www.lasvegasmtg.com Report: Las Vegas housing will struggle in 2010 was recently discussed at the National Association of Home Builders which was part of the International Builders Show held in Las Vegas, Nevada this Tuesday.

It was predicted that the current housing market will effect the new home production and will see lower levels of new constructed homes at 70% below normal levels and will not see a normalcy until 2011.

David Crowe the NAHB Chief Economist stated " It is the simplest way to say that Las Vegas will continue to suffer at least until 2010. David Crowe believes that inventory remains at high levels and shows no sign of relief. David Crowe states that demand can not remove the supply of bank owned homes that will continue to come to the market through 2011.

David Crowe believes that the country has stopped the bleeding and the house price declines will level off.

David Berson the Chief Economist for the PMI Group that all indications that house prices will continue to decline but at less steeply slide in price. While housing prices in Las Vegas have declined 50% since the high of 2006 it is going to take at least three years before prices start to rebound.

It was discussed that the investors that entered the market in Las Vegas helped take some of the inventory off the market and this was positive. The Economist stated that the foreclosures that are now taking place are not from the sub prime fallout but from loss of jobs and from "strategic defaults".

There was more that was discussed at this meeting but I wanted to address some points that I disagree with.

I disagree that withholding inventory has helped stabilize prices and that demand is not strong enough to remove inventory. If this was the case then why did we sell the second highest numbers of home sales last year? I do not believe that large number of homes bought by investors help communities become stable. There is no home ownership pride that helps rebuild neighborhoods from investors.

With only 2,000 bank owned properties being listed, thousands more never come to the market or only come in dribbles while thousands of home buyers are forced to bid against each others on the small inventories that are available. Banks hoping to get higher prices with this process, knowing that the appraisals will not come in on the asking price so they want the buyer to agree to pay the difference before accepting the offer. Will recovery be in 2011? Only time will tell.

Age Restricted (55+) Communities are scattered throughout the valley.  Many offer a variety community amenities for Seniors who enjoy active lifestyles.

Sun City Anthem is located in the Anthem Area of Henderson, NV (zip 89052 and 89044).  There are 7312 Homes in Sun City Anthem ranging from 1080-4567 Square Feet.  Community Amenities Include:  Community Golf, Gym, Pool, Spa, Tennis, Clubhouse and Recroom

Sun City Anthem Market Report:

• Listings (1/15/2010):  127
• Under Contract (1/15/2010):  69
• Sold December 2009:  22
• Absorption Rate: 5.3 Months of Inventory

Since Last Month's Report:  Listings DOWN -9, Escrows UP +1, Solds UP +2.  Sun City Anthem is currently enjoying a stable market.

Renee Burrows carries the SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) Designation and has Probate and Estate experience.  If you need a referral to a Probate or Estate lawyer, please contact me!

Seniors Real Estate Specialists® are REALTORS® qualified to address the needs of home buyers and sellers age 50+. The SRES® Council awards the SRES® Designation to those members who have successfully completed its education program.

By earning the SRES® designation, your REALTOR® has demonstrated necessary knowledge and expertise to counsel clients age 50-plus through major financial and lifestyle transitions involved in relocating, refinancing, or selling the family home. Your REALTOR® has received special training, gets regular updates, and is prepared to offer the options and information needed in making life changing decisions.

For Last Month's Sun City Anthem Market Report Click Here

For Most Current Sun Cities Market Report Click Here

Mortgage lenders and servicers have been reluctantly doing loan modifications mainly by paring back interest rates and stretching terms, thereby managing to reduce borrowers' monthly payments to some degree. But obviously that strategy is not working as well as many had hoped for. Restructured home loans keep defaulting at an alarming rate.

DBRS, a debt rating agency, now figures that more than half of them are two or more months behind or sink into foreclosure inside six months from the mortgage modification. Clearly, that's hardly the way to resolve the home loan mess. To get to the core of the problem a new direction in thinking has to be found. Actually a doable solution has been debated for some time now, but mortgage lenders haven't put their arms around the idea much. It's called principal reduction.

Home loan providers and servicers have been pulled kicking and screaming into looking at the idea again, and slowly they seem to be warming up to it. Recent statistics prove that. In the first quarter of 2009 3% of mortgage loan modifications included principal cutbacks, reports confidently DBRS. In the second quarter the number grew to 10% and in the third it stood at 13%. The trend is obvious. It appears the mortgage industry is finally seeing the light, but it sure took them a long while to get there.

Las Vegas valley - including Henderson, Mountains Edge, Silverstone Ranch, Rhodes Ranch, Summerlin and Spanish Trail - mortgage recipients are glad to see this development. Scores of them are seriously underwater and without principal cutbacks they would have little incentive to make payments even if they could afford them. To many it just doesn't add up to keep pouring hard-earned money into a losing asset. If the mortgage lenders here bring the loan balance all the way to market, they'd have a lot of eager homeowners sending payment checks in. And the currently high foreclosure rate would be drastically improved. If they do so only part way, it would predictably still prevent a host of mortgage borrowers from going into default.

Should this trend continue it would begin turning the pummeled mortgage and real estate markets in Las Vegas and nationally around in a decisive manner. At this stage in the game this is about the best way to go about it.

 

Don’t be CASH POOR – CASH is KING

 

 

FHA loans have been used more in recent years. Many have talked negatively about FHA loans because of their high default rates as of lately. Don't be fooled by chatter that is not backed up by fact and why this is happening.  Please read : Should we ABOLISH FHA loans?

One of the main myths that I wanted to dispell in this blog post is that you don't need 20% to buy a home in today's real estate market or that you need a 720 credit score. These are bad myths and rumors. You can read about it here : Credit scores/FICO scores - I need a 700 credit score?

Yesterday, I wrote a post about comparing a FHA mortgage to a Conventional mortgage with 20% down. FHA loans vs Conventional loans - A real comparison with 20% down. - Overall, it all comes down to the borrowers needs and goals. Yet not all loan officers dig this deeply. Usually because the focus is lost when the borrower wants to know the mortgage interest rate and fees. More on that in a post on Sunday.

 

 

 

Please read these links before moving forward (the next 3) : It’s extremely important

 

Please read this question about why my conventional rates are so much higher :  Someone's question to why my conventional rates are so high.

My response : Just a basic response to why the conventional rates are much higher.

And proof that it's not just me.. all lenders need and have to follow the same pricing hits. Conventional PRICING HITS

 

 

What is the big fuss of putting 20% down other than you don't have mortgage insurance? Here is my chart from yesterday.

 

Loan comparison of 20% down between FHA loans and Conventional loans

SCENARIO # 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In regards to scenario #1, this is great if you have 20% down. But is it? Please read why going with a conventional loan with 20% down still might not be your best option. 20% down comparison between FHA loans and Conventional Loans   Hint: Goals - 

 

 

Dropping the down payment by 1%, making it 19% down and not 20% down.

Scenario # 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scenario # 2 - There is no large difference except that your monthly mortgage payment is lower on a FHA loan when putting less than 20% down. **Conventional mortgage insurance is not standard as it use to be. Meaning that these figures could change depending on the insurance company, the fico score, and in some cases, where you purchase the property.**

 

 

Loan comparison of 10% down between FHA loans and Conventional loans

Scenario # 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, when you put less than 20% down, and depending on your credit scores, FHA mortgages will be much cheaper in the monthly mortgage payment. I give a better description and understanding of the differences in this blog post : 10% down comparison and understanding the upfront mortgage insurance on FHA loans vs conventional loans.

My whole point to this post though is about cash, cash savings, and reserves. And in today's economy, cash is king. Let's look at it this way.

 

 

Loan comparison – Conventional loan w/20% down vs FHA loan w/10% down

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overall, there is no true correct answer. It first must come down to how comfortable you are in your finances. But here is a clear indication that just because you put down 10% more, which is an additional $30,000, doesn't mean your payment drops as signficantly as many of you might think. (this will vary depending on loan amounts) Don't get me wrong, saving an additional $186.71 a month can be huge. But at the same time, you could keep $30,000 in your pocket instead. If you want to try and compare apples to apples, just take the difference out of the monies that you saved from your 10% down payment. Set aside $11,200 in a seperate account to lower your payment. It would still leave you with $18,794 now, after closing. 

One word of advice.... you don't have to try and pay down your mortgage as soon as possible.  Yes, this is a good security blanket for so many. But you also don't know what the future holds for you.  Besides, you could take $10,000 of your money left over and invest it in several areas that would give you a better return of 7% to 8%, especially since you are paying 5% on your mortgage. But you would need to speak to a financial consultant about this.

 

 

Summary : No matter how much cash you have or don't have, this is how your loan officer should help you understand your mortgage and financial situation. Cash can be king and be useful in unknown emergencies. Don't always fall for those commercials that scream, "don't let the banks rip you off, learn how to pay off your mortgage quickly".(you don't need these programs, such as the mortgage accelerator programs... you can do this on your own)

On another note, I am not saying that your loan officer needs to show you this exact breakdown. But it's more than just about the best interest rate and or fees. What is the best program for you based on your goals and the mortgage program. I will be talking about this over the weekend. Stay tuned. 

Knowledge is Power... And don't forget that you can still put down 3.5% with FHA loans, as opposed to conventional loans needing 5% to 10% down.

 

 

Disclaimer :  The rates are examples in today's market, aren't any form of advertising, and aren't for solicitation of new business. It's merely to educate the consumer. And the spread shown in these examples are real as in the profit margins for both sides, in order to compare apples to apples. The conventional rate also includes the penalty for the 659 credit score and down payments. This is because of the large pricing penalty for the credit score.

 

 

 

For more FHA loans vs conventional loans comparisons :

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - A true numbers comparison with 5% down -  12-20-08 -Using a 710 credit score
  

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - A real comparison with 5% down - 11-15-08 - Using a 659 credit score
  

• FHA Loans vs Conventional Loans - 20% down - A Rude Reality Check -  04-03-09  - Would you believe that FHA loans could be cheaper even with 20% down?  Come see why and how.

• FHA Loans vs Conventional Loans - 5% - 4 comparisons that you need to know - 05-02-09 -Comparing a FHA loan against 3 types of conventional loans with different types of monthly mortgage insurance. Guess who won while still using a 679 credit score.....

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Knowing the true comparisons - 07-10-09  - A great comparison with a 679 credit score and 5% down.  This example will still show that even with a better than average credit score, that FHA loans are still better in many cases.

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Things you need to know with 10% down, especially in regards to Condos - 09-19-09 -

 

Donw Payment Series - A Must Read -

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - A real comparison with 20% down - Part 1 of 3 - 01-28-10 - Not much of a difference, unless you stay in the house for more than 5 years. Hence why a loan officer should be talking about your goals. So very important, yet many dont ask.

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Don't be cash poor!! - Part 2 of 3 - 01-29-10 I want to show even a bigger difference if you put less down. And even if you decided to put less than 10% down, because cash is king now. You can't predict even next week. And keeping in mind of some misleading rumors, that you need more than 10% down to buy a house.
  

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Get a bang for your buck - Large down payments aren't always the best way - Part 3 of 3 - 02-03-10 - Some great examples of having cash left over and not really affecting your monthly mortgage payment. And that you will have cash left over for emergencies. Keeping in mind that cash is king.

 

 

• Make sure you know about the NEW FHA loan changes : FHA loan changes for 2010 & why they changed. Reasons for these FHA changes and when they go into effect.

• And sellers, don't listen to your agents on how bad FHA loans are.

 

 

 

                    

                                                                                               FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

Welcome Home To Gated Southwest Las Vegas Community:  Sierra Madre at Mountain Pass!

• 151 Single Family Detached Homes
• Ranging from 1741-2010 Square Feet
• Built from 2006-2008 by Kimball Hill Builders 
• Community Amenities Include:  Gated w/ Lush Landscaped Tranquil Common Area. 

Located in the Master Planned Community of Mountain's Edge!  The area is still growing and amenities are a little bit far.  Opportunity knocks to buy low before those amenities are built!!  Close to the Mountain's Edge Master Planned Park!

View Larger Map

 

FHA loans seem to be one of the main choice of mortgages in the last 24 months or so. There are many reasons for this. What I hate hearing is that FHA mortgages have taken the spot of the subprime loans. This is not true by any part of the imagination. This statement is from those that are inexperienced in both the mortgage and the real estate industries. The realization has been that 30% of the subprime mortgages from 2002 to 2006, should have been FHA mortgages, not subprime. But why are FHA loans getting bad press now, stating that they are the most defaulted loans recently?  Read this : We should ABOLISH FHA loans...

 

To compound this, so many said just because you had a conventional loan, you had the better loan. This was not always true when putting 3% or even 5% down. In most cases, you were told this, because that particular lender was not FHA approved. Now?  Even with 10% to 20% down and credit scores less than 680, FHA loans in many cases, will be the best mortgage for you. You want to see a shocking example?  Please continue...

 

 

The example below is based on a $300,000 purchase price with 20% down. One reason why conventional rates are a little higher in this scenario as in FHA rates is because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have added penalties per se. If you are putting down less than 30% and your credit score is less than 720, certain fee penalties would apply to you, which would increase your rate and or points.  The FICO (credit score) that I am going to use is 659 and I will still show in this example that FHA loans are cheaper, even with 20% down.  Keep in mind... Don't ever be fooled by that loan officer that says, don't worry, you can refinance later.  This is a bad statement for many reasons that I will write about another time.

 

 

***And keep in mind, some lenders have penalties on FHA mortgages with credit scores under 660. And many lenders can't do FHA loans under 620. At Infinity Home Mortgage, I can do credit scores down to 600 now. Just beware of those that promise you a mortgage with scores under 620. It can happen, but they aren't as easy as advertised. Please read - Credit scores/FICO scores - I need a 700 credit score? ***

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Disclaimer :  These rates are examples of today's pricing, and the spread shown in the example is real with the same profit margin for both sides. To compare this scenario apples to apples, there are no lender fees and with a half of a point. The conventional rate also includes the penalty for the 659 credit score, hence why there is a half of a point charge, because of the large pricing penalty for the credit score.

 

 

**Some of you might be saying that you will be adding $4,200.00 onto your principal balance if you did the FHA mortgage because of the FHA one-time mortgage insurance premium. This is correct and I don't want to confuse you with more numbers and charts. But here is a quick breakdown. If you kept your house for 5 years, you would have spent $621.00 more in payments in 5 years on the FHA loan. Does this mean that the FHA loan is still worse for you? No, it all comes down to your goals. Read on... In 5 years, your principal balance on the 5% would be $1,574  more than the 5.75% rate.

Here is the kicker and why you need a trusted loan officer to educate you. One important fact to remember.... The FHA monthly mortgage insurance in this scenario will fall off automatically in 5 years. Which means an extra savings of $100 per month. So just in another 15.74 months, you break even basically. Yes, there are smaller numbers to review. What if you stayed in your house for 10 years? How many of you move out of your house in less than 5 years, especially in today's economy. Just food for thought.

 

 

This information basically states you don't automatically do a conventional mortgage with 20% down over a FHA mortgage. Numbers don't lie, but not being educated about such numbers do mislead.

 

 

Lastly, keep in mind, depending on the area that you are buying or refinancing in, that you might not be able to get a conventional loan unless you have 10% down or a 90% LTV. The reason being is the mortgage insurance companies and how they view certain geographical areas and declining market areas.

Which leads me to the issues about Condos. Not only are there restrictions from the MI companies (Mortgage Insurance companies) in regards to what area you live in, but that many lenders won't go above 80% LTV's now on conventional mortgages. On a FHA mortgage for condos, you can still go up to 96.5%, depending on the state, but you still have to make sure that the condo association has been FHA approved. There has been a major change on FHA condo spot approvals.  Please read : FHA condo changes for spot approvals - The spot approval has been extended to 2/1/10.

 

 

Make sure you know about the NEW FHA loan changes : FHA loan changes for 2010 & why they changed. Reasons for these FHA changes and when they go into effect.

 

 

 

For more FHA loans vs conventional loans comparisons :

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - A true numbers comparison with 5% down -  12-20-08 -Using a 710 credit score
  

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - A real comparison with 5% down - 11-15-08 - Using a 659 credit score
  

• FHA Loans vs Conventional Loans - 20% down - A Rude Reality Check -  04-03-09  - Would you believe that FHA loans could be cheaper even with 20% down?  Come see why and how.

• FHA Loans vs Conventional Loans - 5% - 4 comparisons that you need to know - 05-02-09 -Comparing a FHA loan against 3 types of conventional loans with different types of monthly mortgage insurance. Guess who won while still using a 679 credit score.....

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Knowing the true comparisons - 07-10-09  - A great comparison with a 679 credit score and 5% down.  This example will still show that even with a better than average credit score, that FHA loans are still better in many cases.

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Things you need to know with 10% down, especially in regards to Condos - 09-19-09 -

 

Donw Payment Series - A Must Read -

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - A real comparison with 20% down - Part 1 of 3 - 01-28-10 - Not much of a difference, unless you stay in the house for more than 5 years. Hence why a loan officer should be talking about your goals. So very important, yet many dont ask.

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Don't be cash poor!! - Part 2 of 3 - 01-29-10  I want to show even a bigger difference if you put less down. And even if you decided to put less than 10% down, because cash is king now. You can't predict even next week. And keeping in mind of some misleading rumors, that you need more than 10% down to buy a house.
  

• FHA loans vs Conventional loans - Get a bang for your buck - Large down payments aren't always the best way - Part 3 of 3 - 02-01-10 - Some great examples of having cash left over and not really affecting your monthly mortgage payment. And that you will have cash left over for emergencies. Keeping in mind that cash is king.

 

 

 

• And sellers, don't listen to your agents on how bad FHA loans are.

 

 

 

                    

                                                                                               FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

 

With all the news lately about the subzero weather and snow that the Midwest and east coast areas are experiencing, we shouldn't forget that Southern California has its share of devastating weather also.

This is a photo illustrating the excessive damage caused to a home from a west coast storm that passed through the San Diego area a week ago. It really makes you cherish what you have, and reminds us not to take life for granted.

 

 

 

 

I don't know how they'll get this resin chair back in the upright position!  My prayers go out to this family.

Silverado Ranch December 2009 Real Estate Resale Market Report (Homes For Sale, Pending, Sold):

• Listings (1/15/2010):  153
• Under Contract (1/15/2010):  226
• Sold December 2009:  70
• Month's Inventory:  2.2

Since last month:  Listings are UP +18, Under Contract DOWN -32, Sales are UP +8

Read Last Month's Report Here

Awesome post by Jeff Dowler.  If you feel the need to comment go to the original post:

Welcome Home To South Las Vegas Community:  San Mateo

• 248 Single Family Detached Homes (and still building!!)
• Ranging from 1444-2314 Square Feet
• Built from 2006-Present by Pardee Homes
• Community Amenities Include:  Playground

Located in the Master Planned Community of Mountain's Edge!  The area is still growing and amenities are a little bit far.  Opportunity knocks to buy low before those amenities are built!!

If you want to get the lowest rate and fees on a mortgage then you have to understand how the game is played:

1) Mortgage rates change daily and sometimes several times a day. To learn more click here.

2) Every loan has fees.  Third party vendors want to be paid for their services.  Loan officers and their company want to be paid for their services.  You will always pay for these services so the question is how?  A higher rate = less fees.  A lower rate = higher fees.  You will not get the best rate paying no fees - if you think you have then you have been duped.

Now that you are armed with the facts, this is how to get the lowest rate and fees on a mortgage:

A)  Ask the loan officer how much do you need to make on my loan?  Ask what service will be provided and then both should agree on a figure.

B)  What will the lender charge in fees? (They all have them and I can prove it)

C)  Are you a direct lender, correspondent or a broker?  Brokers must credit all lender rebates back to the   customer.  Direct lenders and correspondent lenders do not have to disclose any lender rebates.  Keep this in mind when choosing a loan officer.

Following these simple directions will make shopping for the lowest rate and fees on a mortgage less stressful.

 

 

   

 

 

 

First Priority Financial is licensed by the California DRE # 654852  Nevin's California DRE license 016552

  The opinions expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of First Priority Financial.

                     3700 Hillborn Rd #700, Fairfield, California 94534.   This is not a guarantee to lend.  * Not a licensed branch.

 

 

FHA LOANS need to go !!!!

 

FHA loans need to go....  so many defaults... GROWING by the thousands. If we don't kill FHA mortgages now, the economy will crumble. Sound confusing?

 

Okay Jeff, have you flipped your lid?  NOPE - I had written this blog last week, FHA loan rumors have become a reality. Because of this post, I have seen a few comments stating that we need to abolish FHA loans. Here are some comments in regards to these FHA changes in general...

"The FHA is basically bankrupt since they haven't figured out that making loans to people with lots of debt and practically no money isn't such a good idea."

"What continues to frustrate me is that all these government bank bailouts, loan purchasing, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantees, FHA expansion, tax credits, etc. are doing nothing more than temporarily artificially propping up the real estate market.  The government cannot continue with these policies and the result will be another drop when they stop."

"When just putting 3.5% down, the borrower is already underwater from day 1, because it costs more than 3.5% to sell a home. This does not factor well in a declining market. Homes purchased with FHA mortgages will experience lots of foreclosures and short sales. FHA loans need to be abolished."

"Sounds like FHA doesn't want to loan money because of these changes."

 

 

 

First off, I agree that we need to stop artificially stimulating the economy. I wrote about it here : The Welfare Mentality of the Tax Credit   We could spend a whole day just on this topic alone. But let's dig deeper in the comment that we should abolish FHA loans and to why we need to understand FHA and review some facts, not opinions of fear.

 

 

 

Quick History Lesson :

FHA was established in 1934. (directly from wikipedia) "The goals of this organization are: to improve housing standards and conditions; to provide an adequate home financing system through insurance of mortgage loans; and to stabilize the mortgage market."

Please read the rest of this, FHA being born, and how banks restructured loans and why FHA was brought into the mix after the banking system failed during the Great Depression.

 

 

 

 

The Economy has been crumbling.

Sorry people for negative news, but this is a reality. If we ABOLISH FHA LOANS, what do you think will happen?

Let's look at why some say we need to kick loose FHA mortgages.

• Thousands of more FHA defaults in the last year.

• Thousands of more homes with FHA loans have defaulted.
  

Let me ask you all this question... FHA has been doing pretty well up until the last 3 years. hhhhmmm.. just about the same time when the economy started crashing. Think about this before pointing fingers.

 

 

 

Now, let’s look at the reasons to why this might be happening more, why FHA loans are defaulting at a much higher rate than ever before.

 

• FHA Market Share - FHA has gone from about a 14% market share 5 years ago to about 40% just in the last year. This alone should be a no brainer to why we have see so many more defaults and foreclosures, especially in one of the worst and most challenging economic eras ever.
  

• Subprime loans disappearing - When subprime loans basically left the mortgage market 3 years ago, the next thing in line was FHA loans. How many times did you see a realtor or loan officer write that FHA loans are the next Subprime loans?  Rut row...

• Fraud - With many of these loan officers that focused on Subprime loans, some that pushed the envelope by committing fraud, this moved in the FHA sector. I have even heard loan officers before say that they placed a borrower in a subprime loan over FHA because it was easier for them, not the borrower.

• FHA DE Underwriters - Delegated Underwriters that can approve FHA loans have grown by an astounding number in the last 3 years. We have seen this number multiply 4 times over. This means many new underwriters that have no experience or the knowledge, make more mistakes, and who have their owners pushing them to make more loans at times. Yes, this happens. HUD needs to crack down on such lenders. Brian Anderson wrote about this : HUD terminates 3 lenders ability to originate FHA Loans
  

 

 

 

 

Summary :  I am not a big fan of government bailout. But there are times that we need to do this. What Mr. Bernanke did in the 3rd quarter probably saved our economy from a true collapse. (If I could interview Mr. Bernanke) 

Overall, yes, I partially blame HUD for allowing some of this to happen when it comes to the FHA capital reserves falling below their 2% cushion. You can't tell me that they saw this coming over a year ago? Why wait to the last minute? Maybe because the government doesn't want to cast fear so early, because we like to curb all negative news and fears, giving the general public a sense of security. But what about one of the biggest issues, to why even FHA loans are taking a major hit.

How about the ECONOMY in general. How about UNEMPLOYMENT. Isn't this affecting all mortgages?

Shouldn't this be taken into account to why we have so many FHA defaults?  Sure, I think HUD needs to make some changes, which has happened. I wrote about it here. New FHA changes & the Mortgagee Letter - Make your VOICE heard.  But we can also let our voice be heard in regards to some of these changes, so please read my blog post.

 

The ending result?  We need FHA loans… if we take this away, the REAL ESTATE MARKET will crumble and might not exist.

For those that might be semi lost on my opening statement.. I NEVER think that FHA loans should be abolished. I was trying to get my point across to what others have been saying. My beginning statement was an attention catcher. 

thanks

 

Ken Cook wrote this post - Dispelling Myths about FHA mortgages - Please read the 3rd paragraph about default rates.

 

Is Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac on Death Row?  by Esko Kiuru - We need to pay attention to what is going on around us...

 

 

                    

                                                                                               FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK

 

 

- FHA Loans - USDA Loans - VA Loans -

- Energy Efficient Mortgages - 

- Conventional Loans - 203 k loans -

- Mortgages -

 

Experience & Knowledge at its BEST !!!

 

 

_________________________________________________________________________________________

For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

Age Restricted (55+) Communities are scattered throughout the valley.  Many offer a variety community amenities for Seniors who enjoy active lifestyles.  For More Sun Cities, Click Here!

Sun City Summerlin is located in the Summerlin Area of Las Vegas, NV (zip 89134).  There are 3470 homes in Sun City Summerlin ranging from 1021-4051 Square Feet.  Community Amenities Include:  Community Golf, Tennis, Gym, Pool, Spa,  Recroom

Sun City Summerlin Market Report:

• Listings 1/15/2010:  57
• Under Contract 1/15/2010:  20
• Sold December 2009:  8

Since Last Month:  Listings are DOWN -7, Contracted Escrows are UP +7 and Sold Units are DOWN -2

Sun City Summerlin is currently enjoying a Buyer's Market.

Renee Burrows carries the SRES (Senior Real Estate Specialist) Designation and has Probate and Estate experience.  If you need a referral to a Probate or Estate lawyer, please contact me!

Seniors Real Estate Specialists® are REALTORS® qualified to address the needs of home buyers and sellers age 50+. The SRES® Council awards the SRES® Designation to those members who have successfully completed its education program.

By earning the SRES® designation, your REALTOR® has demonstrated necessary knowledge and expertise to counsel clients age 50-plus through major financial and lifestyle transitions involved in relocating, refinancing, or selling the family home. Your REALTOR® has received special training, gets regular updates, and is prepared to offer the options and information needed in making life changing decisions.

For Last Month's Sun City Summerlin Market Report Please Click Here!

For Most Current Sun Cities Market Report Click Here

House honcho Barney Frank feels that it's time to let these two GSEs, the home loan superstars that have for a long time dominated the secondary mortgage market, expire. Instead of trying to fix them, they should be strapped down and given some liquid that puts them to sleep.  

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, in all honesty, have had their problems lately. Years ago they were rocked by management shenanigans, including cooking the books to allow top leaders pocket fatter bonuses. Sounds familiar? More recently they have suffered heavy losses as the real estate market flew right over the cliff and were eventually taken over by the government. But just about every mortgage lender or investor out there is taking it to the chin now, so it's quite common these days.

Regardless, debate has been underway for a while about the future of these important mortgage organizations and now it may be coming to a head. One way or another. There is quite a bit of support in Washington and elsewhere for their outright dismissal. Frank wants nothing less than wipe them off the face of the mortgage scene and bring in a brand new replacement structure. Okay. Perhaps everyone ought to take a deep breath and think this thing through before rushing into anything totally new.

See, the management problems occurred because the governmental oversight by HUD and the Congress was lax. The housing market was doing just peachy early in the decade, actually too peachy, so everybody basically left them alone to knit their little accounting schemes. When the cat is away the mice dance on the table. Tighter supervision would've kept Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on the straight road. This is hardly a good reason to dismantle these firms. Perhaps the oversight segment should be looked at, and possibly replaced.

Same thing goes for the recent losses. Some realistic red flags were raised by industry experts as the real estate market accelerated toward the pinnacle, but these GSE's, like most private mortgage lenders, ignored sound lending practices and are now paying the price. Like the entire nation is. Again, the oversight was inadequate, missing the boat.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do need some changes to meet requirements of today's difficult housing and mortgage markets. They don't have to be boarded up.  Combining might be the ticket, bring them under one roof. Even if they were tossed by the wayside, the spanking new entity would still need a strong oversight function to do any better. That's the key.

In the last month I have had a few sellers that have taken their Logan Utah homes off the market. They decided they just wanted to wait until spring time, and didn't want their homes to become stale on the market. Some of these seller's homes were on the market for some time, and I couldn't talk them into reducing their prices. The market had spoken, their homes were overpriced.

Just because you wait to sell in the spring doesn't mean your home is priced to sell.

Everyone knows in the real estate business, spring time is the busiest time of the year. There are more buyers in the spring, but there is also a lot more competition.

If your home is on the market for an extended amount of time, the worst thing you can do is take it off the market and wait to price it exactly the same a few months down the road when you are going to have twice the competition.

 

Here's Why:

• The market has already shown your home isn't priced correctly, if it was, it would have sold no matter what season it is. Price is the #1 factor for selling a home, no matter what condition it is, if it's priced correctly, you can sell it.
• Your mortgage payment isn't going to go away. Every month you stay in your home, you have to pay for your mortgage. Which means more money you pay your lien holders in interest. That money is gone forever.
• The longer your home is on the market, the more behind the market it becomes. If your home was priced competitively in the first month, but soon after you start noticing homes selling in your price range for less then what they were the month before, you have to adjust your strategy. It may have been priced right 3 months ago, but how does it compare today? The real estate market is a living creature, it changes, and no one knows where it's going until it has already been. Price your home ahead of the market.
• If you think it's going to be hard to sell your home in the winter, imagine how hard it's going to be when inventory goes up 30%.

Now, don't get me wrong, I understand you need a certain amount of money out of your home. The problem with that thinking is, the market doesn't care how much money you need out of your home. The market doesn't care that you can't sell your home for the price the market says it's worth. The market provides the price a buyer is willing to pay, and nothing more.

Take a deep breath, look at the facts, and think about your motivations for selling your home. If you can't price your home at the price the market dictates now. Why would you want to wait until the busiest time of the year, with more competition, higher interest rates and then price it at the same as you did with less competition, better interest rates, and in a market that is heading into the unknown?

What are your motivations for selling? Are you relocating? Are you trying to move into a bigger home? Are you downsizing?

If you have all the time in the world to wait out the market, that's great and you are in a unique situation, but be prepared to wait a long time. If you want to sell your home fast, price it to sell in today's market, and you will actually save a lot of money in the long run.

This market is, to be blunt, insane. No one knows what's going to happen over the next few months, and if you wait until the grass is greener on the other side, you may find that someone has poisoned the grass.

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Lisa Udy, Logan Utah Real Estate  Copyright © 2009

If you are considering buying or selling a home in Utah, you deserve local expertise and advice to be provided by a professional in real estate. Lisa Udy, is a Utah REALTOR® providing full time, professional real estate services to home buyers and sellers in the cities of Logan, Providence, North Logan, Hyde Park,  Smithfield,   Richmond,  Nibley, Lewiston, Cornish, Trenton, Amalga, Clarkston,  Newton, and all surrounding cities in the  Cache County Northern Utah area.

You may be relocating to or from Utah due to any number of reasons , whatever the case, when searching for a real estate professional outside the state of Utah, please feel free to Contact Me or call me at 435-881-3022 as I am more than honored to provide to you the contact information of exceptional agents across the U.S.

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Important Blog Today – FHA loans & HUD’s changes - You can make your voice heard. Please read further..

 

 

So much has transpired in the last week with FHA loans and there are things that you need to know and understand why some of these changes took place.

Last week HUD put out their policy changes and what could take place in the near future. FHA loan changes go from fact to fiction. The next day, they put out the official HUD mortgagee letter, ML 2010-02.

Overall, I have noticed several comments that either the commentor seemed confused about the changes or believed that the changes would be no good and or destroy home buying. Which will lead me into my next blog tomorrow. We must ABOLISH FHA loans. (please stop by tomorrow for any eye opener)

 

 

 

Some important FHA changes -

 

What were the FHA loan changes by HUD? Please read : FHA loan rumors become a reality. Keep in mind, the only change that is official is # 1. The other specified changes will be posted in the Federal Register in February, and after a notice and comment period, would go into effect in the early summer.

 

1. Raising the FHA UPMIP (upfront mortgage insurance premium) - So many keep saying that this is an added expense to borrowers at closing. Yes & No. This statement is misleading, even though it appears on the HUD settlement statement. In reality, you are allowed to finance this upfront mortgage insurance into the loan. The new change was only 50 basis points, going from 1.75% to 2.25%. This change will go into effect on or after April 5th, 2010, with all new FHA case numbers assigned.

 

Example on the difference :

On a $300,000 loan, you are talking about an additional $1,500 added onto the loan. This equates to an additional $8 per month. That is not much to disqualify someone, unless you were already exceeding the debt-to-income ratios already.

 

Why was this change made?  To help re-establish FHA's capital reserves. David Stevens gives an explanation to some of this in FHA changes.  Just a FYI - David has just recently joined us at Active Rain and was appointed the Assistant Secretary of Housing in early 2009. I wanted to share my thoughts because some of my views slightly differ from what Mr. Stevens wrote in his blog post.

 

 

2. FHA credit score changes & down payment updates - With all FHA loans, you still don't need a credit score. Keep in mind most lenders and investors have what are called lender overlays.  The lender can add to the FHA guidelines. Why would a lender do this?  To make it more sellable to other investors on Wall Street.

This is a change that is not really a huge change. You must now have a credit score of 580 or above in order to be allowed to use the regular 3.5% down payment guideline. Any score below this, the borrower will need at least 10% down. Why is this not such a huge concern? Most lenders are at 620 and several are at 640. The reason being is that most investors on Wall Street don't want to purchase loans less than a 620, because more loans under this score don't perform as well.

Credit scores under 620 - Yes, there are a few investors that allow for scores under 620, but BUYER BEWARE. Just because a loan officer has this program, doesn't mean that it will happen. On top of that, most lenders have major penalties if you fall under the 620 score. These penalties are anywhere from a 1/2% in rate to up to 2 additional points in fees, and sometimes both. Why?  Because that lender will portfolio that loan, hoping that they can sell it in 12 months. The additional points and higher rate is to help with their risk, for those loans that don't perform. 

My opinion on this?  Work with a trusted loan officer that is not pushing the lower credit score. Work with a loan officer that will help you get your credit scores up in 6 months to a year. So what you missed the first time homebuyers tax credit. Because of the difference in fees and rate, it will cost you more money over the longer period than if you just waited and worked on your credit.

 

 

3. FHA seller concessions from 6% to 3% in seller help - Mr. Stevens stated this in his blog, FHA changes. "The current level exposes the FHA to excess risk by creating incentives to inflate appraised value.  This change will bring FHA into conformity with industry standards on seller concessions."

Hey, I love making loans, but I will have to agree with HUD's assessment here. Now, I will say this though. It will hurt many markets across the U.S. Especially those families that are middle to lower income and those buying homes that are priced at $160,000 or lower, especially those at $90,000 and less.

 

 

Overall, we can have that whole argument that you need skin in the game, etc, etc. On all FHA loans, the borrower still needs 3.5% of their own money into the transaction. Sure, you can get a gift from family members, or even grants, and or even money from non-profit organizations. But the outcome in my opinion, could dampen the housing recovery even more. And that is why you can voice your concerns and add comments to the Federal Registry. FYI - I will be posting a powerful blog tomorrow on Abolishing FHA loans overall. Please stay tuned.

 

 

 

Make your VOICE heard in February 2010

 

 

The Federal Register

 

PS.. - Reminder - I will post a new blog when these changes become public on the Federal Registry, allowing everyone to voice their opinions. Here is when you can stand up and be officially heard. YOUR VOICE.

 

 

• FHA Loans Rumor Alerts - 3% seller concessions & FICO scores - Part 1 of 2

• FHA Loans Rumor Alerts - You don't need 10% or 20% down & more about credit scores - Part 2 of 2 (not truly all about part 2, but I do go into discussions about the credit scores - because of the recent FHA changes, I didn't get into great details about 10% or 20% down)

 

• What is Transparency?? Best Mortgage Rates/Online services - (Part 1 of 2)

• Transparency in Real Estate/Mortgages - Interview your Realtor or Loan Officer - (Part 2 of 2)

 

Okay.. it's been stated and written....

We need to ABOLISH FHA Loans!!!!

 

 

 

                   

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For more information on FHA loans, please go to this link. The FHA Expert

For more information about the 2009 Tax Credit for First Time Homebuyers : 2009 Tax Credit

For important mortgage insight to watch for, please read : Consumers need to be aware of these Red Flags!

 

 

Copyright © 2010 by Jeff Belonger of Infinity Home Mortgage Company, Inc

 

I can't sell my home, buyers aren't buying or it's the bad economy seem to be the key phrases from home sellers these days when their home doesn't sell.  Truth is those things have little to do with a home sitting on the market. I can't sell my home tells me that the seller did not listen to their agent or that they have not properly prepared their home for sale. 

I have successfully sold a multitude of homes all with a listing time of 45 days or less.  Did I list under the market?  Nope.  I made my properties available for viewing at a moments notice, staged the homes, priced them correctly (listen to your real estate agent-this is why you hired him/her) and always made sure the info on MLS was accurate.  So I think this article hits the nail on the head. It explains in detail precisely why homes don't sell. Get busy selling or get busy yelling!

 

Arlington Ranch December 2009 Real Estate Resale Market Report

• Listings (1/15/2010):  12
• Under Contract (1/15/2010):  57
• Sold December 2009:  12
• Month's Inventory:  1.0

Arlington Ranch changes since last month:  Listings DOWN -1, Pendings UP +7, Sold units DOWN -2

Click Here for Last Month's Report

For More Las Vegas Communities and Reports Click Here

Desert Shores December 2009 Real Estate Resale Market Report (Homes For Sale/Under Contract/Sold):

• Listings (1/15/2010):  57
• Under Contract (1/15/2010):  81
• Sold December 2009:  28
• Month's Inventory:  2.0

Since Last Month:  Listings are UP +8, Pendings are UP +15, Sold Units are UP +2

Last Month's Report

Click here for Most Recent Desert Shores Market Report

Click here for More Information on Desert Shores Lake Living.

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