Team Fontanetta Ann & Frank Fontanetta Fairway Independent Mortgage Timing Is Everything By Tom Heatherman ”It’s not about the loans we do; it is about the hearts we change and the people we help.” Steve Jacobson, Founder and CEO Timing — It is often said — can make a world of difference when introducing a new business or venture. That’s why Ann and Frank Fontanetta waited until just the right moment to team-up with Fairway Independent Mortgage. Frank was at the peak of a career that spanned over 25 years in the lending industry, having risen through the ranks from […]
When Is The Time To Refinance Your House? By Jessica Bennet Only you can decide if you are having problems in making payments on the mortgage that is financing your home. If you are having problems in making the payments, refinancing is an option. Other than that another item to consider in order to find your answer to “should I refinance my house?” is whether you want to save money on mortgage payments. Refinancing can help you in saving money on the payments.
New Laws Governing Mortgage Originators By Budd Moore New lending laws regulate originator compensation and help protect the borrower’s “best interest.” April brings Tax Day and this year it also brings new laws to govern mortgage originators. The new lending laws, effective April 1st, have leveled the playing field for all originators, including banks, mortgage companies, and mortgage brokers. While most of the larger banks adopted these new rules over a year ago smaller lenders and brokers have waited until April 1, 2011 to adjust their practices and adopt the new laws. Under the new regulations, a loan originator “may […]
Mortgage Shopping 101 – Making Sense of the Mortgage Market By Jim Soda Shopping for a mortgage can be time-consuming and difficult for homebuyers, especially in today’s market where many buyers don’t know where to begin. The Federal Reserve Board has put together the following tips so that you can make sense of the mortgage market and be sure you are getting the mortgage that is right for you. 1. Know what you can afford. Review your monthly spending plan to estimate what you can afford to pay for a home, including the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, and monthly maintenance […]
Refinance Now By C.J. Coury Although it is certainly more challenging to obtain a new mortgage loan in today’s market you simply must make the attempt if you have an interest rate above, at or near 6%. It is widely believed that rates will begin to rise this spring and could increase as much as 1% or more from today’s historic lows, eliminating the opportunity to realize the benefits of refinancing for many. While it is true that many loans today are being scuttled by evaluations and qualifying documentation, it is also a fact that there are options available to […]
FHA OK’S Finance Of Qualified Flips By C. J. Coury In an effort to speed up the resale of foreclosed properties the FHA has announced that it will begin to insure loans on properties that were re-sold within 90-days of purchase by the seller. This change will allow lenders to offer FHA financing to buyers who are attempting to purchase these quick re-sales between 2/1/10 and 1/31/11. While this will help a great number of buyers there are certain restrictions that will apply. The primary intent of this easing is to allow investors to purchase, rehab and resell these properties […]
Financing “As-Is” Properties By C. J. Coury A rarely used loan product, the FHA 203(k), is fast becoming one of the hottest topics on the training front. The renewed interest in this evolving product is due to the high number of distressed properties on the market and the declining amount of “cash” buyers to sell it to “as-is”. There are numerous misunderstandings about this product that I would like to help clarify: 1. The maximum loan amount is currently $417,000 2. There is no maximum sale price for the property 3. There is no maximum amount for the repairs or improvements 4. The improvements […]
RESPA/Regulation X Changes Information Courtesy Of C. J. Coury The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced significant revisions to the lending requirements under RESPA/Regulation X. These changes impact the Good Faith Estimate (GFE) and HUD Settlement Statements (HUD-1 and HUD-1A) and will be effective with new first mortgage applications taken on or after January 1, 2010. These important regulatory changes will place new requirements on lenders to ensure that borrowers are better positioned to understand their mortgage transaction. Following is an overview of the four key changes associated with the new Regulation X requirements. 1. Good Faith […]
Appraisal Reconsideration Requests – How To? By C. J. Coury In accordance with the new Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) lenders are no longer allowed to select the appraiser or question them on their evaluations. While this will certainly all but eliminate fraud in the evaluation process it has caused some new concerns for lenders and Real Estate professionals. Any time change occurs in our lives there is a certain learning curve that takes an unspecified amount of time to run its course. The HVCC is one of those changes that we must learn to navigate around while the […]
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Understanding HVCC By C. J. Coury As you all know, the Federal government has now implemented the Home Valuation Code of Conduct (a.k.a. Appraisal Independence) and all lenders must adhere to it if they are going to sell the loan to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. The rules, regulations and requirements do not apply to FHA or VA loans. The pressure that appraisers felt to hit a predetermined figure when appraising real estate is what ultimately led to this momentous change for our industry. We now must work our way through some new routines while we develop a clear understanding […]
Under Promise And Over Deliver By C. J. Coury I am sure that you have all heard the phrase “Under Promise and Over Deliver” and that you do your best to live by it. However, some times we don’t recognize the opportunity to follow this sage advice when it presents itself. The current market is presenting us all with one of those opportunities right now – Setting Proper Expectations. I recently received several requests from REAL Magazine contributors and readers to once again stress the importance of reducing preventable stressful situations by setting the right expectations at the beginning of […]
Why Are We Still Considered A “Declining Market”? By C. J. Coury Many of my Mortgage Loan Officers and REALTOR® acquaintances have asked me this question lately. The primary reason for their inquiry seems to be the fact that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac eliminated this damaging and self-fulfilling moniker months ago. While that is true, the fact that these agencies no longer consider this classification a requirement in setting their loan to value ratios the problem persists. The primary enforcers of the “declining market” designation are the Mortgage Insurance Companies. This is why the additional 5% down payment requirement […]
We are all aware that the underwriting guidelines for purchase-money financing have become very restrictive due to the economic downturn and the subprime lending debacle. As difficult as it is to obtain financing in the current economic environment, purchase-money financing for condominiums has become particularly troublesome. This article will address some of the issues facing buyers of condominium units needing purchase-money financing.
I have been asked by many real estate professionals to clarify some of the key points of the new refinance mortgage loan available under the provisions of the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan (HASP). As all of you have customers who could benefit from this program it is important that you completely understand a few of the factors that determine eligibility.
Sunday, March 3, 2019
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