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HUD wants a FICO of 500

July 19th, 2010 jerrylarose No comments

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) said that it intends to require borrowers to have scores of at least 500 to qualify for FHA-insured loans. The agency has not required a minimum score before.  “It really is just conforming FHA standards to what FHA lenders have already been doing,” said Michael Fratantoni, vice president of research and economics for the Mortgage Bankers Association.  As a result, the practical impact of this move will be extremely limited; during the second quarter of 2010, no FHA-insured loans were issued to borrowers with sub-500 scores. And, in fact, less than 1% of borrowers were below 580; most loans went to borrowers with scores above 620.

The initiative is part of an ongoing effort to reduce default risk to the FHA loan portfolio and to boost the reserves that back those loans, according to HUD Commissioner David Stevens.  “These are the latest in a series of changes to allow the FHA to manage its risk better while continuing to support the nation’s housing recovery,” he said. “By protecting FHA’s capital reserves, we can continue providing affordable, responsible mortgage products and will remain the nation’s largest source of home purchase financing for underserved communities.”  During May, 8.97% of all FHA loans were seriously delinquent (seasonably adjusted). That was up from 7.93% during May 2009. But defaults have turned downward since January, when they peaked at 9.16%.  The defaults have drained FHA reserve, which is funded by insurance payments, to below the 2% minimum mandated by Congress. Taxpayer money could be in jeopardy if the insurance funds are depleted any further.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, East Orlando, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Winter Park, Oviedo, Apopka, Lake Mary, Clermont, Ocoee  Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange, Seminole, Polk, Lake  or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, East Orlando, St. Cloud,  Davenport, Clermont, Longwood, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland,  Apopka,  Lake Mary, Oviedo or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales

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Categories: FHA, Fannie Mae, HUD Tags:

FHA considers policy changes

July 18th, 2010 jerrylarose No comments

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) is considering three policy changes to boost its capital reserves. Under the changes, new borrowers seeking FHA-insured loans will need a minimum FICO score of 580 to qualify for FHA’s 3.5% downpayment program. New borrowers with credit scores between 500 and 580 will be required to provide a 10% downpayment, and borrowers with credit scores below 500 will no longer qualify. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) published a notice today seeking public comment on the measures, which are designed to reduce financial risk and preserve affordable mortgage finance. HUD will accept public comment for the next 30 days on the proposed changes.  “These are the latest in a series of changes to allow the FHA to manage its risk better while continuing to support the nation’s housing recovery,” said FHA commissioner David Stevens in a press release.

Specifically, the FHA is proposing to update the combination of credit and downpayment requirements for new borrowers, reduce seller concessions from 6% to 3% and tighten underwriting standards for manually-underwritten loans.  The changes also seek to reduce the share of the home sales price that sellers are allowed to contribute at the closing table to offset the buyers’ costs. The current share of 6% “exposes the FHA to excess risk by potentially driving up the cost of the home beyond its appraised value,” the FHA said in a statement today. The proposed change would reduce seller concessions to 3%, which the FHA said would bring it into conformity with industry standards.  The proposed FHA policy updates also require lenders, during the underwriting process, to consider compensating factors that are “the best predictive indicators of loan performance” — credit history, loan-to-value ratio, debt-to-income ratio and cash reserves.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden, Kissimmee, St. Cloud, East Orlando, Longwood, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Winter Park, Oviedo, Apopka, Lake Mary, Clermont, Ocoee  Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange, Seminole, Polk, Lake  or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, East Orlando, St. Cloud,  Davenport, Clermont, Longwood, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland,  Apopka,  Lake Mary, Oviedo or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales

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Categories: FHA Tags:

I have HAFA mind to never pay another mortgage payment again!

April 16th, 2010 jerrylarose No comments

HAFA (which means “I have HAFA mind to never pay another mortgage payment again!”) Kidding!!! Actually it is part of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) that aims to help homeowners who are unable to qualify for a loan modification under HAMP by providing them with the option to pursue a short sale or deed-in-lieu. Under the program, financial incentives are provided to servicers (banks) and borrowers (now you’re talking!) who utilize these foreclosure alternatives.

As of April 5, 2010, the program is now in action and according to the guidelines, once a borrower is determined to be ineligible for a HAMP modification, the bank must consider that borrower for HAFA within 30 days. Every potential eligible borrower must be considered for the program before the borrower’s loan is referred to foreclosure or the bank allows a pending foreclosure sale to be conducted. If the bank determines that the borrower is eligible, the short sale or deed-in-lieu process will begin. Qualified borrowers will be given pre-approved short sale terms before the property is listed, and once an offer is made, banks/mortgage servicers will have 10 days to approve or reject the sale.

HAFA Government Program

HAFA+Brochure+Text+1 25 10

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Lake Mary, Oviedo or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales.

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New FHA Guidelines may help us here in Orlando

March 29th, 2010 jerrylarose No comments

CNBC”s Diana Olick has the details on the FHA releases new guidelines for homeowners to meet in order to receive a loan.

http://realestate.msn.com/video/default.aspx?vid=59b6660d-847a-40a6-89a3-f33254ff45b1&from=cp^cp_en-us_realestate_CustomPlayer_Hub&fg=msnrealestate

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Maitland, Lake Mary, Oviedo or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales

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Orlando Home Buyers are Best to buy before new FHA guidelines take effect

February 10th, 2010 jerrylarose No comments

Starting in early summer, the Federal Housing Administration is tightening lending standards in an effort to bolster its dwindling reserves. The new lending standards will make it tougher for some prospective buyers to purchase a home by requiring a higher down payment than the typical 3.5 percent for some borrowers, higher insurance premiums and reduced seller concessions.

Securing FHA-insured mortgages are attractive to borrowers because down payments are only 3.5 percent. Most conventional loans now require 20 percent down, keeping many creditworthy borrowers on the sidelines.

New Guidelines

The new rules — which are temporary and take effect this summer — come after more than a year of stringent standards from lenders. Among them:

  • Better Credit Score — New borrowers will have to have a minimum credit score of 580 to qualify for a 3.5 percent down payment. Previously, there was no minimum score. Those with lower scores will have to make at least a 10 percent down payment. The average credit score of FHA-insured borrowers is 693.
  • Higher Insurance Premiums — Buyers who get an FHA-insured loan will soon have to pay a higher initial insurance premium. The new premium will be 2.25 percent of the value of total loan amount, up from 1.75 percent now. A $100,000 mortgage would require a payment of $2,250, or $500 more. But buyers can roll the added cost into the loan amount.
  • Reduction in Seller Concessions — Starting this summer, sellers will not be able to offer as much help to buyers to pay their closing costs. The maximum amount of assistance will drop to 3 percent of the value of the property, from the current 6 percent.

FHA removes anti-flipping rule

Another FHA rule change could help foreclosure-plagued markets like Las Vegas, Phoenix, Miami, Detroit and Los Angeles, making it easier for investors to “flip” houses to buyers who use FHA-insured loans.

Effective Feb. 1, the federal government will waive for one year an FHA anti-flipping rule that prohibits insuring a mortgage on a home owned by the seller for less than 90 days.

The new rule lets investors buy today and re-sell as quickly as possible. The move is to allow REO homes purchased by investors to resell as quickly as possible, helping stabilize real estate prices and revitalize neighborhoods after the U.S. housing market collapse.

This new rule will open up a new pool of homes to buyers. Waiving the 90-day flip rule is being heralded by many real estate investors as a boon to their ability to buy, rehab and resell foreclosed homes on a more efficient time line.

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Jerry LaRose is an Orlando Area Residential Real Estate Expert, who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of Real Estate in Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden Florida or any place in the country. Jerry has created a team of professionals throughout Orlando and the country to ensure that you enjoy a smooth transition to your new area. Please visit http://OrlandoShortSaleExpert.com or www.JerrySellsOrlando.com for your real estate needs.  Please give me a call if you have questions about the Orlando and Central Florida real estate market.

P.S. If you are listing your home as a short sale in Orange or Osceola County Florida and Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden,  Kissimmee or Ocoee Florida make sure you hire an agent who knows how to do short sales and has the experience to get the job done. We are doing successful short sale packages. Call us at 407-580-7011 to find out more about Orange County Short Sales and Orlando Area Short Sales

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Categories: FHA Tags: , ,