Kristin Abouelata – Home Loans asked:


"In order to promote the production of more affordable new housing units for very low, low and moderate income individuals and families in the state, to promote the preservation and rehabilitation of existing housing units for such persons, and to bring greater stability to the residential construction industry and related industries so as to assure a steady flow of production of new housing units…"

Many times, people have heard of THDA and are confused, thinking that THDA is a certain loan type. In fact, it’s lending agency. All THDA mortgages must be insured by private mortgage insurance, FHA, VA or RECD And as these loans are intended for low to moderate income families or individuals, there is a income limit and acquisition cost limit. Also, you must be a first time homebuyer unless your home is in a targeted area.

Why is THDA so fantastic for a first time homebuyer? Well, it comes down to money. THDA offers a below market rate and will allow up to 100% financing. Have you been reading the papers lately? It’s not so easy to find 100% financing these days. Unless, that is, you’re a first time homebuyer. It also has programs that allow for down payment assistance via grants from certain approved agencies (if your loan type requires a down payment). If you have satisfactory credit and the home you wish to buy meets THDA’s standards, then you’re in business.

All THDA mortgages are 30 year fixed rate loans, so you needn’t worry about finding yourself with an ARM loan (adjustable rate mortgage) and a new payment you can’t afford in 3 years. And THDA allows lenders to only charge customers a standard 1% origination and .25% discount fee. It also closely monitors fees associated with the loan. THDA really looks out for the best interest of the first time homebuyer. If you are eligible for a THDA loan, you can feel pretty certain that an unscrupulous lender can’t take advantage of you because THDA won’t let them. For so many people, buying a home is pretty intimidating. THDA takes away the uncertainties a buyer faces with its guidelines and lending practices.

If you do apply for a THDA loan, be prepared to document your credit worthiness. THDA loans require slightly more documentation than your average loans because of the uniqueness of its product. In order to offer more, THDA asks for more – ensuring you qualify for its pretty awesome program. Sounds like a fair trade, if you ask me.

What are the disadvantages of a THDA loan? Not many. They do have a federal recapture tax if you sell your home within the first nine years of owning it. But it sounds scarier than it really is. I’ve heard that only about 1% of THDA customers actually pay this tax. That’s because a bunch of really great things have to happen to you in order for it to actually apply to you. And if those great things happen to you, paying the recapture tax won’t matter much to you anyway. I’ve been in the business for 16 years and have only heard of one person actually having to pay one. He graduated from medical school and his income when through the roof. His property was sold above market value than for the area because it was adjacent to some property that a huge retailer wanted to purchase. Again, good things have to happen to pay the recapture tax. So, you shouldn’t be afraid of it.

More people need to hear about and take advantage of the THDA loan programs. It’s such a great product and really helps the community and the housing industry. If you’re a first time homebuyer or think you’re in a targeted area, make sure you ask about THDA to see if you would qualify for a loan. You won’t regret it!



ERNEST

Loan Modification Help Center asked:


Everyday we read about the worldwide financial crisis and, specifically, about the U.S. banking and housing crisis.  To understand the challenges facing borrowers during the Housing crisis, it is critical to understand adjustable rate mortgages – how they work and how they can impact you. 

ARMs offer both advantages and disadvantages. Unlike a fixed-rate mortgage, an ARM provides interest rates that change periodically – and payments that go up or down accordingly.  At first, lenders generally charge lower interest rates for ARMs and this makes an ARM easier to afford initially.  If interest rates remain steady or move lower, this can work to your long term advantage. It is important, however, to weigh the risk that if interest rates increase in the future, so will your monthly payments. 

The initial rate and payment on an ARM will remain in effect for a limited period–ranging from several months to 5 years or more. After this initial period, the interest rate and monthly payment may change at regular intervals – every month, every year, every 3 years.   This period between rate changes is called the adjustment period.

The interest rate on an ARM is determined by two things: the index and the margin. The index is usually a standard measure of interest rates and the margin is an extra amount that the lender adds. If the index rate goes up, so does your interest rate and monthly payment.  On the other hand, if the index rate goes down, your monthly payment may go down. Not all ARMs adjust downward, however so be sure to read the details about any loan you are considering. 

Lenders base ARM rates on a variety of indexes. You should ask what index will be used for your ARM, how it has fluctuated in the past, and where it is published.  

The margin may differ from one lender to another, but it is usually constant over the life of the loan. The fully indexed rate is equal to the margin plus the index. For example, if the lender uses an index that is currently 4% and adds a 3% margin, the fully indexed rate would be 7%.

Some lenders base the amount of the margin on your credit record – the better your credit, the lower the margin. In comparing ARMs, look at both the index and margin for each program.

An interest-rate cap places a limit on the amount your interest rate can increase. Interest caps come in two forms: A periodic adjustment cap, which limits the amount the interest rate can be adjusted up or down from one adjustment period to the next, and a lifetime cap, which limits the interest-rate increase over the life of the loan.  By law, virtually all ARMs must have a lifetime cap.

In addition to interest-rate caps, many ARMs limit, or cap, the amount your monthly payment may increase at each adjustment.  A payment cap can limit the increase to your monthly payments but also can add to the amount you owe on the loan. This is called negative amortization.

If you are considering an ARM, ask yourself: 

– Is my income enough–or likely to rise enough–to cover higher mortgage payments if interest rates go up? – Will I be taking on other sizable debts, such as a loan for a car or school tuition, in the near future? – How long do I plan to own this home? If you plan to sell soon, rising interest rates may not pose the problem they do if you plan to own the house for a long time. – Do I plan to make any additional payments or pay the loan off early?

 

Golden Rule:  Before you consider any loan, ask questions and read the details. For information and news please visit Loan Modification Help Center



CORNELL

Kristin Abouelata – Home Loans asked:


When deciding upon a home mortgage, one of the most common options to consider other than a fixed rate loan is an ARM loan. ARM is an acronym for adjustable rate mortgage. With this product, a starting rate is fixed for a certain period of time, and then when that time is up, the rate can adjust depending upon a pre-determined index and margin. This period can be from anywhere of 1 month or 10 years, and can reflect principal and interest or sometimes interest only payments. The adjust results in the mortgage payment either increasing or decreasing. There is also a cap on how much the interest rate can go up or down.

Many people today are afraid of ARM loans and automatically only consider a fixed rate loan when applying for a mortgage. Depending on the market, this philosophy is sometimes the most economical route. But many times it may be worth your while to consider an ARM loan.

Within the past year or so, there wasn’t any real discernable advantage to considering an ARM over a fixed rate loan. The rates were comparable. But lately, the rates in general have crept up and, when comparing them, the ARM rates can have a healthy edge.

When I take a loan application, I ask my customer what their future plans are. Only going to be in town for a couple of years? Do you work for a company that relocates often? Do you plan to expand your family any time soon? Answering yes to any of these questions is a trigger for me to present an ARM loan as an option. The average homebuyer only stays in their home 7.5 years. I recently had a customer who knew she would be in town for only 3-4 years. The difference between a fixed rate and an ARM rate was .375%. The ARM rate was fixed for 5 years before any adjustment would occur. No brainer.

There are a myriad of mortgage products out there for the consumer to consider. Ask questions of your loan officer, and more importantly, expect your loan officer to ask questions of you. And if you can’t sleep at night because you know that one day that ARM loan can adjust, just remember one thing. You can always refinance your loan when that time comes. Now, get some sleep.

Kristin Abouelata mortgage website



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