FHA Guidelines to Qualify “Rent to Own” in NC

May 5, 2011 by 1 Comment

Rent-to-own agreements and or sales that take place between a tenant and landlord have special FHA Guidelines. Often times, when someone moves to our area with a short sale, or previous forced foreclosure in their past – they will rent a home here until their “waiting period” is over.

If you are in this situation, and plan on buying a home under a rent to own scenario, there are different rules for different types of loans. All Government loans are popular, because of their low downpayment requirements.  VA has no “formal” guidelines for this scenario, and neither does USDA- however, most Underwriters follow the FHA Guidelines for all Government loans in a lease to own scenario.

The appraiser will determine the fair market rent for the property.  Any money paid ABOVE the fair market rent will be used as a credit towards a future downpayment. So, if the appraiser says the fair value rent for the home is $1000, and you pay $1500 a month – $500 for each month you paid that could be paid by the Seller as Downpayment for you at closing!

The rent to own agreement must be approved by the lender. There also is a loan to value restriction (85% LTV) if the parties are related and they haven’t rented for a long enough period of time-usually at least 6 months.  For NON related sales agreements, you can currently go up to 96.5% and not have to have a minimum rental period. Rules and underwriting are OF COURSE always subject to change at any time and any additional lender overlay.

If you are purchasing a home in NC, and want more information about FHA Guidelines and Rent to Own contracts – please call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, 919-649-5058 we are the NC FHA Experts!  We also have the LOWEST mortgage interest rates! :-)

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FHA Short Seller + FHA Buyer = Restrictions

January 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment

FHA has specific rules when it comes to purchasing a home that is in Pre-Foreclosure with a FHA mortgage on it.  FHA doesn’t make mortgage loans, they Insure them – and so as the Insuring Agency (kinda’ like a PMI company) they get to set the rules!  In those Pre-Foreclosure, Short Sale transactions, they set out what fees CAN be included from the Seller, and which fees can not.

Pre Foreclosure Seller Fees per FHA

The process for purchasing a FHA Short Sale is similar to other short sale situations in that the HUD-1 must have prior approval.

The item people need to realize, though, is that if the buyer is obtaining a FHA mortgage,  the Seller can only pay up to 1% of the Buyer’s First Mortgage Amount.

We don’t have that many of these cases in the Raleigh, Holly Springs, Cary, Apex area – but when we do, the buyer needs to remember that they will probably need a little more cash upfront for the purchase.

If you are considering a mortgage loan in North Carolina, and you want more details on FHA  Mortgage Loan Guidelines – please call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, FHA Mortgage Loan Specialists!  We have over 20 years of experience providing homebuyers with the BEST mortgage rates available!

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Property Requirements on FHA

August 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment

We’ve talked to several people in the last couple of days who want to purchase homes using FHA’s 3.5% down payment program… and they are trying to purchase some “unusual” properties. (Click here for more on 2010 Appraisal Requirements)

Here are some GENERAL notes:

  • FHA 203K loans: These loans are “construction loans” that FHA makes.  If you have a $100,000 property… and you make $30,000 in repairs, you need to make a downpayment of 3.5% of $130,000.  Now there’s more to the program – but the main thing to remember is that FHA IS FOR OWNER OCCUPIED LOANS ONLY.  If you are not going to live in the property – it’s not going to work.
  • TRI-PLEX:  An FHA loan on a TriPlex means that there are 3 units TOGETHER on one foundation… not 40 acres with 3 buildings on it.  I know that’s confusing, but that’s the way FHA rules on what a Tri-Plex is.
  • Property with more value in the LAND than the house. This probably isn’t going to work.  FHA is in the business of making HOME loans.  They don’t really like deals with more value in the LAND (then they consider it a LAND loan).  I personally refer those folks to their local USDA Home Loan office, to see if they can help them.
  • Underground Homes, Log Cabins, Geodesic Domes, Mobile Homes, and Tree Houses:  It’s really hard to get FHA to make loans on these properties.  If you have a NEWER Manufactured Home, in NC BB&T might be a good place to start… if it’s older, and on a permanent foundation – we recommend starting with Wells Fargo.  That’s not to say that you can’t finance any of these kinds of property with FHA… just that you need to be in an AREA where there are recently sold, similar properties for comparable sales.

If you are considering a home loan in NC, and you want to get a FHA Mortgage Loan, Call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, FHA Experts 919-649-5058

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FHA Streamline Refinance When You Do Not Occupy Property

May 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment

FHA allows you to Streamline Refinance when you do not occupy property.  This was actually news to me, because we always tell folks that FHA is ONLY for use as a Primary Residence!

So we have a borrower who owned a home in Ohio (financed via FHA), moved to NC – but could not sell the home in Ohio. They purchased a home in NC while renting the other one out.

The rate on their home in Ohio is 6.25% – which is a good rate… except that FHA rates have DROPPED so much right now, they wanted to see if they could get a little better position!

Turns out we can save them $275 a month, AND keep it a FHA Loan! Yeah!

Here’s the deal – must be a Streamline Refinance, meaning:

  • no appraisal
  • no increase in the base loan amount
  • must pay the closing costs out of pocket
  • the lender CAN par price the loan to pay some of the costs
  • can NOT remove a co-signor

This is seriously good news if you have what is now Investment Property that has a FHA loan on it!  If you want to see if we can help you lower your payments with a refinance, call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, Mortgage Banker in Cary 919-649-5058

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Congress Making Changes to FHA Mortgages

April 30, 2010 by 2 Comments

The House Financial Services Committee acted yesterday to move forward H.R.5072, “FHA Reform Act of 2010″ which, in part, makes a move to raise the ceiling on annual FHA mortgage insurance premiums.

FHA does not make mortgages loans, they INSURE them. As an INSURANCE Agency, they are required to hold reserves against any claims  - and because the national default rate is still very high, they’ve had tons of claims.  They are required to hold a 2% capital reserve rate, and it had fallen to .53.

FHA’s Mortgage Insurance Premium is kinda’ like PMI.

Earlier this year Congress approved changes to increase the UpFront Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP) FHA charges to 2.25%. They also changed the amount of Seller Contributions to 3% (from 6%).  The latest changes will increase the amount of MONTHLY Mortgage Insurance Premium (MIP) higher, in a gradual process.  FHA says it will increase the monthly MIP to an annual rate of @1.5%.

This will affect the “affordability factor” of purchasing for buyers. Currently, a FHA mortgage of $290,000 has a monthly MIP payment of $132.91.  When the MIP is increased to the full 1.5%, that same $290,000 loan will have a monthly MIP charge of $362.50.

If the full Congress approves the annual increase, FHA will then shift some of the upfront premium to an annual premium to reduce the burden on borrowers at closing.

Either way – the cost of borrowing from FHA is going to be more expensive over time – and borrowers will be looking for property that is $30,000 to $40,000 LESS than the properties they are purchasing now. That’s important to remember for those of us working with First Time Home Buyers!

The GOOD NEWS is that it looks like the provision to force FHA downpayments from 3.5% to 5% was dropped. We’ll continue to monitor this.

If you are considering a mortgage loan in North Carolina, and you want more details on FHA  Mortgage Loan Guidelines – please call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, FHA Mortgage Loan Specialists!  We have over 20 years of experience providing homebuyers with the BEST mortgage rates available!

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HUD Makes It Easier To Purchase Foreclosed Property

January 19, 2010 by Leave a Comment

HUD announced a change in the way it handles property that has changed ownership in the last 90 days.  In an attempt to prevent people from “flipping” property (which is FRAUDULENT), HUD required a 90 day “cooling off” period before property could change hands.

This meant that if an Investor purchased property on January 1 at the Courthouse, had contractors in, did the work that was needed – they couldn’t sell it to a new buyer until the end of March.

Effective February 1, 2010 (and lasting for 12 months there after) HUD is making a change!

In an effort to stabilize home values and improve conditions in communities where foreclosure activity is high, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced a temporary policy that will expand access to FHA mortgage insurance and allow for the quick resale of foreclosed properties. The announcement is part of the Obama administration commitment to addressing foreclosure. Just yesterday, Secretary Donovan announced $2 billion in Neighborhood Stabilization Program grants to local communities and nonprofit housing developers to combat the effects of vacant and abandoned homes.

“As a result of the tightened credit market, FHA-insured mortgage financing is often the only means of financing available to potential homebuyers,” said Donovan. “FHA has an unprecedented opportunity to fulfill its mission by helping many homebuyers find affordable housing while contributing to neighborhood stabilization.”

To read more about their policy – click here!

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Benefits of FHA Mortgage Loans

November 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment

FHA Mortgage Loans are one of the best mortgage loan programs available for folks purchsing a home in the Wake County Area because it serves so many needs!

You can use the program, as a parent, to help your student or child get into their First Home! The downpayment is 3.5%, and it can be a gift from a family member.  They also allow the parent, or family member, to go on the loan to help with qualifying!

The program can also be used to help an elderly parent who might have a limited income live an independant life style!

FHA Mortgage Loans also offer flexability when it comes to new credit - meaning if you have not been in the work force for YEARS, you might not have a very high score – not because you’ve missed a payment, simply because you don’t have a really long credit history!

Borrowers who work second jobs, also find FHA is quicker to accept income from that second job – meaning sometimes only 18 or 20 months of second job income history is required!

We’ve closed over a THOUSAND FHA mortgage loans in our history as Loan Officers! It’s a GREAT program, with HUGE benefits!  Call Steve and Eleanor Thorne 919-649-5058 to get pre-qualified today!

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With All of the Risk Do We Still Need FHA?

November 1, 2009 by 1 Comment

It's hard to read the marketWith the continued talk of extending the Tax Credit for Homebuyers, there’s another group of Economist/Strategist discussing the “need” for the FHA Loan Program.

With the increase in loan production for this product comes additional defaults and late payments.

The US Citizens are paying for the program, because we guarantee the loans, so should we really be in the business of mortgage lending?

Brian Montgomery work as a Consultant for HUD and the FHA Commissioner, he has this to say:

“FHA has saved close to one million sub-prime/Alt-A borrowers from possible financial ruin by allowing them to refinance into a safe and secure 30-year fixed rate mortgage.  Another 2 million qualified borrowers (80% of them first-time homebuyers) have taken advantage of the declining house prices and historically low interest rates to purchase a home using FHA.  FHA’s role has grown substantially from three percent of lending activity by dollar volume in 2006 to nearly 25 percent of all mortgages originated today. That massive uptick in volume occurred almost overnight beginning in spring 2008.

Through it all…. FHA has helped pump more than $400 billion of mortgage activity and liquidity into the market since 2008, while still managing to deliver a higher credit quality borrower whose average FICO score is 700.”

I find that last part really interesting, because we are not seeing a TON of FHA homebuyers with 700 credit scores!  Our average FHA buyer profile has a score of @640.

Brian also notes, regarding the looming delinquencies that we should consider this:

“For FHA, the primary reason for continued defaults and foreclosures will be macro-economic problems that go beyond the scope of underwriting. For instance, continued job losses and the further decline of home values and equity.

Absent a massive economic downturn, I don’t believe FHA will face the same type of catastrophic losses we saw in the subprime sector. The reasons for FHA’s problems are very different from the ones experienced in the subprime sector where unsafe loan features and poor underwriting made investing in non-agency mortgages risky from the start.”

I think this is good news, because others are calling for massive tightening… and I think we need every eligible buyer to buy!  Forcing credit score requirements up to 680, or 700 is NOT going to help the housing market (because it turns so many folks away who can’t make that score) and it’s not going to keep the defaults from happening when people lose their jobs!

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FHA Downpayment Going to 5% ??

October 5, 2009 by Leave a Comment

The US Congress is busy trying to figure out how to regulate the Mortgage Banking Industry so that another Subprime Meltdown never happens, and that is a good thing.

But, they are the Government, so how do you see this working out?  Yeah, me neither.

US Congressman Scott Garrett (R-NJ) recently introduced the “FHA Taxpayer Protection Act of 2009.” In his bill, borrowers would be required to make a 5% downpayment on FHA loans, as opposed to the 3.5% downpayment in the current guidelines.

In a Press Release Garrett states:

“Homeownership is a noble goal.  However the benefits of Homeownership using government subsidies must be balanced against the potential risk of insuring less creditworthy borrowers and exposing the American taxpayer to that risk. As we have learned repeatedly throughout the mortgage crisis, the amount of equity a homeowner has in their home directly correlates to the credit risk associated to their mortgage.

I know there are those in this area who believe that Congressman Garrett is on the right track with his Bill… I strongly disagree with you. In the Triangle (RDU area) we are sitting in the middle of 21 Universities and Colleges.  We are a mecca for Research and Technology jobs.  We are attracting young, hard working, EDUCATED first time homebuyers.  And this particular segment of the market is helping us keep our home values in place – because they are buying.

ANYTHING we do to disrupt this current, qualified buyer is a mistake – for ALL of us. We have too much inventory, banks are taking homes back everyday (contributing to that Housing Inventory), we should be ENCOURAGING them to purchase homes – especially now!

If you are interested in purchasing a home in Wake County, Durham County, Orange County or Johnston County, and want more information on qualifying for FHA loans - please call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, 919-649-5058.  We are Professional Mortgage Planners with more than 20 years experience and the lowest mortgage interest rates!






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Why Look At FHA Versus Conventional Loan

September 7, 2009 by Leave a Comment

FHA Mortgage loans have a TON of great things going for them, and if you qualifiy for one, it’s often a better program than a Conventional Loan.

  1. Easier to Qualify: Because FHA insures your mortgage, lenders may be more willing to give you loan terms that make it easier for you to qualify (i.e. lower rates, longer repayment terms, lower down payments, etc…)
  2. Less than Perfect Credit: You don’t have to have a perfect credit score to get an FHA mortgage. In fact, even if you have had credit problems, such as a bankruptcy, it’s easier for you to qualify for an FHA loan than a conventional loan.
  3. Low Down Payment: FHA loans have a low 3% down payment.  Best of all, the down payment for your new FHA loan can come from a family member, employer or charitable organization as a gift. Other conventional loan programs don’t allow gift money to be used as a down payment.
  4. Costs Less: FHA loans have competitive interest rates because the Federal Government insures the loans.  It’s always best to compare an FHA loan with other loan types.  For many buyers, and FHA loan is their gateway to the American Dream of homeownership.
  5. Helps You Keep Your Home: The FHA was formed in 1934 and is a division of the US Government.  You can rest assured that FHA and HUD will be around for many years to come and will continue to work to protect you, the homeowner. Should you encounter hard times after buying your home, FHA has many options to help you keep you in your home and avoid foreclosure.  FHA refinance and FHA streamline refinance products are available if needed in the future. 
  6. If you are refinancing from a Conventional loan (with a first and second) FHA will often allow you the MOST flexability!

If you are considering a purchase or Refinance in NC, please call Steve and Eleanor Thorne, 919-649-5058 for more information.  We have the LOWEST FHA RATES available!

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