Loan

April 16, 2024

What Some Get Wrong About Home Loans

There is plenty of bad information about home loans out there. Many persistent myths color a house hunter’s opinion of certain mortgage options including FHA loans. What kind of misinformation is there in this area? It includes the wrong notion that FHA loans have need-based guidelines, such as an income cap, or that they are only for first-time home buyers. Both of those are untrue. Did Fox Business News Get It Wrong About Mortgages? In April 2024, the Fox Business News article, Today’s 15- and 30-year mortgage rates rise ran some information about the home loan process including a section discussing rate locks. The article includes the following, quoted verbatim: “A mortgage rate lock lets you lock in the current mortgage rate for a certain amount of time — often | more...

April 15, 2024

FHA Loans and Home Inspections

By Joe Wallace

The difference between an FHA appraisal and a home inspection is a serious issue. Borrowers applying for an FHA mortgage to buy a home must have an FHA appraisal to ensure that the property meets minimum standards. But when a home passes the appraisal process or allows the loan to go through as long as required corrections are made, does that mean the property has been inspected and approved by the FHA? Not according to the FHA official site, which says an appraisal is never a guarantee or endorsement of any kind. Borrowers should know that the purpose of the appraisal is to establish the home’s fair market value and ensure that the home meets the minimum standards. However, the appraisal is not intended to discover any/all issues with a | more...

April 9, 2024

Will FHA Loan Policies Change After The NAR Settlement?

By Joe Wallace

It was a legal move that stunned the mortgage industry. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) agreed “to pay $418 million over roughly four years to resolve all claims against the group by home sellers related to broker commissions,” according to a CBS News report. The settlement also affects how much in real estate commissions may be paid by the seller. The old 6% requirement has been eliminated. Federal agencies, including the FHA and HUD, are now working to assure customers and clients that the news won’t upend certain aspects of the FHA loan process. The Settlement Thanks to the proposed settlement, sellers may potentially pocket the savings they get by not having to pay the old traditional 6% MLS listing fee. Could those savings encourage some home sellers to | more...

April 4, 2024

Home Loan Interest Rates To Fall In Spring?

By Joe Wallace

In the end-of-year predictions leading up to 2024, there was talk about a housing market recovery. And there was further talk that such a recovery might happen in Spring 2024. Now, some have revised their predictions. Those revisions are based in part on the housing market recovery’s progress to date. But there is also discussion about what the Fed might do about interest rates in the Spring and Summer of 2024. Will Mortgage Rates Change In Spring 2024? Many anticipate the Fed cutting interest rates in late spring or early summer. But those cuts are not directly applied to mortgage rates. So, what is the Fed talking about doing here? The act of adjusting the rate for lenders who loan money to the public. Lower rates for the lender can | 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...

April 1, 2024

Home Loans In 2024: The First Quarter

By Joe Wallace

The first quarter of 2024 was a positive one for some house hunters. But many are wondering if rates will get closer to the mid to lower 6% range soon and whether to wait until that happens to start planning for a new FHA mortgage. A CNBC news report on mortgages published in the first quarter says there was higher demand in first three months of 2024. Higher demand potentially means higher sale prices, but not always. This year, it’s likely that is one of many contributing factors to the current rate environment. Did the supply rise to meet demand in Q1? CNBC notes that inventory went up nearly 6% overall. That meant as many as a million houses were for sale at the end of February. Home Sales Up | more...

March 26, 2024

FHA And HUD Offer Foreclosure Avoidance Option

By Joe Wallace

In late February 2024, the FHA announced a new home retention option for borrowers with FHA single-family home loans who may experience financial trouble along the way. The FHA Payment Supplement Program Is An Important Option The FHA Payment Supplement allows participating FHA lenders to temporarily alter the terms of the FHA loan to lower monthly payments without changing the home loan interest rate. This adjustment is not permanent but is designed to help borrowers avoid foreclosure during financial difficulties. FHA lenders working with borrowers in financial trouble now can lower the FHA mortgage payment by as much as 25%. That is meant as a temporary reduction designed to help those who can’t keep up with payments and have an FHA loan with an interest rate lower than current rates. | more...

March 19, 2024

First-Time Home Buyers May Benefit From Proposed Tax Credit

By Joe Wallace

A new mortgage tax credit proposal from the Biden administration could make buying a home more affordable for first-time home buyers. The President’s proposal includes a credit potentially worth up to $10k per homeowner for qualifying transactions. If the plan is approved, those buying starter homes and/or first-time home buyers could get into a more affordable mortgage. Why Now? According to RedFin, 2023 was the least affordable year to try to purchase a house. In 2023, those making approximately $78,000 “would have spent 41.4% of earnings by purchasing a median-price home at $408,806, up from 38.7% in 2022” according to a report by RedFin. And many American homeowners today pay on loans with mortgage interest rates lower than those currently available for purchase or refinance. That would tend to make | more...

February 26, 2024

FHA Loan Basics In 2024

By Joe Wallace

Are you new to FHA loans? Do you feel the list of requirements is a bit overwhelming? You are not alone. Many first-time home buyers experience these feelings as they get to know the home loan landscape. The good news is that your confusion will end the more you learn about how home loans work. Here is some clarity on some common FHA loan basics that some newcomers find confusing in the early days of mortgage planning. FHA Loan Approval Basics Looking at finance blogs, you will find a variety of FHA home loan requirement lists. Here is an example of one, published by NerdWallet. There are important nuances to understand about the list above. before you proceed. Let’s review each section of this list. To start, it is true | more...

February 22, 2024

Before You Apply For An Adjustable-Rate Mortgage

By Joe Wallace

Are you worried about FHA loan interest rates? If you have decided to explore your home loan options with an FHA adjustable rate mortgage, here are some important details to know while still planning and saving up for the loan. FHA ARM Loans Differ From Conventional ARM Loans An FHAS adjustable-rate mortgage isn’t necessarily the same as a conventional equivalent. Your conventional lender’s occupancy guidelines will vary. Does yours have a requirement that the property securing the ARM loan serves as your home address? FHA ARM loans definitely require this as a condition of loan approval. Occupancy is key in that at least one borrower obligated on the FHA loan must live in the home being refinanced or purchased with an ARM. FHA loan rules on occupancy extend to nearly | more...