Looking to buy a property in which you can both live in and operate a business? Your financing options are about to greatly expand if one of HUD/FHA’s proposed Rule changes goes into effect on June 15, 2015 as planned! At the present time, a prospective borrower may utilize FHA Section 203(b) financing to purchase a mixed-use property if the…
A recent study conducted by Inman, a real estate information firm, found that almost 50% of the realtors surveyed preferred to do business with a Mortgage Broker, over a Bank or Independent Mortgage Banker (Preference). Surprised? Maybe you shouldn’t be. Brokers have become a little more flexible when it comes to courting Realtors and other business sources, than other mortgage…
On HUD’s latest conference call (see NOTE below), it was stated that the primary role of an FHA Roster appraiser is to “Observe, Analyze and Report” what he/she encounters during their on-site visit to a property. There were a number of specific examples cited in which the HUD staff presenter indicated that the appraiser has effectively completed their assignment when…
You may know him better from the reality TV show on Bravo, “Real Housewives of New Jersey”, but Jim Marchese, a mortgage lender, is a real live whistle-blower. You can’t make this stuff up! Mr. Marchese blew the whistle not once but twice, on two different companies, and received substantial rewards to the tune of about $18 million (Whistle-blower). Read…
In a recent Blog Post, I discussed HUD/FHA’s plans to begin issuing eFindings Letters on April 27, 2015 in lieu of hard copy letters sent via the US Postal Service on all Post-Endorsement Technical Review cases rated “Unacceptable”. In this regard, HUD Headquarters staff conducted a Webinar on Tuesday, April 21, 2015 to discuss this new process as well as…
Have you heard about the one where the lender sues the government for false accusations? Who says you can’t fight city hall? One lender, Quicken Loans is fighting back against claims made by the DOJ (False Claims). Quicken, one of the nation’s largest originators of FHA insured loans, has decided it has had enough and isn’t going to take the…
