Articles Tagged With: Monthly Payment

March 27, 2017

FHA Loans and Co-Signers: A Reader Question

A reader asked us a question about FHA loans and co-signers recently. “If I cosigned for a friend and he refinanced to get everything put in his name and me taken off, am I eligible for an FHA loan for my own home?” FHA mortgage loan requirements refer to co-signer arrangements and “contingent liabilities”. HUD 4000.1 says: “A Contingent Liability refers to a liability that may result in the obligation to repay only when a specific event occurs. For example, a contingent liability exists when an individual can be held responsible for the repayment of a debt if another legally obligated party defaults on the payment. Contingent liabilities may include Cosigner liabilities and liabilities resulting from a mortgage assumption without release of liability.” If the reader’s circumstances meet that definition | more...

March 22, 2017

Refinancing Your FHA Mortgage

By Joe Wallace

There are many reasons why people refinance a home loan. Some do it to lower their interest rates, others may wish to cash in on the equity built up in the home over time. Still others might want to do upgrades or repairs to the home but don’t want to pay all the costs out-of-pocket. The reasons you refinance may vary, and for that reason there are a variety of choices when it comes time to consider an FHA refinance loan. Lower Interest Rates The FHA streamline refinance option lets borrowers apply for a loan using their original loan application data. There is no FHA requirement for a new credit check or appraisal. (Your lender may require one or both.) FHA streamline refinance loans must result in a tangible benefit | more...

January 9, 2017

Collection Accounts and FHA Loans

By Joe Wallace

We’ve had some recent questions about home loans and collection accounts lately; in light of those questions it seemed like a good time to review the FHA loan rules on collection accounts as found in HUD 4000.1. The FHA loan rule book has instructions for the lender on what to do when reviewing such credit report data and it never hurts to know what your loan officer’s marching orders are in this area-at least where FHA minimum standards are concerned. The information below may be supplemented or affected by lender standards, so know that you’ll need to see what’s possible with a specific lender if any of the rules quoted here apply to your circumstances. Lender standards will definitely apply in addition to what’s found in HUD 4000.1. Let’s begin | more...

December 20, 2016

Deferred Obligations and FHA Loans

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “How do you calculate monthly payments for estimated payment to begin when schooling is complete?” With student loans, there are two types of payments, one of which may apply in this case. Ongoing payments and deferred payments have different requirements. It’s likely safe to assume that this reader question refers to how a lender is to process student loan information as part of the applicant’s debt-to-income ratio. FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 include instructions to the lender for processing student loan debt information both as a “deferred obligation” that has not come due yet, and as an ongoing payment where applicable. HUD 4000.1 instructs the lender to use the actual amount of the student loan payment wherever possible, but in cases where the loan is deferred | more...

How much can I borrow with an FHA refinance loan?

November 29, 2016

FHA Loans Closing Checklist

By Joe Wallace

Borrowers who buy a home with an FHA loans or any other type of home loan, learn that their closing dates and other details become very important the closer the borrower comes to signing on the dotted line and taking possession of the home. To help borrowers manage all the details about closing, federal law requires the loan officer to provide a closing disclosure that details expenses, fees, and other information. The government’s watchdog agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at ConsumerFinance.gov says of this disclosure, “Lenders are required to provide your Closing Disclosure three business days before your scheduled closing. Use these days wisely”. The three day period before you close should be used to review your closing details-use it like a closing checklist to make sure everything | more...

November 15, 2016

FHA Refinance Loans and HECM Reverse Mortgages

By Joe Wallace

There are two types of FHA loans borrowers should know about when considering their refinance loan options. One is a traditional cash-out or no cash out refinance loan, the other is a reverse mortgage also known as an FHA HECM loan. HECM stands for Home Equity Conversion Mortgage. The standard refinance loan and FHA HECM options are very different and serve different needs, but depending on the borrower it may be good to be familiar with both. Typical FHA refinance loans involve situations where the borrower typically has an existing mortgage and applies for a new loan that pays off the original mortgage, creating a brand new monthly payment, loan term, etc. Depending on the terms of the loan cash back may or may not happen, but for cash-out refinancing | more...

FHA Loans And Natural Disasters: What You Should Know

November 15, 2016

FHA Loans And Debt: A Student Loan Question

By Joe Wallace

A reader asks, “I am a mother who is on a fixed income of $1600.00 a month in ft laud. my son is going to be the co borrower who lives and works in LA. Makes a good salary. We already got pre-qualified up to 300k, our credit score is above 680…question is my son has student loan of 33k and is in forbearance until next year. Will this be a problem with (an) FHA loan?” FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 instruct the lender on how to view debt, debt ratios, and the kinds of debt known as “deferred obligations” which may not affect the borrower’s debt to income ratio in the short term, but can do so after a home loan has closed. Sometimes, FHA loan approval may | more...

November 14, 2016

What Kind Or Refinance Loan Do You Need?

By Joe Wallace

Buying a home is sometimes only the first step in a larger financial journey-if you purchase a home with a conventional, VA, FHA or other type of mortgage loan, you might not be thinking about refinancing. But it’s an option that can be helpful in a variety of ways, especially if you understand how FHA refinance loans work. Choosing the right refinance loan is an important part of the process. Existing FHA mortgages have a refinance option that allows the borrower to get into a lower interest rate/monthly payment. This option is called the FHA Streamline Refinance mortgage and has no FHA-required appraisal or credit check. Depending on lender standards you may need one or both regardless, but the lender is free under FHA loan rules NOT to require them. | more...

October 20, 2016

FHA Refinance Loans: 10 Things To Know

By Joe Wallace

If you are considering your options with an FHA refinance loan, here are ten tips to help you decide which type of refinancing is right for you. FHA Refinancing For Non-FHA Loans Borrowers do not have to be in an FHA mortgage loan already to be eligible for certain types of FHA refinance loans. Your VA loan, conventional, even sub-prime mortgages may be able to be refinanced into an FHA loan. FHA refinance loans feature cash-out and non-cash out options for existing FHA and non-FHA mortgages. Refinancing And Repairs Your FHA refinance loan options include rehab/repair loans under the 203 program. FHA 203(k) and 203(h) mortgages have long been a part of the FHA loan options available from participating lenders. If your home has been damaged in a natural disaster, | more...

October 19, 2016

Mortgage Payments On FHA Loans: How Much?

By Joe Wallace

One of the most common questions about FHA mortgage payments is naturally, “How much will I have to pay?” And the answer is not as easy as you might think since there are a variety of factors that go into calculating the monthly mortgage payment. FHA loan limits, the amount of the loan the FHA will insure, don’t include the Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium (UFMIP), for example. So you can’t simply divide the amount of your loan limit and divide by the number of mortgage payments you plan to make. In addition to UFMIP, there are other things to consider. For example, is the borrower planning on an FHA Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM)? This option allows the addition of extra funds for approved upgrades or improvements to the home, | more...