Articles by: Bruce Reichstein

March 22, 2019

FHA Home Loans For Homes Built Before 1978

FHA home loans are offered for a variety of home needs including building a house from the ground up with an FHA One-Time Close construction loan, but there is also an option to use your FHA mortgage to buy an older home that is not considered new construction. In cases where the property is older than 1978, there are some additional rules regarding the potential for lead paint in the residence that all borrowers thinking about buying older property should be aware of. FHA home loan rules in HUD 4000.1 point out that any home built prior to 1978 must include disclosures to the buyer: “…the seller must disclose any information known about lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards before selling the house, in accordance with the HUD-EPA Lead Disclosure | more...

March 20, 2019

Home Loan Rules You Should Know

By Bruce Reichstein

What home loan rules should you know ahead of your mortgage loan application? There are several that you should keep in mind when planning and applying for your new home loan. FHA Loans Are Issued By Participating Lenders A lender must meet FHA standards, conform to the FHA loan program rules, and generally be recognized by the FHA as being permitted to issue FHA-guaranteed mortgage loans. But not all lenders choose to participate in the FHA home loan program so you may need to shop around for a lender. Shopping around is a good thing, but some feel that one lender is as good as another. When it’s time to compare interest rates and mortgage loan terms, you may find that to be untrue. But not all lenders choose to | more...

March 18, 2019

How Do I Refinance My Home Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

Are you planning to buy your first home and wondering about your refinance loan options later down the line? Do you already own a home you need to refinance? There is good news for you; refinancing with an FHA mortgage can help you get into a lower mortgage payment, get out of an adjustable rate mortgage, or even renovate your house. What does it take to refinance a home loan with an FHA mortgage? Choose The Refinance Loan You Need There are several FHA refinance loan options. If you need to remodel or repair your home at the same time you refinance, you can apply for an FHA 203(k) rehab loan that provides funds for approved upgrades and improvements. But the FHA rehab refinance loan (which is also available as | more...

March 15, 2019

FHA Home Loan Approval Rules You Should Know

By Bruce Reichstein

If you are a first-time home buyer or have never used an FHA home loan before, there are some rules about FHA mortgages you should know before getting started. FHA Home Loan Approval Depends On More Than Your Credit Score It’s easy to fixate on credit scores and they are a major part of what your lender will use to determine a borrower’s creditworthiness. But it’s not the only criteria. Your income, employment, and credit habits will all be examined at home loan application time. FHA loan rules specifically require the lender to verify two years of employment, and that employment does not have to be with the same company. The rules also require your lender to determine that your income is likely to continue. But this is possible even | more...

March 13, 2019

The Flexible FHA Home Loan

By Bruce Reichstein

First-time home buyers don’t have to put 20% down when shopping for real estate they want to live in as their primary residence. The FHA home loan allows a low 3.5% down and this type of home loan has been described as having loose underwriting standards. Those standards include the FHA minimum credit score of 580 or higher for maximum financing and the lowest down payment, and technically borrowers with FICO scores above 500 are also eligible though with a higher down payment. Lender standards will apply above and beyond these minimums. FHA home loans allow borrowers with lower credit and higher debt ratios to qualify for first-time home buyer loans using compensating factors; a higher down payment, a substantial amount of cash reserves, or other, lender-defined compensating factors. And | more...

March 11, 2019

First-Time Home Buyer Advice: Get A Home Inspection

By Bruce Reichstein

Some wonder if they have had a home inspection when the FHA appraisal results come back. First-time home buyers should know that a home inspection is something that should be done regardless of the appraisal because the two procedures are quite different. The appraisal is not a tool for the borrower and will not give you an idea of the true condition of the home. The home inspection is the job that needs to be done to give you that information. The FHA itself publishes a pamphlet called “For Your Protection, Get A Home Inspection” which includes this advice; “You have the right to examine carefully your potential new home with a professional home inspector. But a home inspection is not required by law, and will occur only if you | more...

March 7, 2019

HUD Announces Housing Discrimination Settlement With Los Angeles County Housing Providers

By Bruce Reichstein

Housing discrimination affects home buyers at every stage of the real estate buying process including those who are in the planning stages of buying a first home and who need an apartment to live in while on the road to becoming a new home owner. HUD has announced a settlement in a Fair Housing Act discrimination case brought against the owners of a Los Angeles County company running a development in Duarte, California. In this case the complaint centers around a housing complex; according to the HUD official site, “The agreement resolves allegations that Downs, LLC and EMNA Management, Inc., the owner and manager of the development, refused to remediate mold at the property as a reasonable accommodation for a couple with disabilities and retaliated against them for asking that | more...

March 5, 2019

What You Should Know About FHA Loan Rules And Down Payment Gifts

By Bruce Reichstein

One of the appealing aspects of an FHA mortgage, especially for first-time borrowers who may have tight budgets, is the low 3.5% down payment. Some real estate studies show that the age group commonly known as Millennials paid roughly 8% down in the previous year. But does a typical FHA borrower, even a first-time home buyer who may not have a long credit history, have to pay that much down for a home? No. 3.5% is available for all financially qualified FHA borrowers. But even this down payment could be a financial burden depending on circumstances, which is why FHA loan rules allow for gifts of down payment funds from employers, relatives, or friends. You can also find a down payment assistance program in your local area to help, if | more...

March 4, 2019

FHA Home Loan Approval By The Numbers

By Bruce Reichstein

Do you know what it takes to get a home loan approved? When you apply for an FHA mortgage loan or an FHA refinance loan, you should know about the following numbers and how they work together to get you into your first home or an upgrade to a newer property as a repeat home buyer. FHA Home Loan Approval Numbers: One One is the number of people obligated on the loan who are required to live in the real estate secured by the FHA mortgage as their full-time residence. At least one borrower obligated on the mortgage must live in the home as their primary home. FHA Mortgage Loan Approval Numbers: Two Two is the number of years of employment the lender is required to verify for all potential | more...

March 1, 2019

FHA Home Loan Facts For First-Time Borrowers

By Bruce Reichstein

First-time home buyers should know about several things going into the home loan process, including their options when it’s time to refinance or consider a new home loan. Are you fully informed about your home loan options with an FHA mortgage? FHA Home Loans For First-Time Buyers Allow Non-Occupying Co-Borrowers A non-occupying co-borrower is someone obligated on the mortgage but who does not intend to live in the property full time. A co-borrower can help you to qualify for the mortgage by paying part of the closing costs and the down payment, but all borrowers applying for the mortgage loan must financially qualify. That means that the credit liabilities of the borrower with the weakest credit cannot be offset by the strengths of the co-borrower. Everyone will be considered on | more...