Financing options for mixed-use properties have greatly expanded thanks to a change in a long-standing FHA rule limiting FHA Section 203(b) mortgage insurance to properties that have non-residential portions exceeding 25% of the total floor area. Up until September 14, 2015, a prospective borrower was able to utilize FHA Section 203(b) financing to purchase a mixed-use property under certain conditions.…
HUD/FHA released the results of its Post-Endorsement Technical Reviews (PETRs) that were processed in the third quarter of FY 2015 (April 1, 2015, through June 30, 2015), in its most recent Lender Insight Report issued in December 2015. The results of their PETR Ratings on these cases (as of October 31, 2015) were as follows: Conforming 1,278 cases 19.9% Deficient…
It’s hard to believe that the current Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) Form has not had any substantive changes in the past 20 years. Despite numerous programmatic and policy changes implemented by the Federal Government’s Housing Agencies (i.e. HUD, VA & USDA) and the GSE’s, this form has served well as a uniform loan application form for the mortgage industry.…
The Veterans Administration (VA) announced that, effective immediately, lenders “may accept a Veteran’s assertion of spousal status when a Veteran is applying for home loan benefits,” in Circular Letter 26-15-29, dated November 5, 2015. In light of the recent Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, the VA will now recognize a marriage between two people of the same-sex when…
USDA Rural Development has recently introduced a new security role of “Lender Agent” to their participating lenders. This new role will enable lenders to provide Guaranteed Underwriting System (GUS) access to third party agents such as mortgage brokers and/or correspondent lenders. The USDA’s GUS was updated on December 9, 2015 to help facilitate this new functionality. Once officially designated as…
Freddie Mac has modified some of its long-standing underwriting policies that should help reduce the paperwork burden for lenders in qualifying prospective borrowers, in their Guide Bulletin 2015-20, dated December 2, 2015. Outlined below is a summary of each of these changes: Borrower Funds/Reserves – if a borrower’s combined value of assets derived from stocks, bonds, mutual funds, US Government…
