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Mortgage and Lending |
RAINER 20,792 |
| Tom Churchill | ||
| location_on Kalamazoo, MI | ||
| web Tom Churchill's (tc99) Blog | ||
FHA Loans
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which is part of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), administers various mortgage loan programs. FHA loans have lower down payment requirements and are easier to qualify than conventional loans. FHA loans cannot exceed the statutory limit. Go to FHA Programs page to get more information.
If you are looking for an FHA home loan right now, please feel free to request personalized rate quotes from HUD-approved mortgage lenders via our website.
VA loans
VA loans are guaranteed by U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs. The guaranty allows veterans and service persons to obtain home loans with favorable loan terms, usually without a down payment. In addition, it is easier to qualify for a VA loan than a conventional loan. Lenders generally limit the maximum VA loan to $203,000. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs does not make loans, it guarantees loans made by lenders. VA determines your eligibility and, if you are qualified, VA will issue you a certificate of eligibility to be used in applying for a VA loan.
VA-guaranteed loans are obtained by making application to private lending institutions. If you are interesting in obtaining a VA-guaranteed loan you can try our VA loan request form.
Please see also pamphlets published by VA.
RHS Loan Programs
The Rural Housing Service (RHS) of the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture guarantees loans for rural residents with minimal closing costs and no downpayment. Visit our page RHS programs for details.
Ginnie Mae which is part of HUD guarantees securities backed by pools of mortgage loans insured by these three federal agencies - FHA, or VA, or RHS. Securities are sold through financial institutions that trade government securities.
State and Local Housing Programs
Many states, counties and cities provide low to moderate housing finance programs, down payment assistance programs, or programs tailored specifically for a first time buyer. These programs are typically more lenient on the qualification guidelines and often designed with lower upfront fees. Also, there are often loan assistance programs offered at the local or state level such as MCC (Mortgage Credit Certificate) which allows you a tax credit for part of your interest payment. Most of these programs are fixed rate mortgages and have interest rates lower than the current market.
Conforming Loans
Conventional loans may be conforming and non-conforming. Conforming loans have terms and conditions that follow the guidelines set forth by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. These two stockholder-owned corporations purchase mortgage loans complying with the guidelines from mortgage lending institutions, packages the mortgages into securities and sell the securities to investors. By doing so, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, like Ginnie Mae, provide a continuous flow of affordable funds for home financing that results in the availability of mortgage credit for Americans.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines establish the maximum loan amount, borrower credit and income requirements, down payment, and suitable properties. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announces new loan limits every year.
This program provides mortgage insurance to protect lenders against the risk of default on mortgages to qualified disaster victims. Individuals are eligible for this program if their homes are located in an area that was designated by the President as a disaster area and if their homes were destroyed or damaged to such an extent that reconstruction or replacement is necessary. Insured mortgages may be used to finance the purchase or reconstruction of a one-family home that will be the principal residence of the homeowner. Like the basic FHA mortgage insurance program it resembles (Section 203(b) Mortgage Insurance for One to Four Family Homes), Section 203(h) offers features that make recovery from a disaster easier for homeowners:
No downpayment is required. The borrower is eligible for 100 percent financing. Closing costs and prepaid expenses must be paid by the borrower in cash or paid through premium pricing or by the seller, subject to a 6 percent limitation on seller concessions.
FHA mortgage insurance is not free. Mortgagees collect from the borrowers an up-front insurance premium (which may be financed) at the time of purchase, as well as monthly premiums that are not financed, but instead are added to the regular mortgage payment.
Some fees are limited. FHA rules impose limits on some of the fees that lender's may charge in making a mortgage. For example, the lender?s mortgage origination charge for the administrative cost of processing the mortgage may not exceed one "point", that is, one percent of the amount of the mortgage excluding any financed upfront mortgage insurance premium. In addition, property appraisal and inspection fees are set by FHA.
HUD sets limits on the amount that may be insured. To make sure that its programs serve low and moderate income people, FHA sets limits on the dollar value of the mortgage. The current FHA mortgage limit can be viewed online. These figures vary over time and by place, depending on the cost of living and other factors (higher limits also exist for two to four family properties).
Eligible Participants:
FHA approved lending institutions, such as banks, mortgage companies, and savings and loan associations, are eligible for Section 203(h) insurance.
Eligible Customers:
Anyone whose home has been destroyed or severely damaged in a Presidentially declared disaster area is eligible to apply for mortgage insurance under this program.
Application:
The borrower?s application for mortgage insurance must be submitted to the lender within one year of the President?s declaration of the disaster. Applications are made through an FHA approved lending institution, who make their requests through a provision known as "Direct Endorsement," which authorizes them to consider applications without submitting paperwork to HUD. Mortgage insurance processing and administration for this and other FHA single family mortgage insurance products are handled
Getting pre-approved by a lender before shopping for a home helps you in two ways. First, it helps you narrow down the homes under consideration because it tells you what price house you can afford. Second, pre-approval can give you a leg up over other buyers when you find a home you like. Sellers are more likely to accept offers from buyers who they know have financing secured, because the sale is more likely to close. During pre-approval, lenders look at your entire financial situation. You will be required to show proof of income and submit your social security number, so the lender can review your credit. Pre-approval is not the same as prequalification; prequalification is an estimate of the amount of money you can borrow and it is not guaranteed. Pre-approval is a good step to take before you start shopping because it shows sellers that you are a serious buyer. In fact, in some housing markets, for your offer to be reviewed it is necessary to be preapproved. That way, sellers can be certain the deal won't fall through. Remember that you can certainly buy a home for less than your pre-approval amount. Think of pre-approval as your limit. If your budget doesn't allow for a $1,500 monthly mortgage payment but your lender says you can afford that much, stick with your budget. You know your spending priorities better than your lender.
Selecting a mortgage may be the most important financial decision you will make. Most likely, you will be paying off this debt for years, and after all, a small difference in the mortgage rate can make a big difference in monthly payments. We hope the following will help you shop for a mortgage most effectively.
First of all, if you plan on shopping around for a mortgage it is highly recommended that you take the time to order your credit report from all three credit reporting agencies and check it for errors. An inaccuracy you aren't aware of could cost you thousands of dollars in extra interest or even cause a denial of credit; it is estimated that 50% of all credit reports contain errors significant enough for an individual to be denied a loan!
Secondly, tracking interest rate movements is recommended when shopping for a mortgage. Find out what current mortgage rates are and whether they are going up or down. Mortgage rates fluctuate frequently. One month they are up, the next, down. It is very rare that they remain constant for any lengthy period of time. There are many factors affecting rates and it is often difficult to accurately predict interest rates as the national economy itself, but an understanding of key economic indicators can provide clues to the future direction of interest rates.
Mortgage rates generally rise and fall along with yields on Treasury notes and bonds because those government securities reflect the overall direction of interest rates. By keeping an eye on Treasury market and mortgage market trends a borrower has a better chance of obtaining interest rate savings.
Thirdly, before you begin shopping for a mortgage, you should decide which mortgage program is the best for your situation. A mortgage is a major purchase, so it is important to know that you have the right program for you. Today's market offers borrowers a tremendous choice of loan products and new opportunities that never existed before, so it pays to educate yourself on the different types of loan programs first.
Choosing the right type of mortgage requires you to review your financial objectives and ask a host of questions, such as:
How long do you plan on staying in the house or with the loan? What amount of monthly payment can you comfortably afford? How much money do you have for a down payment? Is paying the mortgage off early important? Do you intend to make extra principal payments? Is your income projected to remain stable or increase?Your personal expectation for the future of interest rates, your tax bracket and adversity to risk are also important factors to consider when choosing a mortgage loan.
Once you have decided to go with a certain loan program, and find out current interest rates, you can begin shopping interest rates among lenders. To find the best possible deal, you should do some research and compare the mortgages offered by several lenders before you commit to borrow. It isn't always easy to compare loans because your mortgage rate is only one part of your mortgage loan. You should also compare points and other fees. There are a number of different fees involved in getting a mortgage that can add thousands of dollars to the cost of your loan, and some lenders have different names for them. One lender might offer to waive one fee and then add another one. Comparing what different mortgage brokers and lenders are charging you to get an interest rate is often the most difficult part of mortgage shopping.
Before deciding which mortgage to get, look at the whole product. Pay close attention to the terms of a loan including the type of the mortgage, the presence of prepayment penalties, low or high downpayment, mortgage insuranse requirements, payment schedule, lock-in period and many other features. Pick the loan with the rate and other terms that suit your situation best. For example, prepayment penalty clause can be very important if you are planning to sell your house or refinance in the next 3 - 5 years, or if you expect to prepay your loan.
Once you have decided to go with a certain lender (or broker), ask him to specify the documents you will be required to provide for the approval process. Find out also whether the loan application and the lock-in fees, if any, are refundable if your application is rejected.