Helping Washington State homeowners learn more about their mortgage options.
Borrowers not wanting to have FHA mortgage insurance as part of their mortgage payment for the life of the loan have about thirty days to take action. This shouldn’t be a reason to panic. 🙂
Effective FHA case numbers issued June 3, 2013 and later, FHA mortgage insurance will become a permanent part of the FHA mortgage payment.
Why do I say “SO WHAT?”
One of my favorite blogs to follow, Get Rich Slowly, recently published Reader Stories: I bought a duplex to save money on rent. The author of the post describes how he used an FHA mortgage to buy a duplex and with renting out the unit he was not living in, he wound up paying less for his housing than when he was renting.
If your credit scores are 680 or higher and you’re considering buying a home located anywhere in Washington state using FHA for your mortgage, you may want to consider the Home Advantage Mortgage program.
Home Advantage is a mortgage program created by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. Only Loan Officers, like yours truly, who have completed WSHFC training are allowed to offer this program.
Home Advantage is a program that is offered through the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. Home Advantage is typically combined with a Home Advantage second mortgage that can finance closing cost and the down payment. Unlike the House Key program (state bond), this program has unlimited funds available for qualified Washington home buyers.
Effective this week, FHA annual mortgage insurance premiums were once again increased on loans with case numbers issued April 1, 2013 or later by 10 to 15 basis points. This is just the first round of changes that were issued with HUD Mortgage Letter 2013-04.
There are just a few days left before FHA mortgages will have another increase to annual mortgage insurance premiums. Effective with case numbers issued April 1, 2013 and later, FHA annual mortgage insurance premiums will adjust an additional 10 bps to 15 bps.
Did you know that if your existing mortgage is FHA on your investment property, that it may qualify for an FHA streamlined refi?
Here’s the scoop for a non-owner occupied FHA streamlined refi:
HUD has scheduled another increase to FHA annual mortgage insurance premiums effective with new case numbers obtained April 1, 2013 and later. FHA’a annual mortgage insurance premiums are paid monthly and are set to rise by 10 basis points.
For example, a base loan amount of $400,000 with a loan to value of 95% or lower, currently has a monthly mortgage insurance premium of $396.65 based on a rate of 1.20%. After the new mortgage insurance rates go into effect, this monthly premium will be $429.71 – an increase of $33.06 per month.
NOTE: Home owners who currently have FHA insured mortgages for their primary or investment properties and who had those mortgages guaranteed by FHA prior to June 1, 2009 will still qualify for reduced mortgage insurance premiums with FHA streamlined refinances. If you’re not one of these lucky home owners, you may want to take action now!
In addition, with new FHA loans as of June 3, 2013, FHA mortgage insurance will remain on the life of the loan. The only way to terminate it is to refinance out of an FHA loan or pay the loan off. Currently, FHA annual mortgage insurance is set to drop off the loan after it reaches a 78% loan to value and a minimum of 60 mortgage payments have been made. However with a minimum down payment scenario, it often takes closer to nine years before the loan to value reaches 78%. I would bet that many Washington home owners either refinance or sell their homes before their mortgage insurance drops off. Regardless, if you want to avoid having to pay FHA mortgage insurance for the life of that FHA insured mortgage, you’ll need to have your FHA case number prior to June 3, 2013.
What can you do?
If you want to avoid having a higher mortgage payment and you’re considering an FHA loan for your refinance or home purchase, you have a short window of opportunity to secure your lower payment now. An FHA Case number is not your application date. It is actually obtained shortly after you have a bona fide transaction and application. As we near the April 1 date, if you have a new FHA mortgage in process, you will want to confirm with your mortgage professional that your FHA case number has been secured. (They can provide you your FHA case number as proof).
I have been helping people with FHA insured mortgages since April 2000 at Mortgage Master Service Corporation. If you would like me to provide you with a rate quote for your home located anywhere in Washington State, click here.
Rhonda Porter is a Licensed Mortgage Originator MLO121324 living in the greater Seattle area. Rhonda began her career in 1986 in the title and escrow industry and began her mortgage career in 2000. She enjoys helping people understand the mortgage process and started writing The Mortgage Porter in late 2006. Read More…
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