Government helps homeowners refinance |
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You'll need to consult a loan officer or mortgage broker and do the math to figure out whether an FHA-insured loan or conventional loan would be a better fit for your situation. Compare the interest rate, terms and costs, and be aware that if you have a relatively lower credit score or want to take out cash, some lenders will tack on a "price adjustment" in the form of additional points.
Homeowners have two options to refinance into an FHA-insured loan:
Those who already have an FHA-insured mortgage can use a so-called "streamlined" process that requires neither a credit check nor an appraisal. These loans can be closed in a matter of days and the cost tends to be reduced in part because no appraisal is required. The streamlined process can be used to lock in a lower interest, but not to take out cash or consolidate other debts into the FHA-backed loan.
- Those who have a non-FHA-insured mortgage or want to consolidate debt or take out cash can still refinance into an FHA-insured loan, but a credit check and appraisal will be required. Loan approval will be based on your income, other debts and credit history. You must be a legal U.S. resident and have a valid Social Security number to apply for an FHA-insured loan.
Vets can refinance up to 100 percent of home's value
Military veterans who want to refinance can take advantage of recent changes that make the VA's loan guarantee program more flexible for borrowers. The program now allows an LTV ratio of up to 100 percent, rather than the previous limit of 90 percent. Maximum loan amounts have been increased from just $144,000 to significantly higher limits depending on the county where the property is located.
"These changes will allow (the) VA to assist a substantial number of veterans with subprime mortgages to refinance into a safer, more affordable VA-guaranteed loan," VA Secretary James B. Peake said in an October 2008 statement.
During war time, an active-duty member of the U.S. military needs only 90 days of service to qualify for the VA loan program. The requirement for a reservist or National Guard member is six years, unless the member is called up to active duty, in which case the 90-day requirement applies, according to Jim Brown, CEO of Veteran Mortgage in Everett, Wash.
"A lot of reservists don't know that they qualify," Brown says.
The VA charges an upfront funding fee, but the fee is waived for veterans who have a 10 percent or more disability and there is no mortgage insurance on these loans. Borrowers must have a stable income and reasonable good credit history, though the guidelines are generous and flexible, Brown explains.
A longtime stigma against VA loans as being onerous and complicated is outdated and unwarranted in Brown's view. He says the VA has "worked really hard to make (the program) as viable and friendly as possible." Vets who want to refinance should consider a VA-guaranteed loan, he adds.
"Unless the LTV is less than 80 percent, it's highly likely that anyone trying to steer (a qualified vet) into a non-VA loan is doing them an injustice because mortgage insurance kicks in above 80 percent on conventional loans," he says. "Nine times out of 10, (the VA loan) will be the best product."
Rural Development only refinances own loans
One other federal government agency -- the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development Department -- also guarantees home mortgages. But while the department's program may be ideal for moderate-income homebuyers in small towns, its applicability to those who want to refinance is limited because the agency will only refinance or modify existing Rural Development loans, according to Jay Fletcher, a spokesman for the USDA department. Borrowers must have adequate income and an acceptable credit score, and an appraisal is required.
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