If you are currently preapproved to buy a home using FHA for your financing, I highly recommend you check with your mortgage originator to make sure your preapproval is still valid.
Why the worry? FHA will have higher mortgage insurance rates effective with new loans (case numbers issued as of) April 9, 2012. How much somebody is preapproved for is based on their debt to income ratios, which includes the proposed new mortgage payment.
Based on the scenarios I used on my post announcing these changes, a loan amount of $417,000 would see an increase in payment of $48.95. For a borrower who’s currently maxed out on their debt to income ratios (DTI), this could reduce their borrowing power by about $10,500. FHA “jumbo” borrowers are hit extra hard with FHA’s additonal tax fee, my previous post for a loan amount based on the Seattle FHA loan limit of $567,500 has an increase in payment of $183.85. For the borrower pushing their DTI, $183.85 increase in monthly payment pencils out to $39,700 in less home someone will qualify for.
Even if your preapproval letter states it’s valid until a certain date beyond April 9, 2012, it is subject to “changing market conditions”. Your scenario is not “locked in” or approved until you have a signed around contract that you’ve submitted to your lender to complete your loan application. Changing mortgage rates and property taxes also impact how much you qualify for.
Your mortgage originator can (and should) review your current preapproved scenario and plug in the mortgage insurance rates to determine how much your payment will be going up and to see if it impacts how much you’re preapproved for.
If you are considering buying or refinancing a home anywhere in Washington State, I’m happy to help you! Please click the links at the top of this page for a rate quote or to apply.
PS: This also impacts home owners who are considering refinancing from a non-FHA loan to an FHA or who are doing a credit qualifying (full doc) FHA streamlined refinance.
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