IET Real Estate Los Angeles Blog - Real Estate Financing

Changes to FHA Streamline Loan Underwriting Guidelines applicable as of 11-17-2009

The following changes apply to new case numbers assigned on or after November 17, 2009:

o        Seasoning:  At the time of application, the borrower must have made at least 6 payments within the month due on the FHA-insured mortgage being refinanced.

o        Payment History:  At the time of loan application, the borrower must exhibit an acceptable payment history as follows:

§         For mortgages with less than a 12 month payment history, the borrower must have made all mortgage payments within the month due.

§         For mortgages with a 12 month payment history or greater, the borrower must have 0x30 in the last 12 months, and made all mortgage payments within the month due for the three months prior to the date of the loan application.…

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Conventional-Conforming-Fannie Mae Mortgage Loan Underwriting Guideline Updates Los Angeles CA

With the changes happening to the basic underwriting guidelines of Conventional loan programs so quickly I thought I'd create this blog post to highlight *_some_* of the potentially deal killing details that I've come across in the course of my own business...

• MI for conforming loans on Condo's is on the verge of being extinct (consider FHA as an alternative).  41% max backend DTI for all MI companies.  Doesn't matter what DTI Lender will allow.
• Reserve Requirements when purchasing Investment Properties. 
  Fannie Mae Announcement re: borrowers purchasing multiple investment properties

1. When the borrower will own one to four financed properties (including the subject property) the reserve requirements are:
   

   * two months of reserves on the subject…

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Impact of Loan Modification on Credit Scores

With the introduction of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) many homeowners that are not currently behind on their mortgages are being faced with a situation where they are being offered potential relief.

Obviously their first reaction would be to accept this relief but the government had done something smart (yes, give credit where credit is due).  They made it mandatory for loan servicers to report derogatory history to the credit bureaus for all borrowers who participate.  The creators of HAMP did this to weed out the people that can afford their payments but want a modification of their loan terms on the taxpayer dollar.  

Those in true financial need won't mind, they are most likely already behind on their payments and their credit…

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Condos owners now required to pay HOA dues and inside the walls insurance policy

HO-6 Insurance Requirements for Condominium and PUD Properties 

HO-6-CONDOMINIUM UNIT OWNERS COVERAGE

Here is an excerpt from a memo sent to us by one of our biggest lenders: 

Borrowers must show evidence of hazard insurance coverage for all condominium projects with attached units, including two- to four- unit projects, that covers fixtures, equipment, and other personal property inside individual units if they will be financed by the mortgage.  Borrowers must show evidence of a “walls-in” coverage policy (commonly known as HO-6 policy) unless they can document that the master policy provides the same interior unit coverage. The master policy must include replacement of improvements and betterment coverage to cover any improvements that the…

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HOA Assistance Program for First Time Homebuyers in South LA & North Orange County

HOA Assistance Program offered through PWR

HOA Assistance program offered through my local association of realtors (Pacific West Association of Realtors)

Program offered through Pacific West Association of Realtors for homeowners in Southern LA and Northern Orange counties.  Funds for this program are from a charity account setup by fellow Realtors and a grant from a California Association of Realtors fund.  The program will pay up to $250/month & up to $3000 per year to the Home Owners Association for the qualifying borrower.  This program has helped over 30 families since its inception in 2007

Be sure to check with our office for qualifying guidelines and available funds before applying.

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"Direct Lender" pre-approvals are a JOKE

I really don't understand this whole new phenomenom about REO listing agents (and now short sale & standard transaction agents) requiring a pre-approval from a "Direct Lender".  Maybe I'm just bitter because my client who was told by a "Direct Lender" that their financing was secure and all they had to do was find a property.  So I found them a property and then 20 days later the "Direct Lender" denies the client due to credit/employment/income factors (layered risk) that were present prior to the client being issued their pre-approval.  Maybe its because for the most part the loan reps I see at Direct Lenders at the banking institutions I go to (Bofa, Chase, Wells Fargo) are young, seemingly inexperienced and likely unlicensed.  Many loan reps working at…

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Time running out on $10,000 tax credit for CA new construction homebuyers

Did you know that the state of California is offering a $10,000 tax credit for homebuyers buying new construction?

Well time is running out on this great opportunity.

For more information go to CA Franchise Tax Board website at:

http://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/New_home_Credit.shtml

Update: as of July 3rd, 2009 the state has run out of funds for this program.  Sometimes when sales people are telling you that you'd have to "Act Now" its actually true....

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Open Question to the Lending Industry?

If all borrowers are required to sign IRS 4506-T forms that allow underwriter to verify income documentation, why do lenders require income documentation?  Shouldn't they just be able to take a signed 4506-T form get the IRS transcript and verify the income coming directly from the IRS?  Wouldn't the world be easier for loan originators and processors too if they could just order a 4506-T verification direct from the IRS covering a 2 year time period, get the transcript and divide by 24 to get the borrowers monthly income?

Just thinking out loud into the blogosphere...

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Job Loss Protection Program for Real Estate

Here is an interesting application of the job loss protection gurauntees the auto industry introduced being applied to the Real Estate Market

http://www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/channels/video/79154.aspx

Here is the website for the program the Real Estate Company is using as the insurance backstop for making this claim

http://www.helpprogram.org/index.htm

C.A.R. launches Mortgage Protection Program (Thursday, April 2, 2009)

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California top 3 in the Nation for Foreclosure filings

According to this Realtytrac report for first Quarter 2009, California was #3 in the country in terms of highest percentages of foreclosure filings at ~1.72%, Arizona just beat us out ~ 1.85% and Nevada was the undisputed champ at ~ 3.7%. Realtytrac defines a foreclosure filing as an NOD, NTS or a bank repossession.

The national average is ~.63% of all U.S. Properties (had some sort of foreclosure filing during that same time period.)

Defaults in California are up by record numbers according to this Dataquick article.  Up 80% from prior quarter (Q4 2008) and 19% from prior year quarter (Q1 2008). 

~70% of loans originated by ResMae 8/06=>11/06 have defaulted, Masters Financial and Ownit were both North of 60% too during that time period, WOW!!...

…

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