A FHA mortgage allows some borrowers to qualify for the lower interest rates of a conventional loan, rather than using a higher rate sub-prime mortgage. This can save thousands in interest charges.

The FHA or Federal Housing Administration is now a part of HUD or House and Urban Development, which are responsible for making home ownership more accessible for more Americans. What is great about the FHA, is that you do not have to have perfect credit or a high paying job. The payments are usually smaller than bank made loans, as well as the down payment needed towards a home is also much smaller than what would normally be accepted.

Qualifying for a FHA loan is surprisingly very easy! You must be able to meet the minimal credit requirements, plan to use the home as a primary residence, and of course can afford to make the monthly mortgage payments, which are often comparable to rent payments. You must be able to show a steady income for three years and have paid your bills on time. There is no limit on the amount of income that is needed to qualify.

 The Refinance FHA Loan rate(HARP) has been designed to complement Making Home Affordable by helping homeowners who have not been delinquent on their monthly mortgage payments, but are still unable to refinance and take advantage of the historically low mortgage rates due to the declining home values, thus raising their current loan-to-value (LTV) over 80%.

FHA helps low and moderate-income families purchase homes by keeping the initial costs down. By serving as an umbrella under which lenders have the confidence to extend loans to those who may not meet conventional loan requirements, FHA's mortgage insurance allows individuals to qualify who may have been previously denied for a home loan by conventional underwriting guidelines.

The FHA also limits fees that can be charged to the borrower. For example, the loan origination fee cannot surpass 1% of the mortgage amount. FHA loans are a very attractive mortgage option. Unlike a private mortgage, FHA loans are designed to cut you a major break so you can buy a home.

President Obama's $75 Billion Making Home Affordable housing stimulus program will assist as many as 9 million homeowners by either making their monthly mortgage payments more affordable, or by stemming foreclosure

Refinance FHA Loan rate loans will allow the flexibility necessary to make the refinance process quicker and more cost-effective for both the borrower and the lender. All HARP loans require less documentation for underwriting, and some HARP loans will not require an appraisal.

 

Quicker Ways to Refinance Your Mortgage JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- If you are looking to refinance your mortgage there are a lot more hoops to jump through these days before you get a better interest rate and a lower payment.  Banks are extra cautious. They don't want to repeat the mistakes they made years ago. As a result, they're standards are tougher.  But there are ways to have your bank stamp "approved" on your loan. Mortgage rates hit record low for third week in a row Mortgage rates hit record low for third week in a row As kids' co-signer, why can't I refinance? Dear Dr. Don, I want to refinance my home. I currently have a 5.5 percent mortgage and can get a new mortgage loan at 4 percent. I owe $173,000, and my house should appraise at $300,000, even in this down market. I purchased the home for $325,000.

Loan Facts - Prepayment Clause - A clause in a contract which gives a lender the right to charge the borrower a penalty for paying off a loan early. -