There are many different things that have been attacking the economy and the housing market. The down turn has made it hard for anyone that has a mortgage to make the payments and we are seeing a lot of foreclosed homes. Refinancing is a good way to try and keep you home and possibly see your payments drop. Refinancing FHA loans has been a necessity as well and, as with any decision, can have a positive effect on a home owner’s payments and credit score.
Many different people have purchased a home with an FHA loan. They have become more popular because it has become harder to get a conventional loan or a low down payment insured conventional loan. This is because people’s credit scores have lowered due to the economy. There are a few basics that everyone should know about when it comes to FHA
FHA loans are not loans through the government. This is a misconception that most people know about. They are loans secured against the default by the FHA. They have no income limits when it comes to buying a home which is a positive for those that don’t have a lot of money to use as a down payment. They work with everyone so that people are able to get into a house of their own and help to stabilize the economy and housing market.
Refinancing FHA loans has never been easier. FHA wants home owners to be able to stay in their homes so they work with the homeowner and whatever circumstances they have, to be able to keep their home in their hands. There are a couple of requirements to be able to refinance. One of them is that the loan must be current and not delinquent in any way. Another is that it has to be FHA insured.
Finding a way for people to keep their homes is something that is important to everyone. To try and stabilize the housing market, FHA is working with first time home buyers to try and get them into homes with as much ease as possible. If a family does need to refinance, FHA will do what it can to help you keep your home.
If you are one of the many people that finds it necessary or just want lower monthly home payments then now is the time to join everyone else refinancing FHA loans.
By: Al Hardy
Posts Tagged ‘Credit Scores’
The Best Refinance Home Mortgage Loan
December 23rd, 2009
There are many reasons why an individual looks for the best refinance home mortgage loan. The most common one is to be able to enjoy the benefits of low home loan interest rates. Other important reasons borrowers refinance mortgage home loans is to pay credit cards, improve their homes and rebuild credit scores that might have turned for the worse.
Before one is able to obtain the best refinance home mortgage loan, he must know why he needs one in the first place. When a home owner refinances, old mortgages are normally paid off and he signs a new one.
Borrowers who refinance home mortgage loans should check on a number of factors before actually going through the process. First of all, it is advisable to search for a lending company that is willing to give up some of the fees. Such fees and dues are legal, application and appraisal fees. They are usually associated with the usual closing fees of new mortgages. Getting the right lender can actually save one significant amount of money.
How long will you stay in your property? If it is only for a few months, savings every month will not have time to catch up on involved costs especially if you failed to find a lender who will waive some of the involved costs. Therefore it is a must that you find ample time to search for a good lender for your home mortgage loan refinancing needs.
People want to obtain the best refinance home mortgage loan in order to build fast on their home equity. Refinancing actually helps a home owner to build on their equity at a shorter period of time and pay less amount of interest over the duration of the loan. If a borrower wants to refinance a thirty year home mortgage into a fifteen year one but is worried about the high costs, a twenty year mortgage can be a good alternative as he can still take advantage of low rates.
By: Ernesto Maitim
FHA Refinance Loans and Credit Scores
December 22nd, 2009
One of the current major headline topics concerning mortgage refinance is revolving around the continued tightening by lenders. In fact, underwriting guidelines have become more restrictive by the month in 2008, including credit score qualification standards. The change to tougher lender guidelines is stemming from our national credit liquidity crisis and the continued decline in housing prices. With increased risk on the lender’s part, they are requiring a much cleaner loan application to fund loans.
What many people refinancing do not know, is that the squeeze in home loan qualifications are related to prime conventional home loans. FHA refinancing on the other hand, is a bit different, and guidelines are aimed to help as many homeowners refinance as possible. In years past, one could refinance into a decent interest rate with a 600 credit score and possibly finance 95 percent to 100 percent of their home’s appraised value. Those days are unfortunately gone for homeowners that can really benefit by a current refinance, if they choose to go the prime conventional route for their new mortgage. Fortunately, for many not qualified under a conventional mortgage, FHA refinance loans are filling the void.
An FHA refinance is not credit score driven, but there is a proverbial catch. Most lenders that underwrite and fund FHA refinance loans will require a 580 mid FICO score for eligibility purposes. Now, let’s be honest here, a 580 credit score is a pretty low score for the benefits of FHA refinancing. One of the many FHA loan benefits relate to the low refinance rates qualified for those with low credit scores. FHA interest rates are pretty much in line with equivalent mortgage rates offered to those with excellent credit scores. This is a huge advantage for those with poor credit. Another big benefit relates to how much a homeowner can finance, relative to the value of their home. Most FHA lenders will allow up to a 97 percent loan-to-value ratio. That means if your home is valued at $150,000, you can refinance up to $145,500 and still get low competitive refinance rates. In fact, many borrowers with great credit scores are going the FHA refinance route, as they are finding that interest rates are lower with an FHA loan as compared to the equivalent high loan-to-value conventional loan.
What’s more is that an FHA underwriter will listen to a borrower’s story relating to blips on their credit report. They will accept letters of explanation and supporting documentation aimed toward issuing a loan approval. In a day when is seems that numbers alone dictate a home loan approval or denial, it’s refreshing to see a refinance program that is more directed toward people and their needs.
By: Jim Bisnett