Articles Tagged With: Mortgage Insurance

October 15, 2018

HUD Announces Disaster Relief For Hurricane Michael Victims In Florida

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...

November 7, 2017

Why Do I Have To Pay For Mortgage Insurance On An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

Why do I have to pay for mortgage insurance on an FHA loan? Borrowers who are used to the terms and conditions of conventional mortgages will know that (depending on the lender) without a substantial down payment, conventional loans require private mortgage insurance (PMI) to protect the lender in case of loan default. FHA mortgages also require loan insurance, but not through a private company. Instead, the FHA requires the borrower to pay a mortgage insurance premium as part of their monthly mortgage payment, and also an Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium (UFMIP) at loan closing time. It’s easy to get Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) confused with the FHA’s Mortgage Insurance Premiums (MIP) but they are not the same and FHA mortgage insurance is handled differently and has different requirements | more...

October 16, 2017

Can I Buy Another House With An FHA Loan?

By Joe Wallace

Can I buy another house with an FHA loan? It’s a question on the minds of many, especially those who might be concerned that NOT being a first-time home buyer might disqualify them from the FHA loan option. Is this true? FHA Loans Are Not Just For First-Time Home Buyers FHA mortgage loans are designed to be an affordable option for anyone who is financially qualified to be approved for a home loan. That means that you do not have to be a first-time home buyer, you don’t have to be “in need” to qualify, and you don’t have to worry about an income limit for FHA mortgages. FHA loans are approved on the basis of a borrower’s creditworthiness and ability to afford the loan. There is no maximum income | more...

October 11, 2017

Is There An FHA Loan For Homes On Tribal Land?

By Bruce Reichstein

Is there an FHA loan for homes on tribal land? According to the FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, a type of loan known as a “Section 248 Mortgage” is available specifically for home purchases of this type. HUD 4000.1 defines the Section 248 mortgage as “a purchase or refinance Mortgage covering one- to four-family dwellings on Indian Lands.” Since definitions are extremely important for many aspects of the FHA loan program, this section of the FHA loan rules also defines what the FHA considers to be “Indian land” and the communities that live there: “Indian Land refers to those lands that are held by or for the benefit of Indian Tribes under some restriction or with some attribute peculiar to the legal status of its owners. Indian Tribe refers to | more...

Who can apply for FHA Reverse Mortgages?

October 9, 2017

Can I Get An FHA Mortgage For A Home In A Flood Zone?

By Joe Wallace

Can I get an FHA loan for a home in a flood zone? With Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Irma, and many other natural disasters, it’s logical that someone looking for a home anywhere near these disasters would wonder if their house hunt is going to be affected. FHA loan rules do address flood zones and FHA appraisal requirements for these areas; the answers can be found in HUD 4000.1. The FHA loan rules for this issue can be found under a section covering general property eligibility for an FHA mortgage. On page 143, we learn: “The Mortgagee must determine if a Property is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).” “The Mortgagee must obtain flood zone determination services, independent of any | more...

FHA Fixed-Rate Mortgages Versus Adjustable Rate Mortgages

September 26, 2017

Can I Finance My FHA Loan Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium?

By Bruce Reichstein

Can I finance my FHA loan Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium (UFMIP)? And how does it affect my mortgage loan? These are questions many ask, unsure of whether FHA mortgage loan limits include the UFMIP and how they are allowed to pay. FHA Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premiums May Be Financed FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1, the FHA loan handbook, state clearly that FHA UFMIP may be financed. It will be included in the final loan amount at closing time. UFMIP Must Be Financed Or Paid In Cash HUD 4000.1 instructs the lender to either collect the Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium in cash at closing time, or have it included into the loan amount. However, the borrower must pay 100% either way-you cannot finance half the amount and | more...

August 22, 2017

HUD Announces Disaster Relief For West Virginia

By Joe Wallace

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced disaster relief for storm victims in West Virginia, thanks to a federal disaster area declaration for Harrison, Marion, Marshall, and Wetzel counties. According to a press release on the FHA/HUD official site, the agency will “speed federal disaster assistance to the State of West Virginia and provide support to homeowners and low-income renters forced from their homes due to severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides” in zones now declared federal disaster areas. The FHA/HUD disaster relief measures include a 90-day moratorium requested by HUD on all FHA loans in the affected areas, and also the availability of FHA 203(h) rehab loans intended for “disaster victims who have lost their homes and are facing the daunting task of rebuilding or buying | more...

June 20, 2017

FHA Jumbo Loans

By Joe Wallace

FHA Jumbo Loans, also known as non-conforming loans, are mortgages that exceed the county limit for mortgage loans in that area. FHA home loans in excess of these limits (also known as FHA loan limits) are possible, but there are some important factors you should know about before applying. FHA Jumbo Loans Are Like “Standard” FHA Mortgage Loans Some borrowers want to know if they can apply for an FHA Jumbo Loan that exceeds the value of the home and take the remainder of the mortgage loan out in cash at closing time. FHA home loans are specifically designed to prevent cash back to the borrower at closing time except in the form of legitimate refunds. If you paid cash for something up front that was later financed into the | more...

June 15, 2017

Do I Need FHA Mortgage Insurance?

By Joe Wallace

In a recent blog post we discussed the differences between FHA mortgage loans and conventional home loans. One of the most important differences between FHA mortgages and conventional loans is the mortgage insurance requirement. Conventional loans may, depending on the size of your down payment and other factors, require the borrower to put as much as 20% down. Those who do not put a certain percentage down on a conventional mortgage may be required to carry private mortgage insurance (also known as PMI). FHA home loans, on the other hand, require a minimum 3.5% down payment and have no private mortgage insurance requirement. However, FHA mortgages do require the borrower to pay for mortgage insurance. This requirement includes an Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium (UFMIP) and a monthly payment (MIP). | more...

June 13, 2017

What Is Mortgage Insurance And How Does It Work?

By Bruce Reichstein

“What is mortgage insurance?” is a common question for those new to the home loan process. Do you understand how it works? It helps to define the two things referred to by industry professionals as mortgage insurance. There is mortgage insurance which the borrower pays for as a requirement of the FHA loan, then there is the “mortgage insurance” referred to in FHA loan rules which is something else entirely. Note: What we are discussing here is not hazard insurance, which may be a requirement on some, but not all FHA loans. FHA Mortgage Insurance For The Lender The FHA single family home loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, refers to “mortgage insurance” when discussing the FHA’s role in insuring the loan to reduce the risk for the participating lender. On page | more...