Joe Knows Mortgages

95% LTV on Conventional Loans in Florida! 90% LTV on Second Homes!

It looks like we are starting to see some improved guidelines here in Florida.  Up until last week, borrowers could not get better than a 90% (primary residence) loan to value because of the lack of mortgage insurance in the state.  That has now officially changed.  I have attached the guidelines that are being used for those loans below.

While these are not the only guidelines for these loans, here is the short list:

Primary Residences max 95% LTV
Purchase/Rate and Term Refinances only
680 minimum credit score
1-unit only 
Up to $417,000 loan amount
41% max DTI
2 months PITI reserves
No condos or attached housing in Florida
Full interior/exterior appraisal required

Second Homes max 90% LTV!
Purchase/Rate and Term Refinances only
720 minimum credit score
Second Homes must be located in resort or vacation area
1-unit
Up to $417,000 loan amount
41% max DTI
2 months PITI reserves
No condos or attached housing in Florida
Full interior/exterior appraisal required

If you know of anyone who may be able to benefit from these new and improved guidelines, please let me know.  As always, if you know of anyone looking to buy or refinance their home, please have them give me a call for their free, no cost and no obligation consultation.  Thank you and I hope to hear from you.

Currently, there are very few ways to get 100% financing to purchase a home in Brevard County.  If you are a veteran with VA eligibility or you are purchasing a home in a USDA declared “rural” area, you may be eligible to purchase a home with 0% down.   However, for everyone else, mortgages require a down payment.

What do you do if you do not have the money necessary for a down payment, but you are an otherwise excellent candidate?  There are some other options out there;

• FHA loans require a 3.5% down payment, and the whole amount can come as a gift from an eligible source.

• On a conventional loan, you can get a gift from an eligible source too; however, if the gift is not for 20%, the buyer must have 5% of their own funds for closing costs.

• Brevard County has a first time homebuyer program through Brevard County’s
  First Time Home Buyer Program that will give qualified applicants money for down payment and closing costs.

Whether you are planning on getting gift funds, taking advantage of community or governmental funds, or selling your antique GI Joe collection, make sure to speak with your mortgage professional to assure that you are properly documenting the funds for the underwriter.  There are many rules and regulations surrounding gift funds and cash to close and improper use could spell disaster.  Please contact me anytime for further information.

Brevard County Mortgage and Brevard County Real Estate Market Data For February 2010

It is a great time to be involved in the Real Estate industry; home prices are great, interest rates are at historic lows, and there are still government incentives to purchase a home.  The government incentives are set to expire, and you will need an executed contract by the end of April to take advantage of the tax credit.  There is still time to get in on this once in a lifetime deal, so do not delay, act now!          

 The trend of lower price listings selling continues into February.  With almost 80% of the transactions in Brevard County under $200,000, there seem to be great deals out there, with buyers purchasing value.  These low prices are allowing those who were not able to purchase what they where looking for a few years ago, to get into the right home at the right price now. 

While 50% of homes are still being financed, this February 2010 we had 254 cash Transaction which accounted for 49% of the market.  With almost 50% of all homes in Brevard county being purchased with cash, following January’s trend, it appears as though Cash is still ruling the market.  This is a sign that people see no better place for their money than in real estate.  This is a true signal that we are at or near the bottom. 

While we have almost returned to a “normal” market, it has been shown that homes are selling.  If the home is priced right, it will sell in a reasonable amount of time.  New listings that are aggressively priced are quickly sniffed out by those looking to buy, and usually have offers in on them in a short amount of time.  If you find a home that you love, and it is priced right, then you have to act fast.  With interest rates as low as they are, government incentives still on the table, and homes aggressively priced – It is a great time to be a buyer.  If I can help you discover your purchasing power, or take a look at your financing options, please contact me today!

This is probably one of the biggest concerns that my valued clients have when making loan application.  Because gambling with a client’s interest rate is never advisable, I always advise my clients to lock in their interest rate at the earliest opportunity.  In my business, I have a standardized system in place that we adhere to for all of our clientele.

When considering a lock, there are three main elements to take into consideration: 

 • Interest Rate     

 • Points   

 • Length of the lock
Locking a loan eliminates any risk of the borrower being exposed to market volatility. It provides the security of having time to complete the mortgage and real estate transactions with some sense of order. The lender must disburse funds to complete the transaction within the rate-lock period, or else the original commitment to provide a loan at a certain interest rate will expire.

When a lender permits an extended lock-in period, the borrower will usually see either a higher interest rate or more points associated with the loan. The lender does this to minimize their own exposure to market volatility; hence the borrower pays for the lender to take on this risk.

For example, a 30-day rate lock commitment may cost the consumer one-half point, while a 60-day rate lock commitment could cost 1 full point. If the borrower needed an extended lock period, but did not want to pay points, the lender could make up the difference in the interest rate. In this case, typically, a 60-day lock would have a higher interest rate than a 30-day lock.

My team’s standard procedure is to lock in a rate as quickly as possible once we have received the loan application. My team and I let our clients know that while interest rates fluctuate daily, most lenders do not want to lose any business. We know that in many cases, if there is a significant rally in the market that causes interest rates to drop .25% or more, we can ask the lender to renegotiate the rate. or understand that we will take the loan to another lender. Often the lender allows for a renegotiation of the rate to avoid losing the loan to another lender.

If we allow our clients to sit on the fence and not lock in a rate quickly, we would leave them exposed to market volatility. Then, if rates do increase, the borrower may be unable to qualify for the loan they want, which is a situation we try to avoid at all costs.
By knowing our clients’ needs and working intimately with them to make the right decisions, my team and I are proud to say that we have many clients who are raving fans.

 Brevard County Mortgage and Real Estate Market Data For January 2010 

       Welcome to the first market data report for Brevard County Real Estate of 2010.  While 2009 turned out to be a good year for both the reduction in inventory, and sales of existing inventory, it also proved to be the year of lending changes, and bottoming out prices.  With 2009 in the distant past, we now get our first glimpse into the new decade for 2010. 

        Not too surprising, the vast majority of sales were under $200,000 with 76% of all residential transaction selling between $0 and $199,999.  This trend has been consistent over the past year as the first time homebuyers are greatly incentivized to come in and purchase.  However, we did see an increase in the average price sold of homes to $160,079 in January 2010 versus $148,474 in January 2009.  This data could be telling us that we have hit bottom, and are going up. 

        The biggest surprise for January is the sheer number of cash transactions that are taking place.  This January 2010 we had 252 cash Transaction which accounted for 52% of the market.  Again, Real Estate has historically been a decent investment, and with so few places to put your money right now, buyers are choosing to use their cash instead of financing.  When the cash on the sidelines starts coming into the game at this pace, that is a sign that we have hit bottom. 

        Whether or not the Brevard County market has hit its bottom or not, one thing is certain: it is an outstanding time to buy real estate.  If you are a first time homebuyer, the government is still offering the $8000 tax credit, however, there is an end date, so you better act soon to find your home and claim your government incentive.  Also, we know that the federal government will stop their Mortgage Backed Security purchase program which will almost instantly add to the increase of interest rates.  So, if you are on the fence, or if you know someone who is thinking about buying, now is the time to act.  If you have any questions, please contact me.

Let me make a statement, and I hope you truly digest what I am about to say: the interest rates on mortgages here in Brevard County, Florida are about 1/8% off of their lowest levels in history.  That means that if you qualify for a mortgage, you could potentially get a better rate on your loan than just about anyone in history.  With interest rates and home prices as low as they are, and with the first time home buyer tax credit extended into 2010, people should be lining up to buy homes.  However, these rates have only one way to go, and we are headed there soon.

One of the biggest factors in our low rates right now is not the Fed’s decision to keep the overnight rate as low as it is, rather it is from their decision to continue to purchase mortgage backed securities in the many Billions of dollars per week.  When this purchase program ends, the demand for Mortgage Backed Securities will be less, therefore the price will decrease, and the yield (or interest rate) will increase. 

Another factor that is keeping rates low, has been the low threat of inflation.  While inflation is not happening right now, there are many concerns of inflation coming once the economy starts to improve.  We are already seeing signs of inflation as the Core CPI (Consumer Price Index) came in higher than expected, and a little higher than this time last year. It is inevitable that when you dump as much into the economy as we have, and when the cost of money is as low as it is that we will see inflation.  In inflationary times, bonds are not as attractive because they become devalued. 

So, with Inflation around the corner, and the Fed finishing their Mortgage Backed security purchasing program coming to an end in 2010, interest rates are going to increase.  The increase in interest rates will affect buyer’s purchasing power, as well as their cost of money.  I have said it before, and I will say it again: Now is the time to buy!  Rates are low, but rising; home prices are down, but will go up; sellers are generous, but they will be greedy.  Please take advantage of this opportunity, before it goes away. If you are currently renting, talk to a professional to see if you can buy; if you know someone who is renting, encourage them to see if they can buy.

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit Extended Into 2010!
Plus…A New Tax Credit for Certain Existing Home Owners!

It’s official. President Obama has signed a bill that extends the tax credit for first-time homebuyers (FTHBs) into the first half of 2010. This program had been scheduled to expire on November 30, 2009.

In addition to extending the tax credit of up to $8,000 through June 30, 2010, the extension measure also opens up opportunities for others who are not buying a home for the first time.

So Who Gets What?
The program that has existed for FTHBs remains intact with the one exception that more people are now eligible based on an increase in the amount of income someone may now earn.

Additionally, the program now gives those who already own a residence some additional reasons to move to a new home. This incentive comes in the form of a tax credit of up to $6,500 for qualified purchasers who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years.

Deadlines
In order to qualify for the credit, all contracts need to be in effect no later than April 30, 2010 and close no later than June 30, 2010.

Higher Income Caps in Effect
The amount of income someone can earn and qualify for the full amount of the credit has been increased.

Single tax filers who earn up to $125,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, single filers who earn $145,000 and above are ineligible.

Joint filers who earn up to $225,000 are eligible for the total credit amount. Those who earn more than this cap can receive a partial credit. However, joint filers who earn $245,000 and above are ineligible.

Maximum Purchase Price
Qualifying buyers may purchase a property with a maximum sales price of $800,000.

First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit “ Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about the tax credit.

What is a tax credit?
A tax credit is a direct reduction in tax liability owed by an individual to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In the event no taxes are owed, the IRS will issue a check for the amount of the tax credit an individual is owed. Unlike the tax credit that existed in 2008, this credit does not require repayment unless the home, at any time in the first 36 months of ownership, is no longer an individual’s primary residence.

What is the tax credit for first-time homebuyers (FTHBs)?
An eligible homebuyer may request from the IRS a tax credit of up to $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price for a home. If the amount of the home purchased is $75,000, the maximum amount the credit can be is $7,500. If the amount of the home purchased is $100,000, the amount of the credit may not exceed $8,000.

Who is eligible for the FTHB tax credit?
Anyone who has not owned a primary residence in the previous 36 months, prior to closing and the transfer of title, is eligible. This applies both to single taxpayers and married couples. In the case where there is a married couple, if either spouse has owned a primary residence in the last 36 months, neither would qualify. In the case where an individual has owned property that has not been a primary residence, such as a second home or investment property, that individual would be eligible.

As mentioned above, the tax credit has been expanded so that existing homeowners who have owned and occupied a primary residence for a period of five consecutive years during the last eight years are now eligible for a tax credit of up to $6,500.

How do I claim the credit?
For those taking advantage of the tax credit in 2009, you may choose to either apply for the credit with your 2009 tax return or you may apply for the credit sooner by filing an amended 2008 tax return with Form 5405 (http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5405.pdf).

Can you claim the tax credit in advance of purchasing a property?
No. The IRS has recently begun prosecuting people who have claimed credits where a purchase had not taken place.

Can a taxpayer claim a credit if the property is purchased from a seller with seller financing and the seller retains title to the property?
Yes. In situations where the buyer purchases the property, even though the seller retains legal title, the taxpayer may file for the credit. Examples of this would include a land contract, contract for deed, etc. According to the IRS, factors that would demonstrate the ownership of the property would include: 1. the right of possession, 2. the right to obtain legal title upon full payment of the purchase price, 3. the right to construct improvements, 4. the obligation to pay property taxes, 5. the risk of loss, 6. the responsibility to insure the property and 7. the duty to maintain the property.

Are there other restrictions to taking the credit?
Yes. According to the IRS, if any of the following describe your situation, a credit would not be due.

• You buy your home from a close relative. This includes your spouse, parent, grandparent, child or grandchild.
• You do not use the home as your principal residence.
• You sell your home before the end of the year.
• You are a nonresident alien.
• You are, or were, eligible to claim the District of Columbia first-time homebuyer credit for any taxable year. (This does not apply for a home purchased in 2009.)
• Your home financing comes from tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds. (This does not apply for a home purchased in 2009.)
• You owned a principal residence at any time during the three years prior to the date of purchase of your new home. For example, if you bought a home on July 1, 2009, you cannot take the credit for that home if you owned, or had an ownership interest in, another principal residence at any time from July 2, 2006, through July 1, 2009.

Can you buy a home from a step-relative and be eligible for the credit?
Yes. Provided the person you are buying a home from is not a direct blood relative, the purchase would be allowed.

Can parent(s) who will not live in the property cosign for a mortgage for their child and the child that is a qualifying FTHB still be eligible for the credit?
Yes.

Can a separated spouse who has not owned a home for four years qualify for the FTHB tax credit if the spouse has owned a property anytime in the last three years?
No. However, the spouse may be eligible for the repeat buyer credit. The best path to take in any situation regarding income taxes is to speak with a professional tax preparer or CPA.

If you have any questions that fall outside the situations here, give me a call and if you do not have an accountant to speak with, I can refer you to one.

Is the Market Changing?

Brevard County real estate sales continue to thrive.  New listings are down, sales are up, and interest rates are still at historically low levels.  With sales up almost 20% year over year, and inventory down about the same, it seems as though the market is moving at a fairly decent pace.  So ask the question: is the market changing?

Sales continue to show strong numbers, and inventory is decreasing.  With 79% of the sales being under $200,000, buyers are still looking for the bargains.  These “bargains” are going fast, as 37% of September sales sold in less than 30 days.  That means that if the price is right, the house will sell, fast!  I do not think we are in a sellers market, however, in the lower price points, it is starting to feel that way.

With 60% of homes being financed in the Brevard County area, buyers are still taking advantage of the historically low interest rates.  With the majority of the financing being done through FHA and VA loans, many are enjoying the benefits of these government insured and guaranteed loans.  With the $8000 First time Home Buyers credit still being offered, first time homebuyers are rushing to the market to find their dream home, however, the deadline is fast approaching.

All in all September’s Brevard County mortgage and market data proved to be in line with the theme that the market is improving and changing.  Sales are up, inventory is down, rates are still low, and with incentives to purchase for first time homebuyers, it is an amazing time to purchase real estate!  So, make sure that you speak with a mortgage professional to get an idea of you purchasing power and financing options, and then go out there and get yourself a deal before the market has “changed”!

There is much talk out there of retail lenders in Brevard County not closing loans in 30 days.  I am still closing loans in 30 days.  While there are instances where more time may be needed, a normal transaction can be completed in this time. With the First time homebuyer program coming to an end on November 30, make sure that you are working with someone who can close your loan in a reasonable amount of time.

Of course that timeline comes with some conditions, and here are the caveats: I need to have all necessary documentation including a clear fully executed copy of the contract and all addendums, and all needed buyer documentation and signed disclosures.  There may be items outside of my control ie…appraisals, inspections, audits, and the like that could affect that timeframe, but again these are outside of anyone’s control.

With many different options and choices for my valued clients and business partners, there is no reason to go anywhere else.  I have a level of service that will astound any client or business partner, and I always keep all parties informed throughout the process.  With a proven track record, and hundreds of wowed clients I am the person who you can trust with your business.