Articles Published in: October 2018

October 23, 2018

Getting A New FHA Loan After Selling Your Home

A lot of the advice you read about home loans in general, and FHA mortgages in particular, is aimed at the first-time home buyer. But what happens after that first-time buyer becomes a home owner, eventually sells the property, and wants to purchase another home with an FHA loan? Buying another home after selling your old one will seem very familiar in many ways, but when you purchase again after selling (or choose to sell and purchase at the same time) you will need some extra supporting documentation. Your FHA lender is requires to verify your income and debts the same way as with the original mortgage. But having purchased a home, and paid it off via the sale of the property (or even simply paying off the old mortgage | more...

the importance of credit for home loan approval

October 22, 2018

FHA Home Loan Debt-To-Income Ratios

By Joe Wallace

First-time home buyers looking at their FHA mortgage options hear a lot of about the debt-to-income ratio and how it affects the borrower’s ability to get a home loan approved. But do you know how the FHA lender is supposed to calculate that debt ratio? The rules governing this are found in the FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1. It explains to the lender that there are actually two debt ratio calculations that must be made. One is the total monthly mortgage payment compared to the total monthly income, the other is the total “fixed payment” compared to the borrower’s income. These debt ratios are complicated by the requirement that the income used to calculate the ratio must be lender-verified and certain kinds of unverifiable income will not count in the | more...

October 19, 2018

Finding A Lender For An FHA Mortgage

By Joe Wallace

How do you find the right lender for your home loan needs? If you seek an FHA mortgage, the first step is to find a participating lender who is willing to write an FHA loan. After that, the process of weeding out has a lot to do with finding the services you need, the most competitive interest rate, and a lender that has the kind of loan you need. FHA Lenders: They Are Not All Alike The reason it’s important to shop around for an FHA lender includes finding one that is willing to do the kind of mortgage for the property you want to purchase. Not all participating lenders offer all FHA loan products. Depending on your housing market, certain kinds of mortgages may not be popular and may | more...

October 18, 2018

How To Start Buying A Home With An FHA Mortgage

By Bruce Reichstein

What are the first steps towards purchasing a home with an FHA mortgage? That depends on the stage of your loan that you find yourself in-when it’s time to plan the mortgage, the steps involve pulling your credit report and saving up for your down payment and other expenses. But what about when you are ready to start actually house hunting? A few preliminary steps can save you headaches and wasted time later. Use A Mortgage Calculator To Determine A Price Range It’s strongly recommended that house hunters first calculate an estimated price range on homes they can afford. House hunting with a specific set of prices will help rule out neighborhoods that don’t fit into your budget. But the price range determination does not stand alone-knowing how much home | more...

October 17, 2018

Am I Ready To Apply For An FHA Mortgage?

By Joe Wallace

Are you ready to apply for an FHA home loan? There are some steps you can take in the planning stages to make sure that when you fill out those forms, you are absolutely ready. FHA Home Loans: Is Now The Right Time To Buy A Home? There are many things that come together to make a home loan transaction successful; one of them is the timing of your loan application. Is now the right time to buy? If you have a down payment saved or budgeted for, if you have checked your credit, if you have done the math on your finances, you have a very good idea of your financial status at the moment. If there are things left undone, you can pick some of the most simple | more...

October 15, 2018

FHA Home Loans And Your Free Credit Report

By Joe Wallace

There is a great deal of advice about preparing for a home loan application. If you are considering an FHA mortgage, FHA refinance loan, or even a reverse mortgage, you will need to take time to prepare for your FHA loan before filling out the application paperwork. Part of that preparation involves pulling your credit report to make sure there is no identity theft, inaccurate information, etc. But how do you get copies of your credit report? All consumers are entitled to a free credit report every 12 months. This report is available from each of the three credit reporting agencies; Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. The government consumer watchdog agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), advises borrowers to apply for these credit reports via AnnualCreditReport.com. You are entitled to | more...

October 15, 2018

HUD Announces Disaster Relief For Hurricane Michael Victims In Florida

By Bruce Reichstein

The Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced disaster relief for victims of Hurricane Michael in Florida. According to a HUD press release, the government will “speed federal disaster assistance to the State of Florida and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to Hurricane Michael” following a presidential declaration of a major disaster area in several Florida counties including Bay, Franklin, Gulf, Taylor, and Wakulla. The declaration means those living in the affected areas are eligible for a 90-day moratorium on foreclosure on FHA mortgages. To get the benefit of this moratorium borrowers should call their loan officers and contact the FHA Resource Center at 1-800-304-9320. Never assume it is safe to simply stop making payments on an FHA mortgage after a natural | more...

October 12, 2018

Protect Yourself When Shopping For A New Home

By Joe Wallace

A recently published report about home loans and credit checks advises, “Do not allow a credit pull by a lender you don’t know, especially if the offer is unsolicited”. This advice leads to a few other questions about the home loan process; how do you protect yourself against identity theft, fraud, scams, and unscrupulous vendors when you are trying to buy a home with an FHA mortgage? Consider Your Recent Activities When Shopping For A Home Loan What does this mean? When you want to buy a home with an FHA mortgage or any other kind of loan, consider that you may be signing up for accounts on real estate sites or other online resources and that you don’t always know what might become of your personal data with third | more...

October 11, 2018

FHA Loan Rules For Presidentially-Declared Major Disaster Areas

By Bruce Reichstein

In September of 2018, the FHA and HUD issued a reminder to lenders and FHA loan servicers regarding official policy for dealing with loans in presidentially-declared major disaster areas. A document labelled FHA INFO #18-40 states that for both forward loans and FHA reverse mortgage loans, certain guidance applies once the federal disaster area declaration has been made. The guidance begins with a definition of the disaster area declaration, explaining that it is made when “natural or other events are of such severity that it is beyond the combined capabilities of state and local governments to respond”. When this is invoked by the president, FHA loan guidance to participating lenders includes the following: FHA Loan Foreclosure Moratorium FHA loan rules include a 90-day moratorium on foreclosures following the declaration of | more...

October 10, 2018

Four Reasons You Need A Home Inspection After The FHA Appraisal

By Joe Wallace

There are four good reasons why you need a home inspection as well as an FHA appraisal on the home you want to buy with an FHA mortgage. Some FHA loan applicants are tempted to sign on the dotted line based on the results of the FHA appraisal alone. Is this a good idea? No. Why not? If it’s good enough for the FHA, why isn’t it good enough for the borrower to accept the appraisal results and take it on faith that the home is exactly as it appears? #4: Get A Home Inspection Because The Appraisal Is Not Intended For The Borrower, It’s A Tool For The Lender The appraisal process is meant only to establish the home’s fair market value and determine that the home meets minimum | more...