Folks this article is off of the HUD website there are going to be several changes that can affect you buying a home if you are going to have a FHA loan. If you are in the process of buying a home now is the time, these changes could have a drastic affect on you buying a home. Let’s not also forget you have until April 30th to be under contract to get the tax credit. If you are on the fence about buying a home, now is the time to get off the fence.
- Mortgage insurance premium (MIP) will be increased to build up capital reserves and bring back private lending
- The first step will be to raise the up-front MIP by 50 bps to 2.25% and request legislative authority to increase the maximum annual MIP that the FHA can charge.
- If this authority is granted, then the second step will be to shift some of the premium increase from the up-front MIP to the annual MIP.
- This shift will allow for the capital reserves to increase with less impact to the consumer, because the annual MIP is paid over the life of the loan instead of at the time of closing
- The initial up-front increase is included in a Mortgagee Letter to be released tomorrow, January 21st, and will go into effect in the spring.
- Update the combination of FICO scores and down payments for new borrowers.
- New borrowers will now be required to have a minimum FICO score of 580 to qualify for FHA’s 3.5% down payment program. New borrowers with less than a 580 FICO score will be required to put down at least 10%.
- This allows the FHA to better balance its risk and continue to provide access for those borrowers who have historically performed well.
- This change will be posted in the Federal Register in February and, after a notice and comment period, would go into effect in the early summer.
- Reduce allowable seller concessions from 6% to 3%
- The current level exposes the FHA to excess risk by creating incentives to inflate appraised value. This change will bring FHA into conformity with industry standards on seller concessions.
- This change will be posted in the Federal Register in February, and after a notice and comment period, would go into effect in the early summer.
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