What is a Conventional Loan?
A conventional loan by definition is any mortgage not guaranteed or insured by the federal government. Conventional loans can be either “conforming” or “non-conforming”, although conventional loan requirements generally refer to mortgage guidelines that ‘conform’ to government sponsored enterprises (GSE’s) like Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Therefore, when you’re searching for more information on ‘conventional loans’, ‘conforming loans’ or ‘conventional conforming loans’, you’re likely referring to the same thing. Read More
FHA loans are a terrific option for home buyers with lower incomes, imperfect credit ratings or limited cash available for a down payment. In fact, FHA loan requirements feature a certain flexibility which makes them the only option available for millions of American mortgage applicants with “average” qualifications. That’s why FHA loans jumped in popularity after the 2008 financial crisis when subprime mortgage options were eliminated. Read More
Mortgage insurance is a protecton that guards lenders in case of applicant default. Mortgage insurance is usually required on mortgages with a down payment that’s 20 percent or less.
Plainly stated, FHA MI is required for all FHA loan programs including FHA purchase loans, FHA refinance loans and FHA Streamline refinance loans. FHA guidelines for it’s insurance programs are what lenders use to determine if applicants are eligible for a loan. These requirements are usually less demanding than other, non-insured mortgage programs. Read More
The USDA stands for United States Department of Agriculture. That’s the federal agency that provides USDA Rural Development programs for the purpose of encouraging economic development in rural areas. Rural Development programs also help the people living in qualifying rural areas afford better housing. Read More
The USDA Refinance Pilot Program was originally introduced in 2012 to give rural home owners a chance to take advantage of record low interest rates. This pilot program was a success, therefore the program has permanently matured into the USDA Streamline Refinance. Read More
FHA Mortgages offer several advantages over conventional mortgages, particularly for applicants without perfect credit or lots of cash on hand for a down payment. Read More
When you hear the term “closing costs”, it generally refers to a group of fees that must be paid during the settlement process. FHA Mortgage Closing Costs can include such things as lender origination fees, attorney fees, appraisal and inspection fees and more. Read More
If you have an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) or have thought about getting one, you may wonder how your loan balance is amortized. Designing an amortization schedule is an easy way to see how a mortgage payment is applied to paying down the balance over time. Read More
After posting big gains for 5 years, VA home loan volume fell to a still-respectable 430,000 in 2014. That represents a 30% drop from the number of VA loan’s approved in 2013 (630,000) and an even smaller reduction from 2012 numbers (540,000). Read More
FHA mortgage insurance rates have just been reduced in an unexpected move that offers the housing market a much needed boost. This .5% across the board MIP reduction will help more home shoppers become homeowners in 2015 and also reduce costs for thousands of borrowers looking to refinance. Read More
