Using the Florida FHA mortgage program to purchase a Florida home can be the best decision you make as a Florida home buyer.
Why consider the FHA mortgage program? For most Florida homebuyers the purchase of a Florida home is the largest single financial decision we will ever find ourselves making. If you've been out shopping Florida mortgage lenders and brokers, you're probably pretty tired of learning just how big an investment your next Florida home purchase is. The FHA mortgage program is designed with consumers in mind. Government insured, the FHA home buyer loan focuses on the consumer first and HUD only allows FHA approved mortgage lenders to originate FHA mortgage loans in Florida.
At one point and time many years ago, the FHA loan was the only alternative to Florida mortgage 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 mortgage is becoming popular again with Florida mortgage applicants for its low rates and the real security it provides borrowers. Some highlights of the Florida FHA loan program include:
Minimal Down Payment and Closing costs.
- Down payment less than 3.5 % of Sales Price Gifts are allowed
- Seller can credit up to 6% of sales price towards closing and prepaid costs.
- 100% Financing available
- No reserves required.
- FHA regulated closing costs.
Easier Credit Qualifying Guidelines such as:
-
- No minimum FICO score or credit score requirements.
- FHA will allow a home purchase 1 year after a Bankruptcy.
- FHA will allow a home purchase 2 years after a Foreclosure.
FHA Home Loans for buying a Florida Home
Although Florida FHA mortgage loans require additional paperwork, the reality is that applying for a Florida FHA mortgage loan is not any 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.
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!
For first time home buyers and other borrowers, the FHA home loans can have key advantages:
Easy Qualification - The FHA loan insures Florida mortgage lenders against loss for loans made to properly qualified FHA home loan borrowers. So you're likely to find FHA mortgage loans with terms that make it easier for you to qualify.
Minimal Downpayment Requirements ' Florida FHA mortgages can work with as little as 3% 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 home loan 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 home loan rates are extraordinarily competitive. FHA's lower risk to the lender means a better rate for the borrower.
Safeguards for Borrowers Who Get Behind - The Florida FHA loan 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 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 mortgage.
Options for Manufactured Housing - Under certain conditions, you can even finance a Mobile Home or manufactured home using a Florida FHA mortgage loan.
FHA Loans Are Fully Assumable - When you are ready to sell your home, you can offer buyers FHA financing! All FHA loans can be assumed by qualified buyers. 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.
FHA Home Loans Offer the Convenience of Streamlined Refinance
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.
FHA Mortgage Loan, Streamline Refinance Requirements
When your Florida 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:
- Your current mortgage must be an FHA mortgage.
- You must have had your FHA Mortgage for at least 6 months.
- You must have paid your mortgage on time for the most current 12 months.
- Your FHA Streamline Refinance must lower the principal and interest portion of your mortgage payment by at least $50 or convert the mortgage from an ARM to a fixed rate FHA home loan.
- You can't get cash out on the FHA streamline refi.
- You must have an FHA appraisal if you are rolling the closing costs into the FHA streamline refinance.
- Any existing liens on your Florida home must be subordinate to the new FHA mortgage.
FHA Mortgage Loan Refinance
Programs for Cashing Out Equity
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!
FHA Home Loans For Mobile Homes with Land
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 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. 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 Florida mortgage applicants realize that the FHA 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.
FHA Mobile Home Lending Guidelines
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:
- The mobile or manufactured home must be constructed in accordance with the Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards. A red tag is attached to the rear of each section of homes that comply with the standards.
- The home must be taxed as real estate by the local tax assessor's office.
- The mobile or manufactured home must have been built after June 15, 1976.
- The mortgage must have a term of at least 30 years from when amortization begins.
- The mobile home or manufactured home must be on a permanent foundation.
- The axles and tongue must be removed from the mobile or manufactured home.
- The mobile home or manufactured home must have adequate skirting and insulation, and the crawl space must have adequate ventilation.
FHA 203k Mortgages For Florida Homeowners Making Home Improvements
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 Florida mortgage programs 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.
Florida FHA 203K Mortgages
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.
About the Author:
Thoams Martin FHA mortgage specialist in Florida http://www.fhamortgageprograms.com/mortgage/fha-loan-program.shtml http://www.fhamortgageprograms.com/faq/fha.shtml http://www.floridamlshub.com/
