Homebuyer 101

Buying a New Home or Renovating the Old One

February 18th, 2010

As time goes by, changes in lifestyle and that caused by the growing family will inevitably pose issues that can either be resolved by renovating or buying a new home.  One great thing about these options is that, either way, you can be able to get the best deal if you do your research right.  With the New York housing crunch and the down economic condition, both the real estate market and contractors are feeling the pinch and the tougher competition will help you get bargains for better quality.

But don’t get too excited and rush the decision as there simply is too much at stake.  There are considerations that you should carefully deliberate on to land with the option that would benefit the family and your bank account.  This article lays out the pros and cons of renovating your old home versus buying a new one with information ideal whether you are in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island or Long Island.

Costs versus Profits

If you decide to buy a new house, you would have to sell the home you and the family is currently in.  For most homeowners, the largest chunk from where they would have to get the money to buy a new house is from the resale of their homes.  With the housing costs still down, chances that you’ll get a good return on the seller’s market is less likely.  To get an idea if your profit would be enough to cover moving out and buying, have your home value assessed first.  Your best bet to getting more is moving to a neighborhood with lower property area or value, but then you would have to make do with what the area offers.

However, if you stay and renovate, you will not only be improving the family’s quality of living but the home value as well bringing it up notches from when you bought it.

Inconveniences

Though you and the family would have to bear with inconveniences whether you choose to buy a new home or renovate your current one, the trouble that one goes through are at different levels.  With renovation, you and the contractor can make arrangements so as not to disrupt the daily routine of the household too much.  Buying on the other hand would mean having to start all over again and even being homeless for sometime.  Settling into the house and making things appealing and comfortable can take weeks to months.

When to Move or Stay

Before owning the home that you and your family are currently living, you have gone through all the hassles of finding one that offers what you need and is in a viable location.  Why throw everything away and go through all the difficulties again?

First Time Home Buying

February 18th, 2010

One of the biggest questions regarding real estate is the need for a down payment. People who have purchased homes before know the ins and outs of the game and they know that a down payment makes the whole process much easier. A down payment of 20% not only gives you far more mortgage options but it also keeps the monthly payments lower and when purchasing a home for the first time that is a nice bonus to have. Owning a home is drastically unlike renting. Suddenly you become responsible for many more costs and labor that have never been your concern before. This is where many first times lose out, they fail to plan ahead for the costs that are unexpected, those ones that tend to crop up out of nowhere and catch them by surprise.

Here’s the catch: getting a down payment together can be tricky. Life in this era is expensive and it can be a real challenge to save 20% of a huge purchase. Especially if you are paying off student debt or have other financial obligations. That being said, financing 100% of a home can be an enormous undertaking and without a down payment your home options will be severely limited. In trying to arrange a down payment for a new home it’s a good idea to try to take care of any outstanding credit concerns before applying for a mortgage. Your credit is a major factor in determining your eligibility for a loan. Any negative marks on your report can decrease the amount you are eligible for and serious marks can disqualify you entirely. Try to have your debts paid off before you apply for funding, it sounds difficult but it will benefit you in the long run.

Be wary of mortgage offers that sound too good to be true, most of the time they are. Educate yourself on the types of mortgage loans that are available and decide on which one suits your needs and your ability to pay. Remember to leave excess money available for the unexpected costs as well. Take the time to prepare yourself for home ownership and hopefully there will not be too many surprises.

Renting Versus Buying a Home – Four Questions

February 16th, 2010

When considering renting versus buying a home, forget the biased advice of those who think it is always better to buy. Instead, consider the important questions you need to ask. Here are four of them.

1. How long will you be there?

Generally, if you will be moving in the next few years, you’ll be better off renting. Of course this wasn’t true during the last real estate bubble, when home values in some areas were going up 20% or more annually. But then some of those who timed it wrong and bought in the summer of 2006 saw a 20% decline in value in the following years. How would you like to be facing a move when you owe more on your home than it is worth? Unless you want to gamble, consider buying only when you’ll be in the home for a while.

2. What will the cost of owning the home be?

Add up all the various costs. Include the mortgage payment, taxes, insurance, utilities (guess if you have to), any immediate updates or improvements you’ll be making, and a reasonable amount for maintenance. Figure the total average monthly cost of owning the home. Once you have that, you need to answer the next question.

3. What is the cost of renting a home?

Include rent plus renters insurance (if you’ll buy it) plus utilities (guess). Now you have a basis for comparison. If it’s dramatically more expensive to buy, it may be better to rent for now and bank the difference. For example, a few years ago we lived in a city where a home that was worth $160,000 could be rented for $750 per month. Utility costs would be the same in either case, and the total cost of owning worked out to about $1,250. Had someone bought the home then, they would be in a home today that is worth about the same $160,000 (that was the top of the market). Had they rented and banked the $500 per month difference, they would have almost $20,000 saved today, meaning they would be that much further ahead if they bought that home (or a different one) now.

There are a few more things to note here. Some of that mortgage payment is principle, not interest. In other words some equity would have been built up even without a rise in value – but not much. Of course if the home were sold now, there would be expenses associated with that sale, eliminating any equity gained. On the other hand, rents can rise, while a fixed rate mortgage payment will remain the same. All of this gets back to the first question about how long you’ll be living there. The longer the time, the more likely it is that buying makes more sense, at least financially. But don’t skip the next question.

4. Do you want the responsibility?

As you can see from the example above, renting versus buying a home can be the smart move at times. But even when buying puts you further ahead financially, that is not always the final determinant. I like owning a home, and in large part because of the financial advantages. But my wife and I also plan to stay here a long time. If not, we might be renting, because I don’t actually like taking care of a house.

It is something to consider, especially in those situations when buying may have such a clear asset-building edge over renting. A landlord takes care of the roof, the heating system, the painting, carpeting, and even the yard work in many cases. With your own home, all of that is in your responsibility, along with buying and repairing large appliances, resurfacing the driveway and spraying for bugs. Do you want the work of being a home owner?

Eventually most people probably should buy a home. The cost of owning a home usually won’t go up as fast as rents, at least if you have a fixed-rate mortgage. Nobody can tell you to leave. A house is a great way to build assets too. After all, even when renting versus buying a home costs less each month, how many renters really do bank the difference? But as you can see from the questions above, there are times and situations when renting makes sense.

 

Beware the Rent Versus Buy Calculator

February 16th, 2010

You probably have seen a rent-versus-buy calculator here and there online, and you may have even used one. They are supposed to help you decide if buying a house makes financial sense for you, but do they really tell you what you need to know? Let’s take a look at how they work, and how they sometimes don’t.To Rent Versus Buy

The idea of these calculators is to take into account all the costs of both renting and buying over a given time, to compare them and see which option is better. There are a number of criteria involved, though, and this means there will always be some guessing. How many years will you be in the home? How much will rent be up to in ten years? How high will your property taxes be? These fields will be filled in by default in most calculators, and you’ll change them as needed.

I just went to the U.S. Government’s site, ginniemae.gov to see their rent-versus-buy calculator. Their fields start (mid 2007) with an assumption of ten years in a house, a 7.5% interest rate, and 2% annual appreciation – all very conservative guesses. Here is what all of the criteria were preset at:

Your Current Monthly Rent: $750

The Price of Home: $150,000

The Down Payment: $15,000 (10%)

Term Of Loan (years): 30

Interest Rate On Loan: 7.5%

Estimated Years In The Home: 10

Annual Property Tax Rate: 1%

Annual Home Value Increase: 2%

You can change any of these. For example, property taxes are closer to 2% of property value in some areas. Over 10 years appreciation will probably be more than 2% annually (although it could well be a negative number this year and next). Hitting the “calculate” button, this is what was shown:

Home Value In Ten Years: $182,849

Loan Balance After 10 Years: $117,340

Your Equity: $65,509

Tax Savings (at 28%): $32,549

The Average Monthly Payment Over Time: Rent: $834 – Buy: $550

Total Payments Over Ten Years: Rent: $100,080 – Buy: $66,017

Your Total Savings On: Buying – $34,063

Confusing. My amortization table shows that the payment on a 30-year, 7.5% loan would be $944 per month, not $550 – and this doesn’t include mortgage insurance, property taxes or home owner’s insurance. They may take into account the tax savings, but that still doesn’t explain how they arrive at $550. There is this little note at the bottom:

“The above rent-versus-buy calculator uses the following in its calculations: homeowner’s insurance, loan costs, mortgage insurance, cost to sell the home, property tax, homeowner’s tax savings, and increases in rent. Results are estimates. ”

Well, that certainly doesn’t clear things up, but it does point out some other issues, like the fact that there is no calculation at all for repair costs. Having owned several homes, I can tell you that there will be repairs and maintenance. We also don’t know if rising property taxes were taken into account. Also if you are in the 15% tax bracket (likely if you’re renting a $750 apartment), the tax savings would be about $15,000 less than calculated – a little bit of difference.

Now, even at a more reasonable 6.5% interest rate, the monthly cost of owning a $150,000 home (with taxes, insurance, and minor repairs) is a minimum $1,150 – and probably higher than that. Using the above example, this is $400 more per month than renting. My guess is they take into account the “opportunity cost” of not having that $400 per month to invest over 10 years. That might even surpass the equity gain from owning.

Buying is often a good idea, especially since you probably won’t invest that $400 monthly in extra cash flow you get from renting. But do some of your own thinking, understand what criteria are being used, and be skeptical of these rent-versus-buy calculators.

Benefits Of Buying A Used Or New Home And Reverse Mortgage

February 16th, 2010

A big dilemma of many people that are in the market to buy a home is whether to purchase a new or a used home. Of course, there are pros and cons to each decision so the most important thing is to become informed of what those are and then make an informed decision as to which would be the best option for you to pursue. In the end, you want to make sure that you have made the best choice for your situation and also for your options down the road.You will probably look at both new and used homes when you are going through the process of buying a home. Each will probably have their high point and low point but you may also be thinking about how this decision will affect you down the road. You might be wondering how it will affect the resale value if you ever want to resell your home if you have purchased a new home versus a used home. You might also be wondering if you will still qualify for reverse mortgages whether you pursue a used home or a new home. The answer to that question is you will probably still qualify for this reverse type of mortgage regardless of you buying a new or old home because the decision is based more on how much money you owe on your home and also on your financial standing. The best thing to do with that decision would be to speak with reverse mortgage lenders.One thing to think about when you are deciding whether to go with a new or a used home is how much each will cost. When you purchase a new home, often times the basement will not be finished and you have to spend quite a bit of money to settle into the new home. With many used homes, much of things that you would have to buy for a new home may already be included, however, you may also have to deal with more maintenance issues because you would not have the warranty that would be included in most new homes. Also, you would want to think about how much each will cost you because the longer it will take you to pay of the money you borrow, the longer you will have to wait to take out reverse mortgages.Obviously one of the biggest things to take into account then thinking of buying a used home is what condition it is in when you go to look at it. You will want to think about the amount of maintenance work it will take to make the house livable. If there will be a large amount of maintenance work needed and you plan to add that amount onto your traditional mortgage, keep in mind that you will be stuck paying that money back longer, which may keep you from taking out reverse mortgages. However, there are many used homes that need little, if any, maintenance work at the time of purchase.

First Time Home Buying Tips

February 16th, 2010

We are hitting into the time of year when people move with homes being either bought or sold. If the man is a renter he might be thinking of buying a home. It might be your first home and since it’s a different experience you are often not sure on how to go about doing it. Here are some tips to consider when it comes to buying a new home.

One should start with a good realtor with whom you can work. You want someone with new ideas, with whom you feel comfortable and who has the experience to do a good job as well, no sense having them try the ropes on you. Find a realtor who specializes in buying and selling and looks for a home in the area you prefer. This is very important as they will be able to answer questions right from the average sale price to where the best schools in that area are.

Next is to simply get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. Your realtor can recommend a good mortgage broker to work with if you have no other person in your mind. Getting pre qualified will give you the price range that you have mentioned and can afford which will help when you start looking at homes. Before recruiting the mortgage professional take a look at your credit worthiness, your income, and your debt load and then find what you can afford and negotiate on what they are willing to lend you. They will also be able to offer you with various methods and loan packages that will help you zero down on the monthly payment you are looking to make.

Another thing is to always be sure whether you want to buy a new home or go for re-sale. Both work with there good and bad points. Of course, since a new home has never been lived in so you get to build it the way you want.

An already furnished and an older home may need repairs and you will need to pay attention to things like the foundation and roof. The other good thing is that a new home has warranties whereas an older home may not. An older home is probably already landscaped and has the yard in place whereas in a new one you may have to treat it by yourself.

For people who are planning to buy a home for the first time condos and town homes are probably the best options. Its easy to get credit on those and can be a good option for some. It’s a complete changed life, and some townhomes today do offer separate play area or children and landscaped parks to offer a better lifestyle to its residents. Buying a home is a beautiful experience, but you need to be smart. Do not let your excitement rush you into doing something for which you might repent later. It is always wise to have a second opinion if you feel unsure about anything.

Once your fear is settled and everything is in place then think about using a real estate lawyer to review your contract before you sign it. A new home is a big investment most people make and it is always best when you are sure, careful and understand what you are signing.

Home Buying: Resale Vs. New Construction

February 16th, 2010

It can be a testing result whether to purchase a resale home or a new home from a constructer

though new homes typically have a superior sales rate than comparable open homes, buyers are eager to exhaust more up-front with an understanding that part of what they are paying for is definite low maintenance overheads. A constructer’s warranty, along with trademark-new roof, appliances, heater, and other effective systems that make chief repairs unnecessary, work together to counteract likely slower appreciation primarily.

Buying New Versus Resale

In nowadays’s warmly competitive promote there is a infinite array of choices to be made when deciding on the font of lodging you hope to reside in. Below is a comparison of the gains and disgains of buying a new home versus a resale home.

Advantages of a New Home

One of the essential gains of buying a new home is the ability to embellish your home from the opening closely the way you want. You can select all the flag, which variety from paint to carpet. You can also make the tile and cabinetry range for the kitchen and bathrooms.

regularly, new homes will have more novel conveniences, better insulation and can be more energy effective.

Disgains of a New Home

Unfortunately, with a new home purchase you should be organized for the on-ready construction you will find around you. odds are that your prairie and lawn will not be in, your driveway will be irritate and your lane will roll into a sea of mud when it rains or snows. If gear are ready to go offend with a newly constructed house, they will emerge in the first one to two days.

As the house settles you may find cracks emergeing in the ramparts of the basement, especially near any windows in the basement, make definite you get them fixed right away. Also, you should not stop your basement in a new home for at slightest a fasten of days, just in basis cracks and leaks come.

There are additional expenses associated with new homes that you will not typically find in a resale home. For example, you may have to exhaust additional money for appliances, curtains, hangings, essential vacuum, humidifiers, decks, lattice, emotional garage door openers, stoping the basement, walkways, outside lighting, inside light furniture, foliage, bushes, gardens and landscaping, children’s play sets, swimming puddle, air prepareing, etc.

ultimate overheads are typically superior for new homes. The consumer will pay for such additional overheads as the New Home Warranty Program, hierarchy planting, service hook ups and tarmac of the driveway.

commonly, when you buy a new home, you don’t have an opportunity to see the actual exhibit. All that is provided is a drawing and in many basiss the end invention may be a disappointment to the consumer because of changes that the constructer or sub-contractor does not pursue or does themselves. Additionally, there is the uncertainty as to who will be your neighbours.

Advantages of a Resale Home

The chief gain of buying a resale home is that you are poignant into an established neighborhood. Your lawn is green, your bushes are rising, your driveway is smooth and your foliage are well enough established to give your lane a affection of permanence. regularly, most spares are already exhibit, such as appliances, curtains, hangings, essential vacuum, humidifiers, decks, lattice, emotional garage door openers, stoping the basement, walkways, outside lighting, inside light furniture, foliage, bushes, gardens and landscaping, children’s play sets, swimming puddle, air prepareing, etc.

In provisos of investment, a resale home will regularly give you far more value than a trademark new home. Many owners put tens of thousands of dollars into home improvements ranging from small stuff, such as landscaping, to chief projects, such as a stoped basement or any of the stuff above. though these improvements will make the home more attractive to promise buyers, they may not boost the promote value of the home.

A $35,000 swimming puddle or a $15,000 stoped basement or even $5,000 worth of landscaping may make the home very attractive. However these additional overheads incurred may not necessarily boost the promote value of a home, especially if you have to wholesale it at a time of year where these chief stuff add little or no perceived value. The buyer gets the home at its real blond promote value, which is based on comparable homes for sale or sold in the neighborhood. All those expensely spares may be included in the home with promote to the buyer at little or no spare expense. This can be a substantial savings over buying a new home.

With a resale, the vendor’s asking rate is almost forever negotiable downwards distinct the constructers file rate which is mostly concrete. Any spares or changes are added to the file rate of a new home and add up speedily.

Disgains of a Resale Home

A small percentage of homes in the promoteplace are not respected to be in move-in prepare. If both live-in partners ensue to be effective at rounded time jobs, a move-in prepare home is by far the best alternative. If the house is being under “influence of sale” or the house has been borrowed for many days the home may command a lot of work. If the buyer is not neat or does not have the additional up front wealth then the consumer would be better off buying a home in move-in prepare or a trademark new home. Additionally, as a home gets on in age certain systems such as heating, cooling, roofing, and/or windows must to be upgraded.

though some perceive the item above as a disgain, some respect it as an gain. A home that musts some fitting up can in truth exhibit some fine expense gain to a buyer. commonly, it can be purchased below the ready promote value, while at the same time providing an opportunity to have it embellishd to suite your aspect tastes.

Neighbourhood: Known or strange issue

When you buy a resale home, you can find out a lot more about the house and the neighbourhood before you buy than when you buy a new home. Land to defense new-home comements mostly is located on the border of township. latent buyers should ask the comeer about outlook access to community transit, entertainment activities, shopping centers, churches, and schools. district zoning ordinances also should be reviewed. A very faint subject can roll into a fast-food-shackle harbor inside a fasten of days. Try to endefinite that the neighbourhood, if not truly residential, will not launch rambling out of influence.

Buying into a new-home community may appear hazardier than purchasing a house in an established neighbourhood, but any boost in home value depends ahead the same truthors: condition of the neighbourhood, lump in the citizen housing promote and the condition of the global reduction. One study by the National Association of Realtors shows that resale homes do have an frame over new homes when it comes to appreciation.

More Questions and substance to deem

There is a chief result early in the method of purchasing a new home and that is whether to construct a new home or purchase a resale home already on the promote. The pursueing provides some respectations that may help you make an learned result.

place, spot, spot. Are new homes being built in the subject you appeal? Do you know the surrounding zoning and what will be constructed in the subject? How far away are services (schools, supplies, hospice, doctors, etc.) that you must? How long is the travel to work?

Investment. Typically, due to the continual addition of skin, rising toil and matter overheads, new homes expense more than related resale homes. Are you having to pay significant bearing or lot levies or taxes and fees that are forced on the constructer? Are the taxes on the new home greatly superior than a comparable resale home? Will you be in the new home pending the subject is built out so you will not be competing with the constructers should you must to wholesale the home? Is the home ready to be high rated compared to other homes built or ready to be built in the subject?

skin. Are the grace and skin that you appeal only open in a new home? Can you find a resale home with most of the skin and services you appeal? Can you add the skin you appeal to a resale home? Are newer resale homes open that greet your musts?

attempt. Is the new home constructer or comeer financially constant? Is the constructer a large well known company with a good reputation? Is the constructer asking for significant down payments or increase payments? Are there complaints stuck against the constructer for sloppy work or not making repairs? Has the constructer been delivering homes when promised? test with your Better Business dresser, the township or the city and speech to homeowners that have purchased a home from the constructer.

In rundown, a resale home can expense fewer, be more conveniently located, you know the subject and services and have fewer hazard intricate. A new home can be constructed to have the strict grace and skin you appeal, but mostly with greatly superior overheads, partial spots, and more hazard.

Ultimately, the result should be based on your musts and wishes, your family and/or children, your tolerance for hazard and the anonymous and ultimately your plan.

First Time Home Buying Suggestions

February 16th, 2010

A great deal of the information contained in “how to” guides or articles about buying a new home geared towards first time home owner is written by people who are to far removed from the process to remember it for themselves, or who have made the information to technical. My goal is to provide information from the perspective of someone who just bought a home. These are a few tips that I would have found useful had someone provided them for me.

TIP 1: Real Estate Agent selection.

A real estate agent is someone who is going to be playing an extremely vital role in your life. However, the important thing to remember is that ultimately, you, as the buyer, are making the major, life altering purchase. Do not let an agent ever make you feel uncomfortable, pressured, or bullied.

TIP 2: Price Range.

This tip segues nicely from the first one: Real Estate agents ultimately only care about how much money they can make. Yes, sometimes there best interest will coincide with your best interest. However, most of the time they are going to encourage you to purchase a home at the maximum end of your approval spectrum. This is often a mistake because just because a bank believes you can make a certain minimum payment does not mean that it will be easy or in the best interest of your family. The recession we are currently in hinges almost entirely on this type of poor reasoning.

TIP 3: Nirvana Complex.

The nirvana complex is what occurs when people compare an option or choice or not to other available options or choices but to some idealized concept or nirvana like concept. When choosing a home it is important to compare a potential candidate to the other options available that meet the same criteria. Comparing a home to an idealized concept within your own mind or to a house outside of your range is a sure recipe for failure.

TIP 4: Patience.

My wife and I looked at 80 home before we made an offer. Did this make us happy? No. Did it make our real estate agent happy? Absolutely not. However, it did lead to our ultimate happiness. A home is literally the largest single purchase most people will make in their lives, and it is important not to rush into an unhappy purchase.

Misconceptions Of First-Time Home Buying & First Mortgages

February 16th, 2010

Buying your first home can be an exhilarating experience, but it can also be extremely stressful, especially if your mortgage company fails to keep you informed or help you through the buying process. Although the current housing market in Baltimore provides great opportunities for first-time home buyers–with FHA loans, tax credits, assistance for down payments and closing costs, and low interest rates–the numerous options associated with these opportunities can make first-time mortgages a confusing subject. Even as you take the first step of simply considering to purchase a home, we want to keep you informed, insuring that the mortgage process runs smoothly from start to finish. Some of the most important things to know up-front are the common misconceptions of first-time home buying.Misconception #1: I can’t afford a home.Income is certainly one of the factors that determines loan approval; however, that factor is primarily examined to determine that the first-time home owner will be able to make payments on the loan each month. In other words, Maryland mortgage companies are not concerned about whether a borrower is in the highest income bracket, but whether that borrower is seeking to live within his or her means. If you are “house hunting,” for example, searching for homes within a realistic budget should increase your chances of being approved for a loan. Keep in mind that you can usually deduct the interest and property taxes you pay on your home from your income taxes each April. In fact, the amount saved in taxes from owning a home often makes up some, if not all, of the difference in the cost of buying over renting. Buying beats renting in terms of establishing equity, as well: when you become a home owner, you typically build equity, meaning that the value of your home increases over time. Renting, on the other hand, only benefits the landlord.In light of the recent extension of the first-time home buyer credit, there is even more incentive to purchase a home. Under the law, “an eligible taxpayer must buy, or enter into a binding contract to buy, a principal residence on or before April 30, 2010 and close on the home by June 30, 2010″ (according to the IRS website). Those who are eligible for the credit and purchase homes in 2010 can choose to claim the credit on their 2009 or 2010 tax return. For more information on the tax credit of up to $8,000 or ten percent of the purchase price, feel free to contact us. We will explain how you may be able to apply a portion of your tax credit to any closing costs.Misconception #2: I can’t buy a home because I don’t have a large down payment:Perhaps because large down payments were required for loan approvals in the past, this misconception is often the most common. If you are considering a first home mortgage, you may be eligible to receive an FHA (Federal Housing Administration) loan, the choice of many first-time home buyers because it typically only requires a minimum down payment of 3.5%. Under the recently announced FHA policy changes, FHA loan applicants must have a minimum FICO score (a specific type of credit score) of 580 to qualify for the 3.5% down payment. At our Baltimore mortgage company, however, there are many loan options for first mortgages, and we will be glad to walk you through those options if you would like more information.Misconception #3: My credit isn’t good enough to pursue a first home mortgage.Even potential buyers with the worst credit situations have to start somewhere, though first-time buyers with better credit scores will typically be presented with more options, lower interest rates and lower down payments. If you are considering applying for a loan and are concerned about your credit score, feel free to contact us with questions regarding your unique situation. We will gladly help you find the best loan option for you or, if necessary, establish a plan to repair your credit and achieve your goal of purchasing a home.For help achieving your best possible credit score, evaluating which loan options are best for you, and free answers to your most pressing questions about first-time mortgages in Baltimore, Maryland, contact us online or by phone at 410-882-6633. We will keep you informed every step of the way as you move toward purchasing your first Maryland home!

Change Your Life with an FHA Home Loan

February 12th, 2010

Change Your Life with an FHA Home Loan

If you are a Florida first-time home buyer or have bought a Florida home before and have less than perfect credit you have come to the right place. At http://www.FHAmortgageFHALoan.com our FHA mortgage Loan Specialists will take you through the FHA home loan process step-by-step.

With an FHA mortgage Loan you can:

FHA Loans are guaranteed loans, which means that FHA mortgage lenders will offer you lower, more affordable rates. Even if you have less than perfect credit or are a Florida first time home buyer, an FHA Loan can help you save money on the Florida home of your dreams.

FHA mortgage Florida , FHA loan Florida

  Minimal Down Payment and Closing Costs.

Easier Credit Qualifying Guidelines such as:

Higher Debt Ratio’s than other home loan programs.

APPLY NOW AT http:/www.fhamortgagefhaloan.com/

At one point and time many years ago, the FHA loan was the only alternative to local  bank financing for Florida home buyers. In the fashion world, there is a saying: Wait long enough, and everything comes back into style. That rule applies just as well to Florida FHA mortgage program. Long-overlooked, the FHA home loan is becoming popular again with Florida Home Buyers for its low rates and the real security it provides Florida mortgage applicants.

For Florida banks and other mortgage lenders, FHA mortgage loan financing offers the security of a government insured Mortgage. Win/Win! To learn more, call today at 1-800-570-0448 or just use our fast and easy quick application!

Easy Qualification – The FHA mortgage insures lenders against loss for loans made to properly qualified FHA home loan borrowers. So you’re likely to find FHA loan with terms that make it easier for you to qualify.

Minimal Downpayment Requirements – FHA loans can work with as little as 3.5% down and those funds can come from a family member, charity, or your employer. Although the FHA loan does not have a zero down mortgage option yet, you will find that your 1st Continental Mortgage loan officer can point you to many Downpayment assistance programs that work well with Florida FHA home loans.

Less than A-1 Credit is Okay – The Florida FHA mortgage program exists to expand the pool of home buyers. Even borrowers with prior bankruptcies or mortgage lates get approved every day for FHA mortgages to buy or Refinance homes in Hillsborough County or any of the other Florida counties we serve. The FHA loan program uses credit quality, not credit score!

Lower Cost Over the Life of the Loan – The Florida FHA mortgage rates are extraordinarily competitive. FHA’s lower risk to the lender means a better rate for the borrower.

Safeguards for FHA Mortgage applicants Who Get Behind – The Florida FHA  mortgages also allow the lender more options in helping borrowers who fall behind keep their homes are get current again: special forbearance, workouts, even free mortgage counseling. Further, HUD can allow the FHA Mortgage lender to take past due payments and move them to the end of the loan and in some instance will actually pay your past due payments for you. Options to save your home you’ll never get from a conventional loan! In an uncertain world, this is another excellent reason for you to get an FHA home loan.

Manufactured Housing – Under certain conditions, you can even finance a Mobile Home or manufactured home using a Florida FHA home loan. Call 1-800-570-0448 to get pre-approved for a Florida FHA loan for manufactured housing or just use our quick application to learn more!

FHA Mortgages Are Fully Assumable – When you are ready to sell your Florida home, you can offer buyers FHA financing! All FHA loans can be assumed by qualified buyers.

These are just seven of the many good reasons to apply for an FHA mortgage. Call 1-800-570-0448 to speak with a friendly Florida FHA loan specialist now!

The FHA program has evolved since it started in 1934 and now has options for HUD insured loans that fit a variety of different borrowers and situations.

Although Florida FHA home loans require additional paperwork, the reality is that applying for an FHA mortgage loan in Florida is not much different from applying for conventional financing. In fact, for many borrowers the small amount of extra time turns out to be an exceptional mortgage bargain because they save thousands of dollars over the life of their Florida Mortgage.

At 1st Continental Mortgage, we have been working with the FHA program for many years. We’re experts at assembling the proper paperwork and presenting your loan application to FHA approved lenders diligently and professionally. It’s one of the ways that we have earned our reputation for closing FHA home loans in Florida on-time.

You may be surprised at how flexible sellers are in the current market and how many programs there are that provide Downpayment assistance to applicants for FHA financing to purchase Florida homes, condos, and townhouses. The fact is, seller can pay up to 6% towards your closing costs. This means, no closing costs for you when negotiated during the purchase contract!

The FHA program offers excellent fixed rate options and never a prepayment penalty. If other mortgage lenders are quoting you subprime rates, you owe it to yourself to make the call to 1st Continental Mortgage to compare the costs of getting an FHA home loan for your home purchase. Call 1-800-570-0448 to speak with an FHA mortgage expert before accepting any conventional mortgage quote as the best you can do!

An FHA streamline refinance is one of the easiest home loans for Mortgage Lenders and borrowers. Since HUD approved you for the original FHA loan, the paperwork to refinance is minimal and the process is simple.

So long as you have made your FL FHA loan mortgage payments on time for the previous 12 months, you can lower your monthly payment if interest rates go down with minimal out of pocket expense. Even if you have been late on your FHA mortgage, you might still qualify for an FHA streamline refinance in Florida under very specific conditions.

Less documentation and no appraisal are just two of the reasons a FHA streamline refinance is cheaper and faster for the borrowers who qualify.

When your 1st Continental Mortgage lender helps you get a streamlined FHA refinance on your existing mortgage loan, he or she will make certain that you meet these conditions:

Although a streamline refinance does not allow you to cash out equity, we have a FHA loan refinance program that is specifically designed for borrowers who want to cash out equity to consolidate debts, make home improvements or to access funds for other purposes.

Unlike many conventional loan programs, the FHA mortgage does not adjust the rate based upon loan to value or credit score. You will find the FHA has very reasonable underwriting guidelines for cash out refinancing.

We have helped many clients borrow up to 85% of the appraised value of their homes and use the funds to consolidate debts or to make home improvements and other purposes. Qualified borrowers will have to look hard to find lower rates and better terms than they can get on Florida FHA cash out refinance right now!

Call 1st Continental Mortgage today at 1-800-570-0448 or use our quick application to apply for an FHA refinance on your home in Sumter County or any of the other Florida counties we offer FHA mortgages in.

Although some conventional lenders in Florida shy away from making a loan on Mobile Homes or manufactured homes, many FHA mortgage loan lenders do not.

In fact, mobile homeowners fortunate enough to connect with a Florida FHA mortgage lender, who is well schooled in how FHA loans work for mobiles and manufactured homes, can get a better interest rate, better terms, and a lower monthly payment by going FHA in nearly every case.

If you’re shopping for financing to buy a mobile or manufactured home on land in Sumter County or any of the other 66 counties in Florida that we serve, call 1-800-570-0448 and let us give you a quote for an FHA mortgage loan to purchase your mobile or manufactured home.

It only takes a few minutes to get an FHA loan mortgage quote on your Florida mobile home. We’ll wager that the savings on your monthly mortgage payments will make it some of the highest paid work you’ve ever done.

Few people realize that the FHA mortgage loan uses the same underwriting criteria for single and double wide mobile homes and manufactured housing as it does for traditional site built block or stick homes. In addition, FHA is one of the very few programs that can offer up to 97% financing on mobile homes on land. In addition, did you know that the seller can contribute up 6% toward your closing costs on an FHA mobile home loan and that down payment assistance can be used in Florida? It’s true! You could package your mobile home financing to create a real no money down loan with unbelievably low rates.

Call 1-800-570-0448 or use our secure online quick application for a free no obligation quote on financing your manufactured or mobile home using an FHA mortgage loan.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets forth these guidelines for determining if a mobile or manufactured home qualifies for an FHA mortgage loan in Florida:

If you would like to determine if your mobile or manufactured home meets the guidelines for section 184 financing from FHA, call one of our Florida mortgage pros at 1-800-570-0448. We’ll be glad to help you determine if the property that you are interested in can be used as collateral for an FHA mobile home mortgage.

The FHA 203k loan program is nothing more than a specialized FHA home loan designed to help homeowners make home improvements. It is especially popular in neighborhoods with properties in need of rehabilitation.

The FHA 203k loans work in Florida communities in much the same way as Construction loans for home improvement. Eligible borrowers can use the proceeds from these FHA mortgage to renovate and improve their primary residences.

Qualifying for a 203k FHA mortgage uses the same guidelines as a standard FHA mortgage for the purchase of a Florida home.

This specialized FHA mortgage is for Floridians who wish to buy a home that needs repairs or renovations. Just as is the case with a conventional construction loan, a single FHA 203k loan covers both purchase of the Florida real estate and renovation. FHA 203K financing can be used to purchase a property on a site and move it to a new foundation on the mortgaged property and rehabilitate it.

In addition, Florida homeowners can also use a 203k FHA mortgage to refinance existing debt when they finance one or more home improvements using the FHA 203k mortgage program.

Many borrowers are finding out what a good deal a Florida FHA home loan really is. Call 1-800-570-0448 today or simply use our quick application to find out more!