Lynne Pope

HURRY-for only one more month- FHA will give anyone with a job and 3% down a heck of a great deal no matter what their credit score is. FHA is back in the drivers seat and it’s NOT going to be “one size fits all” anymore. Sorry, low fico score owners….your window is about to close!

1st gear was a fast start- it was the only place to get a loan with 3% down.

2nd gear-FHA moved into first place as other money tried to adjust to the reeling screetching stop of loans. The program was the way things used to be, one size fits all. Everyone with pay stubs proving their job got the same deal, same down, same rate, same rules. This left out the self employed, stated income borrowers, including realtors. Something will turn up sooner or later for us.

Wow, this allowed people with low credit scores to get a home with FHA money.

Home buyers are trying to find their place to jump in. Hurry because its about to stop mid July.

3rd gear-FHA is going to reward higher fico scores and shift into risk-based systems of fico scores and down payments. Kind of like a normal lender before sub-prime, right? Yes.

And FHA is planning to modernize the agency and win back the market share. It started with higher loan limits for California and the East Coast and it won us 729,750. up from 417K.  

Realtors should be screaming to the people that have low credit scores.

The buyers should say “Honey-put down the paper, lets buy before July.”

The sellers should follow the realtors advice and prepare for famous Killer appraisals-if it’s FHA it better not have peeling paint anywhere pre -1978 lead based (so-paint) and no crack in any windows (so-replace) and carpet if needed. My photo is to illustrate upside down and peeling paint.

Facts in this article came from LA Times Sunday May 20, 2008 buried on page 7 section K by Kenneth R. Harney of the Washington Post. His article reports on the May 8^th speech from Brian Montgomery, the top FHA official speech at the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Author may be reached at  kenharney@earthlink.net  This should have been front page news. Lets blog it into urgent!