There are currently no federal laws that applies to folks with second homes or investment properties. Under the rules, only troubled owners of primary residences need apply. There isn’t any difference between foreclosing on a primary residence and repossessing a vacation home, save that it might be even more difficult for the lender to recoup its investment in the vacation property because most resort markets are moving even slower than those mostly made up of primary residences.
Q. We have to relocate because of my husband’s job. Our home value has fallen nearly $100,000. We would like to get rid of it, but we don’t want to go into foreclosure. Someone mentioned a short sale. What impact would that have on our credit rating?
A. A short sale, in which you negotiate with the bank to sell your home for less than you owe on your mortgage, will have a dramatically negative affect on your credit.
A consumer who has been through a short sale could see a drop in her credit score of up to 200 points, essentially the same decrease as if the homeowner had gone into foreclosure. And like a foreclosure, the negative mark will pull down the score for seven years.
That said, if you’re underwater on your mortgage and you need to move, a short sale is a better option than foreclosure. Going through foreclosure will make it very difficult for you to get a loan for at least three to five years; if you’ve done a short sale, you may be able to qualify for a new mortgage within two years.
Sen. Charles Schumer is warning homeowners who are taking advantage of low mortgage rates by home mortgage refinancing that they should beware of predators.The senator says they’re the same predators who pushed subprime loans that contributed to the economic crisis.With mortgage rates at historic lows, hundreds of thousands of homeowners are eligible for refinancing in New York state alone.
The senator says misleading offers include lures such as no down payments or closing costs, limited documentation or low credit scores. But such offers, Schumer says, can come with hidden fees and clauses and floating interest rates that can wipe out any savings from the refinancing and even cost the homeowner more.
What is “
Making Home Affordable
” all about?
Making Home Affordable is the federal government’s program that is part of President Barack Obama’s strategy to fix the current housing market crisis. Under this program, up to 9 million American families can opt for a home loan refinance or a home loan modification that makes their payments more affordable. Continue reading Making Home Affordable – Eligibility (TARP Refinance)
Question:
I have a 100000 career as a Registered Nurse and have a foreclosure on my record from 2 1/2 years ago. My credit score is about 640. My boyfriend is self employed but has the option of getting a VA loan. He is in construction and has had to claim a loss on his taxes the last two years just to make it through. He has a credit score over 780. Is there anyone that will give us a mortgage loan under these circumstances?
Answer:
Several options comes to mind:
• FHA guidelines are two years after a foreclosure, which means you could qualify for as little as 3.5% down.
• Hard-money lenders will often make loans six months after filing bankruptcy or a foreclosure, but will a require 20 to 35% down payment. The interest rate will be very high and the loan terms are not as favorable; many will contain prepayment penalties and be adjustable.
• Subprime lenders (not to be confused with hard-money lenders) are no longer making 100% financed loans.
