Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Important Details About FHA 203K Maryland

By Harriet Porter


For individuals that look to buy houses which require lots of repairs before they are occupied, 203k loans come in handy. Previously, Federal Housing Administration financing required that all property must be in livable condition before closing. However, not all houses can be ready for occupation at the time the previous occupants leave. Such houses will need extensive repairs before they become suitable for occupation. When considering FHA 203k Maryland residents should have in mind all relevant details.

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.

Lenders have requirements that must be met by applicants. Some of the major considerations are the credit scores, their debt-to-income ratio and proof of income. Prior to having the loan approved, all the requirements of lenders must be met. A closing date is then set once there has been approval. The cash that is used for purposes of rehabilitation is placed in an escrow account that is normally controlled by lenders.

After closing, the contractor starts the rehabilitation work. There are specific milestones during which the contractor lists work that has been completed. To verify the completed work, the lender orders inspection. This ensures the work has been done as required. If the work passes the inspection, the monies in the escrow account are used to pay the lender.

All the repairs and rehabilitation work must cost at least 5000 dollars before the loan can be approved. In addition, the work has to be done within six months. Streamlined 203k loans are the best for smaller projects because they are less cumbersome. The costs should be well estimated because loan amounts will never be increased in case of any underestimations.

Like most other loans, FHA 203k loans also have closing costs. One may not pay all these costs out of his or her pocket when they close, but they will do so eventually. Appraisal costs also have to be incurred.




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