Articles Tagged With: FHA Loans

August 17, 2017

What Kind Of Home Can I Buy With An FHA Mortgage?

What kind of home can you buy with an FHA mortgage? The answer isn’t what some people expect, likely due to a misunderstanding of the FHA loan program, who it is intended for, and why it exists. A good example of this? The assumption that FHA mortgages are primarily for first-time home buyers or the economically disadvantaged. Such assumptions are not true. FHA loans are for any financially qualified applicant, which means you don’t have an income threshold to meet, there are no restrictions on those who have purchased homes before, and there is no income maximum. What kind of home can you purchase with an FHA mortgage? FHA loans permit the purchase of homes which are primarily residential, have no restrictions of resale, and which meet FHA minimum standards | more...

May 29, 2017

Happy Memorial Day 2017!

By Joe Wallace

Happy Memorial Day! We pause today from our usual posts about FHA home loans, refinance loans, and related topics to recognize the sacrifices made by our women and men in uniform. Thank you to all who have served-from those who have gone before to those who are about to enter their first year in uniform in service to our country. We return with our regularly scheduled posts on Tuesday. Thank you for reading, and have a safe and happy Memorial Day 2017.

May 24, 2017

FHA Home Loans: What You Need To Qualify

By Joe Wallace

Qualifying for an FHA mortgage is a lot like qualifying for any other major line of credit. FHA home loans are open to all financially qualified borrowers; no applicant is turned away by an FHA lender for “earning too much” and no applicant is denied the chance to apply because they don’t fit into a specific category of wage earner. The amount of income you earn only matters as related to your ability to afford the loan. The FHA loan program is not aimed specifically at one type of income group or another. Credit Qualifying For An FHA Loan Qualifying for an FHA loan means having a FICO score acceptable to both the FHA and your lender. FHA FICO score standards start at 580 and above for maximum financing (minus | more...

May 22, 2017

Mortgage Rate Trends: Pushing Higher

By Joe Wallace

Since our last report, mortgage rate trends have been in the “higher” category. That’s due at least in part, according to our sources, to local political drama which has sent investors moving for safer havens. Those moves often reflect badly on rates, and those hoping for a chance to squeeze more recovery out of current trends likely weren’t counting on breaking news about possible impeachment proceedings over FBI director James Comey and questions of Russian involvement in U.S. politics to influence mortgage rates. But they have, however indirectly. At the time of this writing, 30-year fixed rate conventional mortgage rate numbers have taken an upward turn to 4.0%, best execution. That’s out of a previous range of rates, with 4.0% being the bottom end of the range. FHA mortgage loan | more...

May 19, 2017

An FHA Mortgage Post-Bankruptcy?

By Joe Wallace

Is a mortgage loan possible after bankruptcy? When it comes to FHA home loans the answer is yes, as long as the borrower meets FHA loan standards and sits out a mandatory waiting period (which may vary depending on the bankruptcy, state law, and lender standards). One reader asked a question this week about bankruptcy and FHA loans: “My credit rating is 677 as of 5/18/2017. My income is established by a job that Ive held for over 15 years. My bankruptcy was completed in July of 2011. Can I qualify for an FHA mortgage?” There are many issues at work in situations like these including whether or not the borrower has established a satisfactory pattern of credit activity following the bankruptcy action. The mandatory waiting period (under FHA standards, | more...

May 17, 2017

FHA Appraisal Questions: Defective Conditions

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks a question about FHA appraisal issues: “Bought a house that was supposedly totally renovated about a 1.5 months ago. Finding out about major issues and violations in the house. There were a lot of concealed things hidden…found they had unlicensed contractors.” “Didn’t have the money to do a regular home inspection. People were saying FHA does their own home inspection to make sure house is safe…problems with windows plumbing illegal hookup with water main electrical box etc. Have to make a payment to mortgage plus fighting with seller to get licensed contractors…please tell me why didn’t FHA see these issues.” FHA appraisals must never be confused with a home inspection. The FHA and HUD warn borrowers of this in a document found on the FHA/HUD official site | more...

May 16, 2017

FHA Loan Application Data: What You Should Know

By Joe Wallace

The FHA single family loan program rule book, HUD 4000.1, has a variety of rules and instructions to the lender on how FHA loan application information is to be handled and processed. You might not think those rules affect you as an applicant, but some of the rules do pertain to how the lender must collect the borrower’s information and the approved sources of that information. Your credit scores and other data must be given to the lender from approved sources. Did you know that HUD 4000.1 does not permit the borrower to handle or transmit certain kinds of information to the lender? Your loan officer is responsible for making sure she gets the information from the proper sourcing. According to HUD 4000.1: “Mortgagees must not accept or use documents | more...

May 16, 2017

FHA Appraisal Questions: Peeling Paint, Electrical Outlets

By Joe Wallace

We frequently get FHA appraisal questions in our comments sections. Here’s one of the latest: “Im trying to purchase a home and I have an FHA loan. The only thing Im concerned about is the peeling paint outside and that some of the outlets arent grounded. How would this affect my FHA loan approval?” FHA appraisal rules are found in HUD 4000.1. The instructions to the FHA appraiser don’t cover all possible contingencies for defective conditions, required corrections, etc. but do have something to say about peeling paint. The age of the paint may determine the extent of the corrections/repairs in this area. According to HUD 4000.1, for homes or improvements on or before 1978: “The Appraiser must note the condition and location of all defective paint and require repair | more...

what is mortgage insurance and how does it work?

May 10, 2017

FHA Mortgages For Multi-Unit Properties

By Joe Wallace

A reader asked us a question this week in the comments section about FHA mortgages for properties with multiple units. “I want to buy a 6 residential unit apartment building with a very small store front commercial space on the property (computer repair shop that takes up about 15% of the property space) I plan on living in one of the apartment units. Is there an FHA loan out there for this situation?” FHA mortgages under the single family loan program do allow FHA loans to qualified borrowers for multi-unit properties. The rules for these purchases are found in HUD 4000.1, which states: “FHAs programs differ from one another primarily in terms of what types of Properties and financing are eligible. Except as otherwise stated in this SF Handbook, FHAs | more...

How much can I borrow with an FHA refinance loan?

May 5, 2017

Old Credit Problems And FHA Loans

By Joe Wallace

Do old credit problems come back to haunt you later when you fill out an home loan application? That’s basically what one reader asked us in the comments section this week: “If (a) charge-off was from a student loan account a decade ago that was delinquent, but paid in full from a tax-return offset six years ago, how is this viewed?” The reader is referencing some information we mention in a previous blog post, FHA Loan Standards: Charge-Offs and Collections, which includes the following information on how FHA loan rules instruct the lender to handle charge-off information found on a borrower’s credit report. The post includes a definition of what the FHA calls a charge-off account. “Charge Off Account refers to a Borrowers loan or debt that has been written | more...