There’s good news, and bad news concerning USDA Home Loans in NC. First the Bad News: USDA Map changes scheduled to go into effect on February 1, 2015 made some parts of the state ineligible for the program, but mostly it’s NEIGHBORHOODS, not whole cities that lost access to the program . The GOOD NEWS? Anyone trying to get a USDA Home Loan is having a much QUICKER time, with fewer underwriting delays!
The USDA Map Changes in NC are massive. More than 100 neighborhoods and communities in the state of North Carolina lost the ability to offer USDA Home Loans. Since we “get rural fast” here in NC, that’s pretty significant. BUT, the changes where not as WHOLESALE as they first told us to expect, so we’re breathing a sigh of relief, until October, when they are scheduled to “tighten up” some more.
Because these map changes are so radical, many first time home buyers are deciding to go ahead and buy this spring, and we are seeing homes with MULTIPLE offers coming in. Although the USDA Home Loan Program is NOT just for First Time Home Buyers, this is the part of the market we are seeing really take advantage of the program! Because of that “rush” of people wanting to use the program, we know the delays in getting files underwritten are coming too. To head off some of that frustration, we figured we’d explain the USDA Home Loan Underwriting process.
USDA Home Loans That Are Underwritten FOUR TIMES!
This is the USDA Home Loan Underwriting process for all lenders, it’s not like the Bank is just doing it this way.
Let’s say you are using the MCC Credit offered through NCHFA, and you are getting a USDA Home Loan. First your loan is sent through the Automated Underwriting System for USDA called GUS. That system gives us the first set of Underwriting “stipulations” or requests.
Once we have all of those items from you – then we send all of that documentation to our Bank Underwriter to review. Depending on what they think when they look at your file, they could ask us for another set of documentation.
From there, your loan is sent to USDA Home Loan Office, where another Underwriter looks at the file – and gives us a list of documentation THEY would like to see for clarification. Remember, with all of the Housing Crisis, the Underwriter’s information and the Loan Officers information are now ON THE DEED OF TRUST. This means that if you go into foreclosure later – they will track it back to the Loan Officer and Underwriter. Because of that, Underwriters are each a little more “picky” than the LAST one!
If you are getting an MCC Credit or using a Grant to cover part of your closing costs, then your loan goes to NC Housing, for their underwriters to look at the file. Again, the Bank’s Underwriter looked at the documents, the Automated System did a review of the numbers, the USDA Underwriter looked at the file and now the FOURTH person is looking at the file.
Through this process, it is likely that we could ask you for documentation 6 or 7 times. That is frustrating. We know that... and we apologize for this hassle upfront… there’s very little we can do about it. (but we’ve put together this list of 7 things you can do to help get things looked at Faster!)
The truth is that we take harder cases.
Many of our clients are folks who had some credit problems that we’ve been helping them fix. Some of our clients get gift funds, and we have to “over” document where that money came from. Some of our clients are divorced, and don’t have all of the documents we need to prove that they get child support on a regular basis.
We help borrowers document this the best we can, but these unique situations mean that an Underwriter is going to take extra caution when approving your loan.
In March of 2015, it’s currently taking almost 2 weeks for a loan to get fully underwritten by the Bank, USDA Home Loan Underwriters and NC Housing in NC. We understand that it’s a good 15 days in neighboring SC and Virginia.
Bottom line? If the loan officer calls and asks for documentation – don’t HESITATE. Get the documents back to us as QUICKLY as possible! Remember to explain this to your Real Estate Agent, or the Seller – who wants to know WHY it is taking so long for you to get approved!
Looking for a USDA Home Loan, or a House that qualifies for USDA?
If you are a first time home buyer looking for low cash out of pocket ways to buy a house – and for whatever reason, the folks you just talked to said you’ll never be able to get a mortgage the way you want to… call us. We know all of the programs, we do USDA Home Loans, NC Housing Financing, FHA, Veteran’s Home Loans – the whole gambit. We can help, and we’ll give you straight up answers. Steve and Eleanor Thorne, 919 649 5058, we have the best rates – and we know the mortgage business!
Hello, my mortgage broker sent my info to usa on 03/13….they cannot give me any updates and now cannot lock down a closing date,….is there a place i can can call or go for this info
Depending on what State you live in – it could be 30 days. You can call the USDA Single Family Administrators Office in your state.
I called the one in az and they aid they have not yet said anything about extending the boundaries
I suspect that’s because the President has not signed the bill yet.
The official letter from USDA says that the change will likely take place in September of 2013. Mike in Tuscon (you can Google that) has all of the details for AZ. Tell him I said “Hi!” He’s a great lender in AZ, and I highly recommend him.
I submitted all my conditions for approval last Tuesday and I am still waiting for the bank to respond. My mortgage loan officer says USDA has started to improve on their turnover time. My loan hasn’t been sent to USDA yet. I haven’t heard this from anyone but him. There is someone interested in my apartment. But I am afraid I will end up without a place to live waiting for USDA. Is USDA in NC still taking 3 weeks to underwrite a deal?
If your loan has not been sent to USDA yet, I’d say you have 3 weeks prior to getting an approval. USDA in NC asked us to extend a lock in today on a loan that is THERE, and has a lock in through April 20th. They know they will not be able to underwrite it before the lock-in expires.
My loan was finally sent to USDA on May 6th. I called USDA office today and they said they are currently reviewing applications submitted on May 9th. Does this mean my application is sitting on someone’s desk? I still have not gotten any information and my loan officer said USDA is still working on my file.
I doubt your loan is sitting on a desk – you would need to have your loan officer check for you.
once USDA is reviewing your application for instance my file was received on 07/23 and today they are reviewing files received on 07/23 how long does it take for them to send approval back to the lender?
What is the time frame for USDA UW in the Raleigh area? I have heard everything from 7 days to 30 days. I would like to know because the home I want is under construction and time is of the essence.
Thanks!
Anita – the USDA NC office is currently on loans received on the 16th of August. As long as your loan is AT USDA by the end of September – you should be okay. Please call us if we can help – 919 649 5058
They will send the approval back the day they review it. The approval is good for 90 days.
My Buyers are going into the process of appling for a USDA starting just this past week and we are closing or scheduled to close June 26th, should we extend the date? This is for Fort Mohave Arizona.
The lender reassured the Buyers it would not be a problem to get the USDA approved by June 26th 2014.
Pray everything goes well for my Buyers.
Rhonda – we do not do loans in Arizona, however, in North Carolina – we are running at least 20 days in Underwriting. Mike Jones, with SunStreet Mortgage in Tuscon does a ton of USDA Loans in Arizona. I suggest calling him, his number is 888 634 6399
Hi, Do you know what the current turnaround time for applications submitted to USDA? Just trying to see if I need to extend my termination date in my apartment.
Sonia, USDA Underwriters in NC are currently underwriting files received on May 7th.
Do you know the current turn around time?
USDA Home Loan Underwriters in NC are currently running about a week in Underwriting.
Hi. My LO states that she is waiting on title from the attorney office then loan will be sent to usda for underwriting. I am buying a home in Florence sc. My closing date is for Monday 6/29. From the reviews above doubt that will happen. What is sc usda turn around time. Is there anyway to speed things up
I’m hoping you made your closing date. We don’t have any loans going with USDA in SC right now – most of our business is in NC. The USDA Home Loan offices we’ve talked to in NC and in other states, are running about 10 business days. So with the 4th of July Holiday, it could be the 9th or 10th of July if your loan went to the USDA Offices on June 25th.
Ive applied for a loan the first closing date was July 31st on 7/28 they changed it to 8/7 then asked for more documents, after I sent those the closing date changed again which is now 8/13 and they have ask me for documents more documents …I have have my landlord my notice and told him I would be out by the first of Aug. I hate to stay and pay another month’s rent when ask my things are packed up….
Good afternoon! I bought a house on 06/22/2015 and was suppossed to close today. I am now being told that it could be abother 30-45 days for USDA to process. Is this accurate!?
Selling home outside of Kernersville NC. Due dilligence is 8.20 and appraisal done 8.10. Realtor still has not heard from USDA. Any feedback.
As of today, 8/19 USDA Home Loan NC Undeerwriters say they are on same day turn times.
Only if it is a USDA Direct Loan. USDA Guaranteed program is running 2 days in Underwriting right now.
Hi can you tell me what turn around times are currently in Virginia?
Turn times in NC and VA for USDA are under 10 days
Hi Eleanor…I have been reading these messages and feeling very anxious and discouraged…My contract was accepted on July 14 and my lender started with the paperwork…told me the loan takes anywhere from 30 to 45 days..here it is Aug.28 and we have already had to get an extension… now been told it’s close to being sent to USDA..u say the turn time for Va is 10 days I was told it is 21 days…maybe Va needs to update their turn time on line..sure hope so!I am thankful for the loan but my nerves r a wreck and my husbands are worse..so dishearted…
Hang in there! Home Ownership is worth the effort!!!
House closing was supposed to be today and was told it is now delayed till next week waiting for funding for the NC loan. Is this normal?
USDA Home Loan Hotline for NC says they are on next day turn times – however, its said that for a while. We’ve had some delays (personally) with our USDA Loans, so it could be that they just haven’t updated their recording. Its not going to be weeks though.
Hi Eleanor,
Are the turn around times the same for a direct and guaranteed usda loan, and if they are different can you tell me what the turnaround time is for the direct here in NC? I’m going Direct and they received my paperwork on Sept 21, but I haven’t heard from anyone yet. And do you have any idea how long the whole process is taken? One more thing…do we have to pay for the appraisal?
Thank you!
Gina
Gina – I don’t do Direct USDA Loans – but we understand that they are taking 60 days. You will need to pay for the appraisal on a Guaranteed USDA Loan, because the appraiser must be paid when the services are done (by law in NC). I assume that is the same for Direct Loans too. Good Luck!
Is that 60 days from start to finish?
For Direct Loans we understand that is the Underwriting Period.So not counting the actual processing of the loan.
My God this has been a nightmare…waiting and waiting. Let me ask you Eleanor, is there any possible way to go through you? Isn’t the guaranteed loans faster. I don’t know if you remember me, but I wrote awhile ago on another one of your sites. I was initially approved in July through Wells Fargo for the USDA, they declined my application at the end of August.. after I told them my seasonal job isn’t starting until December instead of September. I’ve got the land owner who has been waiting since May 22nd to sell me his land. USDA has had all of my paperwork since 9/21, I haven’t heard a word. I am really starting to panic on this land situation. So afraid he’s just going to get tired of waiting and sell it. What can I do??
Gina – we don’t do land loans, so unfortunately, we won’t be able to help.
Our home is new construction and we are supposed to close tomorrow, 12/4. We were looking good for closing last week, However, our LO reworked our loan and just sent the loan to USDA today (12/3). How long is the wait time? And what does USDA actually do? Our LO said we are realistically looking at closing Thursday of next week…. (And that is with the 3-day waiting period). Is this even possible?? Getting nervous :/
It can take 3 to 5 days in NC. f you are a TRID loan, meaning you applied after Oct 1, then you will have at least 3 more days after approval before you can close because of new Government Procedures.
My name is Jarhonda I got approved on May 25.2016 my closing date was July 26.2016 and say closing 8/15/16 got changed again had send in more documentments send them in waiting on USDA approval letter to the bank this is stressful and frustrating I praying it hurry up close
I’m sorry this has been a hard process for you. USDA Underwriters often do ask for more documentation, but owning a home is worth the effort!
What is the current turnaround time for USDA loans in NC?
2 week turn times are what we are seeing right now
Hi Eleanor,
Could you tell the the USDA turn times for today
The USDA office in NC is on a 2 day turn time. Last week, we had a loan approved in less than 4 hours!