May 2, 2024

FHA Purchasers Immediately Have Negative Equity – The Buying Dilemma

Most first time home buyers who have done their homework know that there are both benefits and disadvantages associated with FHA mortgage financing. Real estate agents and the mortgage industry will typically stress the benefits of a low down payment requirement and flexible underwriting standards with FHA financing.  However, there are also disadvantages associated with […]

Getting FHA Mortgage Approval After Bankruptcy Is Easier Than You Think

Many potential homeowners mistakenly believe that they must wait a very long time to qualify for mortgage approval after declaring bankruptcy.  Depending on the circumstances, however, this is not the case.  Easy FHA mortgage guidelines allow some borrowers to become homeowners as soon as 12 months after a bankruptcy. The primary factors determining how soon […]

Do FHA Low Down Payment Loans Make Financial Sense?

Home ownership rightfully remains the goal of many Americans and a plethora of government loan programs run by agencies such as the  FHA, VA and USDA all provide mortgage programs with little or no down payment requirements. Before buying that dream home, however, a borrower should analyze whether or not it makes financial sense to […]

FHA’s 75% Increase In Mortgage Insurance Premiums May Hurt Housing Sales

After the implosion of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2008, the FHA was seen as the savior of the housing industry.  Liberal underwriting guidelines combined with a low down payment requirement made FHA financing the preferred choice for many home buyers.  As a result, the FHA’s share of total mortgage lending soared to almost […]

Are Only U.S. Citizens Eligible For FHA Loans? Facts vs. Myths

During my discussions with loan applicants, there seems to be a common misperception that only U.S. citizens are eligible for FHA mortgage financing.  I can recall a long list of second hand stories from people who “heard about” illegal immigrants receiving FHA financing using forged and fraudulent documents. Although it is certainly possible that some […]