Refinancing loan » Fha Loan

The Housing Rescue Bill and the FHA Refinance Loan

admin — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 08:37:55 +0000

On October 1, 2008, new FHA Refinance Loan Guidelines will go into effect as part of The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. This new FHA Mortgage program is designed to help thousands of homeowners who are at risk of foreclosure in their current conventional or sub-prime home loans.

The details of The “HOPE for Homeowners Act of 2008″ are as follows:

1. Eligible Borrowers

Only owner-occupants who are unable to afford their mortgage payments are eligible for the program. No investors or investor properties will qualify. Homeowners must certify, under penalty of law, that they have not intentionally defaulted on their loan to qualify for the program and must have a mortgage debt-to-income ratio greater than 31% as of March 1, 2008. Lenders must document and verify borrowers’ income with the IRS.

2. Home Equity & Appreciation Sharing

In order to avoid a windfall to the borrower created by the new 90% loan-to-value FHA-insured mortgage, the borrower must share the newly-created equity and future appreciation equally with FHA. This obligation will continue until the borrower sells the home or refinances the FHA-insured mortgage. Moreover, the homeowner’s access to the newly created equity will be phased-in over a 5 year period.

The borrower agrees to repay the following share of any home equity appreciation with the FHA when the home is sold or refinanced again;

A. 100% of any equity earned is paid to the government FHA if the home sells or the borrower refinances within 1 year.

B. 90% of any equity earned is paid to the FHA if the home sells or the borrower refinances within 2 years.

C. 80% of any positive equity earned is paid to the FHA if the home sells or the borrower refinances within 3 years.

D. 70% of any positive equity earned is paid to the FHA if the home sells or the borrower refinances within 4 years.

E. 60% of any positive equity earned is paid to the FHA if the home sells or the borrower refinances within 5 years.

F. 50% of any positive equity earned is paid to the FHA if the home sells or the borrower refinances after 5 years.

Note: The FHA requires a 3% Exit Fee of the Mortgage Principal Balance when the borrower sells or refinances the home again.

3. Other Requirements

Existing Subordinate Liens

Before participating in this program, all subordinate liens (such as second loans, home equity loans, etc.) must be extinguished. This will have to be done through negotiation with the first lien holder.

Mortgage Insurance and Other Fees

The Up Front FHA Mortgage Insurance Premium that is required on all FHA Refinance Loans will change as part The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. The Monthly MI Rates have also been updated. The following FHA MI rates will begin on October 1, 2008 and will be effective for 12 months;

FHA Up Front MIP – Required on all FHA Loans (Can be financed into loan amount).

1.75% – Normal FHA 203(b) Refinance 1.5% – FHA Streamlined Refinance 3.0% – FHASecure (Refinance for high risk borrowers who are already delinquent on current mortgage)

Monthly MI – Multiply the loan amount by the figure below and then divide by 12. The result is your Monthly Mortgage Insurance.

30 Year Note 0.55% – Refinance greater than 90% of the home’s LTV. 0.50% – Refinance less than or equal to 90% of the home’s LTV.

15 Year Note 0.25% – Refinance greater than 90% of the home’s LTV. Monthly MI is not required on an 15 Year FHA Refinance Loan with an LTV of 90% or less.

The FHA Refinance Loan Process

Each new loan will be originated and underwritten on a case-by-case basis. To get approved, your income statements, bank accounts, credit scores and work history will be examined. A new appraisal must be performed on your home to determine its current value.

If it doesn’t have positive equity, then you must contact your current lender and negotiate with them to reduce (write down) your current mortgage to 90% of its current appraised value. If your current lender agrees to the write down, then you will be able to proceed with the FHA refinance.

By: Spencer Llewellyn

Refinancing FHA Loans – Save Your Home by Refinancing!

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:40:48 +0000

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

FHA Refinance Loans – Many Types For You to Choose From!

admin — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 03:17:24 +0000

Are you looking to refinance your home and don’t know where to start? Look into FHA Refinance Loans as they are perfect for almost any situation.

There are many types of FHA loans and home refinancing through them has many advantages. Research the various types to see which will work best for you. Here I will just give a basic overview of each one.

What are your goals in terms of refinancing your home? Whether you are looking to consolidate debt, lower your interest rate or cash out on some of your equity, FHA Refinance Loans can help you. Let’s look at each one individually.

Types Of FHA Refinance Loans

1. Rate & Term refinance loans are for those who have a high interest rate on an existing loan. This loan must be a sub prime mortgage loan for you to qualify. People who have this loan also have bad credit and this will allow you to decrease your interest rate and monthly payment.

2. For those who need to eliminate some debt and have only one monthly payment, choose debt consolidation FHA Refinance Loans. The loan specialists who assist you will arrange payoff of your existing debt and you won’t have to deal with the high interest rates any longer.

3. Many just want to cash out of their home equity and use the money however they choose. This option is available as a cash-out refinance.

4. If you want to refinance an existing FHA loan to reduce your rate and payments, choose the FHA Streamline Loan option. No credit check is required and the only condition is that you have made your monthly payments on time for the past year.

As you can see, there is a loan available for everyone and every situation.

There are many advantages to choosing an FHA loan. FHA Refinance Loans are very easy to qualify for as a local bank does not have to insure the loan. The FHA takes care of this.

By having the government insure the loan, the FHA is also able to offer incredibly low interest rates. Another advantage of this type of loan is the down payment of this type of loan is usually only 3.5%. This amount is very low comparable to other mortgages and makes it more affordable for most people to receive the loan. For those with bad credit, the FHA is also willing to work with you to enable you to refinance to a better rate and payment.

As you can see, choosing from the available FHA Refinance Loans will help you in a number of ways. Definitely put this on the top of your list of people to contact when refinancing. You won’t be sorry!

By: Al Hardy

Refinance FHA Home Loan – Refinancing FHA Loans Info!

admin — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 09:54:04 +0000

Are you looking for ways to save money in this tough economy? One of the first places to look is your mortgage payments if you owned a home. And if your mortgage in an FHA mortgage you may be able to save money with a Refinance FHA Home Loan.

First, an FHA loan is a loan that guarantees your lender that in case you default on your payments, the loan will be taken over by the Federal Housing Administration. In other words, your loan is guaranteed to be repaid and the lender has undertaken less of a risk.

It is not a government loan and no taxpayers’ money goes to fund the loan repayment. It is fully funded by the mortgage insurance premiums paid by the borrowers. It was created by congress in 1934 to provide a stimulus to the housing construction business. In that time it has been able to insure over 34 million home mortgages.

For most people the purchase of a home is the single biggest investment that they will make during their lifetime. Investments are made monthly in the form of mortgage payments and the capital builds in the form of equity.

After a few years there is an appreciable return on the investment and there may be reasons to Refinance FHA Home Loan for things such as college tuition or even a vacation to get away from it all. If you are still in the home as your principal residence you may have the option to Refinance FHA Home Loan.

Refinancing FHA loans have become very popular in the last couple if years because it is easy to do and the interest rates are at decades low. You can get

One of the most popular ways to Refinance FHA Home Loan is through a procedure referred to as cash out refinancing. If you own a home that has appreciated and the principal from your monthly payments has been allowed to accumulate you may own a lot more home than your present mortgage indicates. You would then Refinance FHA Home Loan for the current value and possibly at a lower interest rate. Your old mortgage would be paid off and you would be left with the new one and a cash settlement in your pocket.

If your original home loan is an FHA loan and is in good standing, and you do not want cash back you may be able to qualify for FHA streamlined refinancing. The advantage here is that your monthly payment is reduced so that you have extra cash on a reoccurring basis. Your loan payment time may be extended but there is a chance your interest rates may drop. Check with your loan officer to see if you qualify for streamlined refinancing and if there would be an advantage to you to do this.

Refinancing FHA loans is one of the best options to reduce your mortgage payments. You can get more information by clicking the links below. The ease and the lower interest rates are certainly good reasons to check to see if you can lower your mortgage payments with a Refinance FHA Home Loan!

By: Al Hardy

FHA Refinance Loan Qualifications – What You MUST Know Before Refinancing Any FHA Loan

admin — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:42:43 +0000

Before you refinance any mortgage there are certain terms you should consider. The same can be said about the FHA refinance loan. Any mortgage that you currently have on your property can be refinanced into an FHA loan. Refinancing your loan into a Federal Housing Administration loan provides you with a lower monthly payment, the ability to avoid foreclosure or default, or it can help with home repairs. The refinance loan is different than the FHA HOPE. FHA HOPE is a homeowners program that protects individuals from default or foreclosure only.

There Federal Housing Administration makes four types of refinance loans available to you.

• The Cash- Out refinance options allows you to refinance 85 percent of your home’s value. The value is determined by a professional appraisal with the FHA lender.

• A Cash- Out option of 95 percent of the appraised value.

• No cash- out

• Streamline FHA refinancing

There are requirements even with FHA refinance loans that you must adhere to. In the cash out options listed above the borrower is required to own the home for at least a year before applying for the refinance loan. For all four loans the amount you can obtain for refinancing will be determined by the homes appraised value. The calculation for non streamlined loans is a bit more difficult, and not really necessary to discuss other than to say the calculation has to deal with the original mortgage and any second mortgages you might have on the home.

FHA streamline loans can only be obtained if you have an existing loan loan. In this particular loan type you are not given cash, but the refinancing will pay the existing loan off. This option helps you lower your repayment amount in the event that the interest rates have decreased since you were awarded the first FHA loan. In the current economic climate the base rate has significantly decreased, allowing interest rates to decrease as well. For a person who acquired an FHA home loan during the housing boom it could be very lucrative for you to refinance.

The downside to refinancing in the current market is the home values. Many areas are suffering from degraded home values, presenting a situation of negative equity. This may limit your refinancing options. If your home value is still on the positive side under the streamline product, the Federal Housing Administration allows for the closing costs to be a part of the loan if the equity is sufficient.

If you are refinancing to an FHA loan there is no down payment required. This has been somewhat confusing for home owners. Since all FHA loans require a down payment, homeowners automatically assume this means the refinancing products as well. FHA refinance loans work like mainstream remortgages, thus there is no down payment in a refinance situation.

These refinance loans are available to any person who qualifies for an FHA loan. Most refinance products with FHA require that you go through the same qualification process as the regular FHA loan process.

By: J. Stewart

FHA Refinance Loans and Credit Scores

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:02:44 +0000

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

FHA Streamline Refinance Loan – How to Get One?

admin — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:52:54 +0000

A FHA Streamline Refinance Loan could be your answer to your problems if you are behind in your mortgage payments or other bills such as credit cards or car payments. You don’t want to lose your home to foreclosure so you need to know your options for refinancing your mortgage loan.

A helpful challenge is one that results in peace of mind. Such a challenge may present it when it looks like a home mortgage is getting foreclosed. An opportunity to resolve this, avoiding foreclosure is a FHA Streamline Refinance Loan.

If the rate of interest was too high on the original loan it may be possible to get a lower rate. Sometimes, if there are several unpaid bills there may be a way to pull those bills into the loan. This way the bills will be paid at the mortgage closing.

What should you do to get a FHA Streamline Refinance Loan?

As simple as this sounds there is going to be some healthy leg work. All debts owed will need to be gathered. There should be no inquiries for a credit report. Too many of these could affect the outcome of the credit report. Do not apply for additional credit as such activity on a credit report may work against the borrower.

A FHA Streamline Refinance Loan Specialist will guide borrowers through this process. Sprucing up of the home and grounds may be in order. Internally, the home should look pristine. This is to prepare for the appraisal.

When an appraisal is conducted the appraiser will value what the home is worth. Pictures will be taken of the home and yard. It will similar to preparing for a real estate sale.

Why go through this trouble? Property that has a beautiful appearance may go for a higher appraisal rate. The better the valued assigned to the home, the better is the chance for a mortgage lender to approve a FHA Streamline Refinance Loan. The home is then ready for the photo shoot and other appraiser duties. The value of the home will be determined. Sometimes, a survey may need to be completed. The mortgage specialist will inform the owners, if this is the case.

Fast forward to the point when the loan is approved.

A FHA Streamline Refinance Loan Specialist will arrange for the closing of the loan. An attorney or the title company will draw up papers and go over all of them with the home owners and specialist. Up to this point the contact may have been mostly by telephone and email.

Since these loans are accessible online it is possible to conduct services via this route. This does not take away from the quality of the work. In fact, time is saved that would otherwise interfere with day to day duties such as work and family.

Keeping a home safe from foreclosure saves a family from heartbreak and solves problems proactively. Many families go this route and it is worth it to them.

Refinancing your home mortgage loan can help you to save your home from foreclosure and pay other overdue bills, now is the time to start researching for more information on FHA Streamline Refinance Loan.

By: Al Hardy

New Loan Limits Set For FHA Mortgages and FHA Refinance Loans

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:06:32 +0000

On Monday HUD announced its new, permanent maximum loan limits for FHA Mortgages and FHA Refinance Loans that will become effective on Janurary 1st, 2009. These new maximum loan limits have been set as part of The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 and will be permanent limits.

Under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 (HERA), which passed in July 2008, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) was established and directed to set conforming loan limits each year. The rules governing how the loan limits are established differ from the rules set forth in the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 (ESA), which applies to loans originated in 2008. For example, under ESA, loan limits for high-cost areas were set at 125 percent of local house price medians and the maximum high-cost limit was 175 percent of the national conforming limit ($729,750 in the continental U.S.).

Starting January 1st, the national loan limit for one-unit homes in the lower 48 states shall be pegged to a house price index chosen by the FHFA. The national loan limit for 2009 will remain at $417,000. In future years, the mortgage limit for any given area shall be set at 115 percent of the median house price in that area, as determined by HUD, except that the FHA mortgage limit in any given area cannot exceed 150 percent of the Freddie Mac national loan limit, nor be lower than 65 percent of the Freddie Mac national loan limit.

This essentially creates the “Floor” and the “Ceiling” for the maximum FHA loan amount for a given area with the lowest maximum FHA loan amount being $271,050 in any area and the highest FHA loan amount being 625,500. Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the USVI may be adjusted to 150% of these limits to account for higher costs.

The new FHA Mortgage limits for 2009 are detailed below:

In areas where 115 percent of the median house price is less than 65 percent of the Freddie Mac limit, the FHA limits are set at the 65 percent amount, i.e., the “Floor,” as follows:

One-Unit $271,050

Two-Unit $347,000

Three-Unit $419,400

Four-Unit $521,250

Any area where the limits exceed the floor is known as a high cost area. In areas where 115 percent of the median house price exceeds the 150 percent figure, the mortgage limits are set at the 150 percent amount, i.e., the “Ceiling,” as follows:

One-Unit $625,500

Two-Unit $800,775

Three-Unit $967,950

Four-Unit $1,202,925

For all other areas, i.e., those where 115 percent of the median home price for the area is in between the floor and the ceiling, the limit shall be at 115 percent of the median home price.

These new FHA mortgage limits could mean that the time might be right for you to consider an FHA refinance loan or an FHA mortgage for your new home purchase. If you would like more information on FHA mortgage loans or an FHA refinance loan, please visit fha-101.com.

By: Spencer Llewellyn