FHA Guidelines on Collections
However, there are specific rules: Non-Medical Collections: If the total of your non-medical collections is over $2,000, lenders need to include the payments in your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio calculations or provide proof that they've been paid off.
HUD Debt-to-Income Ratio Guidelines on FHA Loans
The second option is for the borrower to get a written repayment agreement with the creditor and agree to a monthly payment amount. The agreed-upon monthly payment agreement with the creditor will be the monthly payment versus 5% of the outstanding collection balance.
If you have unpaid collections that are not medical-related, it's possible that your FHA loan eligibility may be impacted. The FHA does not require collections to be paid off entirely in order for a borrower to be approved.
If you're currently in the market looking to buy a triplex or fourplex with FHA financing, you need to see if the property's rents pass the Self-Sufficiency Test. To be “self-sufficient” means that 75% of the property's rents need to cover the monthly payments.
FHA First Mortgage
Borrower must have owned property for 12 months AND if encumbered by a mortgage made payments for the last 12 months within the month due. Otherwise limited to 85% LTV. Standard 31/43 ratios, may be exceeded with compensating factor(s).
You can remove MIP after 11 years if your original down payment was at least 10% of the purchase price. If your down payment was less than 10%, you must pay MIP for the life of the loan, unless you refinance.
collection account (verification of acceptable source of funds required). The borrower makes payment arrangements with the creditor. lender must calculate the monthly payment using 5% of the outstanding balance of each collection, and include the monthly payment in the borrower's debt-to-income ratio.
FHA and VA mortgage guidelines will allow a borrower to pay down their credit card balances to $0 and the underwriter will only count a $10/month minimum payment towards the borrower's debt to income (DTI) ratio. The credit card account do not need to be paid. This is definitely good news for FHA and VA loans.
The FHA flipping rule requires investors to hold properties for at least 90 days before selling to FHA buyers. This rule impacts property flipping plans by imposing additional scrutiny on sales within 91-180 days. Investors need to factor these timelines into their investment strategies.
This is one of those times. Fannie Mae (more about them in a minute) has lowered their required down payment for owner-occupied, multi-family (2-4 unit) properties from 15%-25% to 5%. This means you can buy a property with 5% down, live in one unit, and rent out the other 1-3 units.
"Closed-end debts do not have to be included if they will be paid off within 10 months and the cumulative payments of all such debts are less than or equal to 5 percent of the Borrower's gross monthly income. The Borrower may not pay down the balance in order to meet the 10-month requirement."
This typically happens when your payment is 120 days to 180 days late, but there's no set standard for when accounts may go to collections. If you're significantly late making payments, your debt can go to collections at any time.
Can You Get an FHA Loan With a Car Repossession? Yes, it is possible to obtain an FHA loan even if you have experienced a car repossession. However, certain conditions must be met, and approval will depend on various factors, including the circumstances surrounding the repossession and your overall creditworthiness.
Specifically, the rule states that a debt collector cannot: Make more than seven calls within a seven-day period to a consumer regarding a specific debt. Call a consumer within seven days after having a telephone conversation about that debt.
If you are struggling with debt and debt collectors, Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can help. As soon as you use the 11-word phrase “please cease and desist all calls and contact with me immediately” to stop the harassment, call us for a free consultation about what you can do to resolve your debt problems for good.
Debt collectors are not permitted to try to publicly shame you into paying money that you may or may not owe. In fact, they're not even allowed to contact you by postcard. They cannot publish the names of people who owe money. They can't even discuss the matter with anyone other than you, your spouse, or your attorney.
FHA Rule 75 states that 75% of the rental income must exceed the monthly mortgage for the property to be self-sufficient. This percentage must be at least enough to cover the mortgage payment, known as PITI (Principal, Interest, Taxes, and Insurance.)
Also, "FHA does not require that collection accounts be paid off as a condition of mortgage approval. However, court-ordered judgments must be paid off before the mortgage loan is eligible for FHA insurance endorsement."
Exceptions to the Rule: When You Can Have Multiple FHA Loans
The FHA recognizes that life circumstances can necessitate having more than one FHA loan. To be eligible for a second FHA loan, you must have at least 25% equity in your home or have paid down the FHA loan balance to 75% in certain circumstances.
FHA-specifics
If you can show proof that you have now been employed for at least a six-month period before requesting a FHA loan, AND that before any employment gap you worked for two-years straight or longer, you have the potential to get approved.
FHA guidelines have been set requiring borrowers to qualify according to established debt-to-income ratios. In most cases, the highest debt-to-income ratio acceptable to qualify for a mortgage is 43%, although many larger lenders may look past that figure.
FHA Loan: Cons
Here are some FHA home loan disadvantages: An extra cost – an upfront mortgage insurance premium (MIP) of 2.25% of the loan's value. The MIP must either be paid in cash when you get the loan or rolled into the life of the loan. Home price qualifying maximums are set by FHA.