Articles by: Bruce Reichstein

March 30, 2020

FHA Announces Modified Appraisal Rules During Coronavirus Outbreak

The FHA and HUD have modified certain FHA appraisal requirements in response to the coronavirus outbreak and the need for social distancing. Since the outbreak of coronavirus and the worldwide pandemic that followed, government agencies began issuing policies to accommodate the need to prevent gatherings of people which potentially spreads the virus farther and wider. In the home loan industry, many are at risk including appraisers who must (under normal conditions) enter the homes of strangers and potentially expose themselves to infection. At the end of March, the FHA and HUD issued a press release announcing changes in FHA appraisal policy to address the needs to get appraisals done without exposing people to additional risks. That announcement including a set of temporary modifications to FHA appraisal requirements for single-family home | more...

March 25, 2020

Refinance Loan Options You Should Know

By Bruce Reichstein

At one point during the coronavirus crisis, refinance applications spiked. Some sources report that spike hitting over 100% at the height of the application surge; people rushed to take advantage of sub-three-percent mortgage loan interest rates. Part of the surge may also have been due (this is speculation) to a misconception that when the Fed performed emergency interest rate cuts, it directly cut mortgage rates. The Fed doesn’t function that way, but the misunderstanding of how the Fed works may have contributed to the overall impression that refinance loan rates were going still lower. In the news, talk of an economic recession puts fear in the minds of some homeowners; what can you do to protect your bottom line in a time when many businesses are temporarily closed and paychecks | more...

How To Avoid Mortgage Default And Foreclosure During The Coronavirus

March 23, 2020

Don’t Fall Victim To Mortgage Default And Foreclosure During The Coronavirus

By Bruce Reichstein

Are you worried about losing your home during the financial trouble caused by COVID-19 and the global coronavirus outbreak? There are some important steps you can take to save your home and avoid foreclosure. FHA borrowers should know that the FHA and HUD have issued a 60-day moratorium for eviction and foreclosure action associated with FHA mortgages. But that is a TEMPORARY delay and borrowers should not expect to avoid foreclosure without making arrangements with their lender. If you are in trouble with your mortgage, there are important steps you can take to avoid foreclosure after the 60-day delay in FHA loan foreclosure action has expired. What are they? Contact your lender as soon as you know you are having financial trouble. Make arrangements with your loan officer and see | more...

March 19, 2020

HUD Begins Foreclosure Relief For FHA Borrowers Affected By The Coronavirus Outbreak

By Bruce Reichstein

The Department of Housing and Urban Development is providing FHA borrowers a 60-day foreclosure moratorium described as “immediate relief” for those who may be struggling to make FHA mortgage loan payments during the health crisis. Details From HUD The HUD official site has published details of the HUD-mandated moratorium on all foreclosures on FHA Single-Family home loans and Reverse Mortgages, a move similar to what happens to borrowers in federally-declared disaster areas after a natural disaster such as a hurricane, flood, forest fire, landslide, etc. FHA Mortgage Foreclosure Evictions Also Suspended The HUD foreclosure moratorium announcement includes a suspension of evictions related to those foreclosures, also for sixty days. The eviction process suspension is a critical part of foreclosure relief for some borrowers. The HUD official site’s press release addresses | more...

March 18, 2020

How do I find a VA One Time Construction Close Lender? ( 1 x Close, Single Close, OTC)

By Bruce Reichstein

We are passionate about educating our Nation’s Veterans about the VA One Time Close Construction to Permanent loan program. This program allows eligible Veterans to utilize their hard earned home loan entitlement to purchase a newly constructed home as opposed to purchasing a resale property (both offer $0 down) with no geographical restrictions and for Primary residences only . VA One Time Close Program Highlights Include: No payments due during construction; No re-qualification once construction is complete so you only qualify once & a single closing reduces costs and paperwork. Buyer Advantages Include: Provides construction financing for lot purchase and permanent loan all in one loan; Allows for up to 6% seller / builder contribution for borrower’s closing costs & pre-paids; Permanent and Construction portions of the loan underwritten and | more...

One-Time Close Construction Loan Options For Veterans

March 17, 2020

Your Construction Loan Options

By Bruce Reichstein

Build a home instead of buying an existing one? This is a reality and there are plenty of choices to go around; FHA One-Time Close construction loans, the VA construction loan equivalent, USDA construction loans, and even conventional mortgages to build on your own land instead of buying an existing home. These loans all have features that are different than existing construction loans. They include how long it takes for you to move in, when your mortgage payments begin, and the kinds of features your home may have. Construction loans can be a bit more complex than a new purchase loan for a house in a typical neighborhood, and some read articles like this and want to be ready to commit, but an equal number of people read this but | more...

March 11, 2020

Refinance Loan Applications Spike In March 2020

By Bruce Reichstein

The week ending March 6, 2020 saw a surge in refinance loan applications and many home loan blogs and market watch websites are talking about the current rush into refinancing as something not seen in roughly eleven years. Low mortgage rates have dominated real estate headlines thanks to investor reactions to coronavirus news and many people are taking the time to look into refinancing their mortgages to save money over the long term. What do you need to know about refinancing your home loan in an extremely volatile interest rate environment? Are You Ready To Refinance? If you have worked on your credit, know your FICO scores and what your lender may find in your credit report and you are willing to commit to the loan, it’s best to do | more...

How To Avoid Foreclosure During The Coronavirus

March 9, 2020

5 Home Loan Myths You Should Know About

By Bruce Reichstein

There are many myths about FHA home loans; that you must be a first-time buyer to qualify, that you can only buy a certain kind of home with an FHA mortgage, and that FHA loans are only for economically disadvantage home buyers. None of those things are true. There are other pervasive myths about FHA mortgages you should know. #5: FHA Loans Are Only For Existing Construction Property Not True! The FHA One-Time Close Construction loan allows even first-time homebuyers the chance to apply for a loan to build a house from the ground up. Construction loans require more time and you won’t be able to move into the home until the construction phase is complete, but for those not in a hurry to move in favor getting just the | more...

March 6, 2020

FHA Refinance Loans: Are You Ready?

By Bruce Reichstein

Mortgage rates have fallen incredibly low in the earliest weeks of 2020, and many are calling their lenders asking about options to refinance. There are many choices when it’s time to refinance; getting the right FHA refinance loan for you depends on needs and goals for the home. How Long Do You Plan To Own The Home? The basic decision to refinance can often be informed by your goals for the house securing the mortgage. Are you planning to stay in the home long-term? That will affect the type of refinance loan you might investigate as well as the basic nature of the loan as a fixed-rate mortgage or an adjustable-rate loan. Adjustable rate loans are good for borrowers who have a strategy for how to deal with the loan | more...

March 4, 2020

Low Mortgage Rates and Refinance Options

By Bruce Reichstein

On Tuesday, March 3, the Fed announced an emergency rate cut, and the reaction to that included mortgage loan interest rates hitting new and historic lows. The Fed does not set mortgage loan interest rates, but investor reaction to the announcement of the rate cut did affect mortgage rates, and the net effect was that FHA home loan interest rates remain (at the time of this writing) below the three percent range. And conventional mortgages are holding at the bottom of the three percent zone. These rates, plastered all over the internet, are provided assuming ideal scenarios, but even the average borrower will find the current lower mortgage rate trend to be to their advantage. New Purchase Loans And Refinance Loans Are Affected For those who are interested in refinancing? | more...