FHA Refinance Loans Near 50 Year Lows!
Learn About Your FHA Refi Options
Mortgage rates have recently dropped to a level not seen in almost half a century. This may the the best time you'll see to refinance your home loan. If you're currently in a 30-year mortage, consider the advantages of moving into a 15-year loan. If you have a existing mortgage at 4% or higher, it probably makes sense to refinance.
Homeowners enjoy the benefits of investing in their property year after year. For some, there comes a time when that investment can come in handy. Refinancing with an FHA loan can prove to be an effective way to put that equity to work. Keep in mind that FHA refinancing is only available to homeowners who are currently using their home as their principal residence now.
FHA Cash-Out Refinance
This refinancing option is especially beneficial to homeowners whose property has increased in market value since the home was purchased. A Cash-Out Refinance allows homeowners to refinance their existing mortgage by taking out another mortgage for more than they currently owe. To be eligible for an FHA cash-out refinance, borrowers will need at least 20 percent equity in the property based on a new appraisal.
A Cash-Out Refinance can be a smart option for many homeowners. Whether it’s for home improvement, college tuition, debt consolidation (to pay off other high interest rate loans), student loan debt, or home remodeling, you can access money that you have in an illiquid asset.
- Credit Score Guidelines
Applicants must have a minimum credit score of 580 to qualify for an FHA cash-out refinance. - Debt-to-Income Ratio Guidelines
The FHA has guidelines regarding an applicant's debt-to-income ratio in order to keep people from entering into mortgage agreements that they cannot afford. - Maximum Loan-to-Value Guidelines
FHA Cash-Out Refinance loans have a maximum loan-to-value of 80 percent of the home's current value. - Payment History Requirements
Documentation is required to prove that the borrower has made all the monthly payments for the previous 12 months.
- How Soon Can I Cash-Out Refinance an FHA Loan?
- FHA Refinance Loan Questions and Answers
- How to Prepare for an FHA Cash-Out Refinance Loan
FHA Streamline Refinance
This refinancing option is considered streamlined because it allows you to reduce the interest rate on your current home loan quickly and oftentimes without an appraisal. FHA Streamline Refinance also cuts down on the amount of paperwork that must be completed by your lender saving you valuable time and money.
- Your Current Mortgage Must Already Be FHA-Insured
While refinancing from a conventional loan to one backed by the FHA is possible, the Streamline option is only available to borrowers with an existing FHA loan. - The Mortgage Must Be Current
This means that you have not missed any payments. You must have made at least 6 monthly payments and have had your existing mortgage for a minimum of 210 days before you can apply for the Streamline Refinance option. - There Must Be a Net Tangible Benefit
The FHA actually requires that there be some advantage for the borrower if they go ahead with a Streamline Refinance.
- Streamlined FHA 203(k) Rehabilitation Loans
- FHA Refinance Loan Basics
- FHA Streamline Refinancing: Appraisal Required?
FHA Simple Refinance
The FHA Simple Refinance allows homeowners to go from their current FHA Loan into a new one, whether it's a fixed-rate loan or an ARM. This refinance is the most straightforward, and there is no option for cash-out. Lenders will require a credit qualification, income, and assets to ensure the borrower meets the loan requirements.
Homeowners should think about several factors while considering the benefits of refinancing their mortgages. Below are some of the most common goals borrowers have when moving forward with their refinance options.
- Lower Monthly Payments
Refinancing your home gives you the opportunity to get a lower interest rate on your mortgage, which means smaller monthly payments. - Switch to a Fixed Rate Loan
Even by switching from an ARM to fixed rate mortgage, you could avoid higher monthly payments and will have a set amount to pay every month. - Earn Cash on Your Home Equity
It allows you to borrow cash against your home equity in the case of large upcoming expenses. By liquidating this equity you can get cash-in-hand.
- FHA Simple Refinance and the Rate-And-Term Refi
- Calculating Your Monthly FHA Loan Mortgage Payment
- Basic Eligibility Rules for FHA Mortgages
FHA Rehab Mortgages
Many buyers decide to purchase a home that is significantly older, and not in the best condition. The FHA 203(k) Rehabilitation Loan enables borrowers to finance the purchase or refinance of a home, along with its renovation or "rehabilitation" of the property. HUD allows Section 203(k) financing to be used for:
- Structural alterations and reconstruction
- Modernization and improvements to the home's function
- Elimination of health and safety hazards
- Changes that improve appearance and eliminate obsolescence
- Reconditioning or replacing plumbing; installing a well and/or septic system
- Adding or replacing roofing, gutters, and downspouts
- Adding or replacing floors and/or floor treatments
- Major landscape work and site improvements
- Enhancing accessibility for a disabled person
- Making energy conservation improvements
- Rules You Should Know About FHA Rehab Loans
- FHA Rehab Loans for Federal Disaster Areas
- FHA Limited Rehab Loans for Smaller Projects
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FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
May 22, 2020 - The FHA Streamline Refinance loan is designed to provide a benefit to a borrower that meets FHA requirements and that can include a lower payment. Not every refinance loan can help you get a lower monthly mortgage payment or lower the interest rate.
May 7, 2020 - Why refinance your mortgage? There are as many motivations to refinance as there are to purchase the home in the first place; the right FHA refinance loan for you depends on what you need to do with the loan.
May 6, 2020 - You may read news stories about higher credit requirements making it tougher to qualify for a mortgage in the era of coronavirus. These stories may be accurate in their reporting of higher FICO score requirements at the time of this writing, but who is responsible for those requirements?
May 2, 2020 - Market watchers are quick to point out that those with FICO scores below the 700 range are experiencing more costly loans and find it harder to qualify for some types of loan such as cash-out refinancing.
April 30, 2020 - In March 2020, mortgage loan interest rates hit unprecedented lows. The rates advertised for FHA home loans in the months before the coronavirus problem were not threatening to dip below the three percent range.
April 11, 2020 - One of the things you’ll read on lender blogs, financial websites and related destinations has to do with how the latest interest rates are displayed. Ever wonder what phrases like top tier scenarios and/or best execution rates mean?
March 24, 2020 - Mortgage markets, interest rates, and related issues are getting a lot of attention lately. Buying a home is more complicated in the era of the coronavirus, lockdowns, and COVID-19. But what are industry people saying about mortgage loans right now?
March 22, 2020 - Fears of COVID-19 are keeping many people at home, affecting several aspects of the mortgage industry. Mortgage applications for the week ending March 20 were down significantly. Refinance loan applications spiked at one point during the outbreak, with some reports showing increases above 100%.
March 15, 2020 - There are times when mortgage rates are low, and there are times when rates fall so very low that even those in the lending industry contemplate their refinance loan options. Now is one of those times. It's a milestone well worth paying attention to.
March 12, 2020 - At the time of this writing, in the second week of March 2020, mortgage loan interest rates have taken a sharp turn upwards after hitting lows not seen in recent memory. FHA mortgage loan interest rates were, for a time, below the three percent zone.
