Thursday, 28 August 2014

Essential Facts About FHA 203K Maryland

By Harriet Porter


For people that want to purchases houses that need a lot of repairs before they can be occupied, 203k loans can be used to complete such transactions. The traditional Federal Housing Administration, FHA financing requires that property be in livable condition before closing. Not all properties are ready for new occupants to move in; there are those that require extensive work before they are ready. In considering FHA 203k Maryland residents should know what to expect.

The loan program is administered by the FHA. The agency makes it possible to not only purchase property but also include repair costs. It is only people that will reside in such houses that will qualify for the loans. People that purchase property for investment do not qualify. The program was designed specifically to help in revitalization of the community and neighborhood plus expansion of ownership opportunities for people. A down payment that is 3 percent of the total cost of the rehabilitation and acquisition is paid.

There are requirements that one has to meet before they can qualify for the loans. First one has to find property that they want to live in that requires repairs. An offer to purchase the house is then submitted. The purchase and sale contract have to specify that they will be using FHA 203k. This offer will have to be contingent on the individual getting approved for the loan.

The department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, is the body that insures the loans. Therefore, only lenders that are qualified will be able to provide the services. A list of approved lenders can be gotten from HUD. It is these lenders that one can submit their application to. Since the loans include rehabilitation costs, the list of repairs and their costs has to be provided.

The chosen lender has requirements that must be met to qualify for the loan. These include among others credit scores, proof of income and debt-to-income ratios. Before the loan can be approved, one has to meet all the requirements of the lender. Once approved, a closing date has to be set during which the seller will be paid. The money to be used for rehabilitation is placed into an escrow account which is usually controlled by the lender.

After closing, the rehabilitation work is started. Milestones get set during which the work that has been completed is listed. There is always the need to verify the work that has been completed, which is why lenders order for inspection. In this way, it is ensured that work is done as was required. After affirming that the work has been done well, the lender is paid by money from the escrow account.

The loans have to be used for improvements costing at least 5000 dollars and the work needs to be completed within 6 months. For smaller projects, streamlined 203k will be the best option because it offers a less cumbersome process. If the cost is underestimated, the loan amount cannot be increased. Thus it is important to work with qualified contractors.

FHA 203k loans have closing costs just like other loans. If one does not pay the costs out of their pocket at closing, they will still need to do so some day. Costs of appraisal will also be incurred.




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