Types of Loans
FHA
A government mortgage that is insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). These Loans have been insured by the FHA since the creation of the agency in 1934. Since then, various Housing and Community Development Acts have been passed which have slightly altered the the laws regarding FHA loans. FHA loans have been particularly helpful for individuals who typically otherwise would not have been able to secure a loan from another source due to low income or high risk. In today's market, FHA loans are one of the more popular options. They allow for as little as a 3.5% down-payment and down to a 620 FICO (credit) score. Furthermore, FHA loans typically carry lower interest rates than their conventional counterparts, especially at high LTV's; or Loan to Value Ratios. Loan amount divided by the appraised value of the home.
FHA Streamline Refinance
FHA has permitted streamline refinances on insured mortgages since the early 1980's. The "streamline" refers only to the amount of documentation and underwriting that needs to be performed by the lender, and does not mean that there are no costs involved in the transaction even though most brokers will set it up as a no cost loan or "no out of pocket" expenses. Many lenders offer streamline refinances that do not require appraisals, income documentation, asset documentation and some even do not require a credit score. To be eligible you must currently have an FHA mortgage, and the streamline refinance must save you 10% or more per month in principle, interest, taxes and homeowners insurance payments.
FHA 203k
A type of federally insured mortgage product for individuals who want to rehabilitate or repair a damaged home that will become their primary residence. in addition to the funds to cover the purchase price of the house, the FHA 203(k) loan provides the money needed for repairs and related expenses as part of the loan.
VA
A government home loan guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) under the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 and later. The VA guarantees restitution to the lender in the event of default. The amount of guarantee available has been raised on a regular basis. The home must be the borrower's primary residence. VA loans allow for as little as 0% down to eligible veterans.
USDA
A USDA guaranteed loan is a government insured, 100% financing purchase loan. These loan DO NOT carry monthly mortgage insurance. These loans are offered in rural areas and serviced by direct lenders that meet federal guidelines. There are combined household income limits as well as property eligibility lists by town. Please visit the link below to see if a property you are looking at is eligible. From section 502 of HUD:
Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac
These loans are commonly referred to as "conforming" or "conventional" loans. Most lenders use Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines to underwrite their loans. The reason for this? They want to make them eligible for sale on the secondary market. Mortgages are often bunched together in Mortgage Backed Securities (MBS) and sold, the terms of the loan stay the same, just the servicer changes. They are both Federally chartered "semi-governmental" companies that purchase these pools of loans from lenders and sells these securities to investors. They are the largest source of home mortgage funding in the United States. These loans have a max loan amount of $417,000, and if the property has less than 20% equity in it they require Private Mortgage Insurance to be obtained. For example, if you purchased a home with a 10% down-payment you would be required to obtain "PMI", which is in the form of a monthly payment. These "PMI" companies guarantee investors against default. Within the umbrella of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, there are dozens of sub-products aimed at particular borrowers. Please give us a call to see what makes the most sense for you and so we can navigate you through all of these available programs.