Archive for Fannie Mae
Conforming Loan Limits Unchanged For 2012
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A conforming mortgage is one that, literally, conforms to the mortgage guidelines as set forth by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Conforming mortgage guidelines are Fannie’s and Freddie’s eligibility standards; an underwriter’s series of check-boxes to determine whether a given loan should be approved.
Among the many traits of a conforming mortgage is “loan size”.
Each year, the government re-assesses its maximum allowable loan size based on “typical” housing costs nationwide. Loans that fall at, or below, this amount meet conforming mortgage guidelines. Loans in excess of this limit are known as “jumbo” loans.
Between 1980 and 2006, as home values increased, conforming loan limits did, too, rising from $93,750 to $417,000. Since 2006, however, despite falling home prices in many U.S. markets, the conforming loan limit has held steady. This will remain true for 2012 as well.
In 2012, for the 7th straight year, the national, single-family conforming mortgage loan limit will remain at $417,000.
The complete 2012 conforming loan limit breakdown, by property type :
- 1-unit properties : $417,000
- 2-unit properties : $533,850
- 3-unit properties : $645,300
- 4-unit properties : $801,950
However, there are some areas nationally that have earned ”loan limit exceptions” based on the local median sales prices. These areas are known as “high-cost” areas and loan limits within these regions range from $417,001 to a maximum of $625,500.
Some examples of high-cost areas include San Francisco (along with a most of California), New York City, and most of Hawaii and Alaska. Nationally, there are approximately 200 such “high-cost” areas.
Verify your local conforming loan limit and loan limits across Wisconsin via the Fannie Mae website. A complete county-by-county list is published online.
Lake Geneva Mortgage Fannie Mae
Fannie Mae rolls out new Lake Geneva mortgage guidelines Monday. Therefore, if you’re in the process of applying for a conforming home loan, consider giving your complete application by the close of business Friday. APPLY HERE
All Fannie Mae applications taken on, or after, December 13, 2010, are subject to the changes.
As compared to mortgage guidelines updates of the last 3 years, Monday’s roll-out is relatively small. There is no change to the maximum debt-to-income ratio, for example; nor is there an increase in the minimum FICO score requirement.
Most Lake Geneva mortgage applicants and nationwide will be unaffected.
Others, however, will find getting approved to be more difficult.
The most major change is with respect to revolving and installment debt. This category includes credit cards, charge cards, and student loans, among others. Going forward:
- Debt with fewer than 10 payments remaining must now be included in an applicant’s monthly obligations.
- Debt not reporting a monthly payment must be assigned a payment equal to 5% of the outstanding credit balance.
These edits will raise applicants’ debt-to-income ratios, and may push some of them beyond the maximum allowable limits, resulting in a denial. People with relatively large car payments are especially susceptible.
Another change relates to receiving gift funds for a purchase. Unlike debt calculations, though, the “gifting” process is getting easier.
Under the new Fannie Mae guidelines, buyers of owner-occupied, 1-unit properties (i.e. single-family homes, condos, townhomes) can forgo Fannie Mae’s customary, minimum 5% downpayment contribution from personal funds. Downpayments can be comprised 100 percent of gifted and/or granted monies.
Buyers of second or investment homes, or multi-unit properties must still make a 5% downpayment from their own funds.
And, lastly, Fannie Mae is easing some of its documentation requirements. Salaried applicants from whom commissions and/or bonuses paid account for less than 25% of annual income will have fewer paystubs to produce for underwriting.
Fannie Mae’s complete guideline changes are available online at http://efanniemae.com.
Fees On Lake Geneva Mortgages Keep Borrowers From Getting Their Absolute Lowest Rate.
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Conforming Lake Geneva mortgage rates may be posting all-time lows this week, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be eligible for them. You may have already called your loan officer and found this out the hard way.
It’s because of a federally-mandated mortgage-pricing scheme known as “loan-level pricing adjustments.”
In effect since April 2009, loan-level pricing adjustments are changes to a loan’s base rate and/or fee structure based on that loan’s inherent risk to Wall Street. It’s similar to auto insurance pricing adjustment in that a sports car, all things equal, will cost more to insure than a comparably-priced minivan.
More risk, more cost.
In mortgage lending, loan risk can be loosely grouped into 5 categories. Mortgage applications for Lake Geneva real estate featuring any of the five traits are subject to price adjustments:
- Credit Score (i.e. the borrower’s FICO is below 740)
- Property Type (i.e. the subject property is a multi-unit home)
- Occupancy (i.e. the subject property is an investment home)
- Structure (i.e. there is a subordinate/junior lien on title)
- Equity (i.e. mortgage insurance is required by the lender)
Furthermore, loan-level pricing adjustments are cumulative.
A 3-unit investment home will face larger adjustments than an owner-occupied 3-unit home, for example. It’s these adjustments that explain why you may not be eligible for the rates you see advertised online and in the newspapers — your particular loan may be subject to this risk-based pricing that raises your Lake Geneva mortgage rate and closing costs.
The government’s loan-level pricing adjustment schedule is public information. See what your lender and how your loan quote is made at the Fannie Mae website. Or, if you find the charts confusing, just call or email me or another taleneted Walworth State Bank loan officer for help with interpretation.