augusta: Prospect Mortgage - Georgia Exclusive HomePath Program 11-20 Financed - 09/15/12 02:49 AM
 
A brand new Fannie Mae HomePath® opportunity is now available to Georgia investors.  The Fannie Mae HomePath® loan program has now been expanded to allow up to a total of 20 financed properties (including those currently being financed) under an exclusive Prospect Mortgage loan program.  No other lender in the country can offer this special financing to GA buyers.
 
 
Only Prospect Mortgage gives you the opportunity to capitalize on both the below-market prices of foreclosures owned by Fannie Mae and the ability to carry financing on up to 20 investment properties for each investor. Most loan programs allow … (3 comments)

augusta: FHA’s Energy Efficient Mortgage Program - 03/24/12 10:19 AM
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augusta: HUD Extends FHA 90 Day Flip Waiver Until December 31, 2012 - 12/26/11 02:53 PM

As anticipated, HUD has announced that the 90 Day Flip Waiver for FHA mortgages has been extended once again.  On January 15, 2009, HUD announced a waiver to its restriction of a borrower being able to obtain FHA financing on a property that had been acquired by the seller in the 90 days preceding the sales contract date. 
The inital waiver took effect on February 1, 2010.  The expiration date of the waiver was set as 12 months from its starting date.  That originally had waiver set to expire on January 31, 2011.  HUD issued an extension through December 31, 2011.
The 2nd extension is now … (12 comments)

augusta: Why Do Lenders Prefer a Short Sale Over a Foreclosure??? - 08/13/11 03:25 PM
Why do lenders prefer a short sale over a foreclosure is a common question asked by buyers and sellers.  The reason all comes down to money.  Any home owner that does a short sale or has a property go into foreclosure ends up costing their mortgage company a lot of money.  When a seller does a short sale, it ends up costing the lender about 20-30% less than if they have to foreclosure. 
Maintaining a foreclosed property is an expensive understanding for a mortgage company.  The legal fees associated with a foreclosure can be costly for the lender.  They also have … (15 comments)

augusta: What Is A Short Sale? - 08/13/11 12:54 PM
A home sale is classified as a "Short Sale" whenever it is sold for less than the amount owned on the mortgage and the mortgage lender accepts less than the full amount due on the outstanding balance.  The seller must meet several criteria in order to qualify for a short sale?  Some of those include:
The seller must owe more on the home that its current value The seller must prove that the home cannot be sold for enough to satisfy the current outstanding mortgage(s) owed The seller must demonstrate that they are suffering from a financial hardship which leaves the … (3 comments)

augusta: Completed HAFA Short Sales Pass 10,000 Closings - 08/13/11 12:04 PM
According to a recent article from HousingWire, completed HAFA Short Sales have now surpassed 10,000 closings.  Since the Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program was launched in April 2010, mortgage servicers have now completed 10,438 HAFA short sales through the end of June 2011. 
JPMorgan Chase tops the HAFA closed volume list.  The lender has now completed almost 3,600 approved HAFA short sales through the program. In June 2011 alone, nearly 1,000 were completed.
Wells Fargo comes in second place in completed HAFA short sales.  They have completed over 3,100 HAFA transactions.  Of those completed, nearly 700 were done in June 2011 alone.
Bank … (6 comments)

augusta: GA Dream Debt to Income Ratio Limitations - 08/06/11 10:59 AM
For buyers using the GA Dream Down Payment Assistance program, there are a variety of underwriting guidelines that the borrower must meet.  Two of those are credit score and debt to income ratio (DTI).  Like every mortgage loan program, GA Dream has a minimum credit score for each borrower.  They also have a maximum debt to income ratio based on the borrower's credit score.
For all Georgia Dream Loans, the Borrower must meet the following requirements:
Middle FICO Score of 640 or more has a maximum 40/45 DTI 
Middle FICO Score of 620-639 has a maximum 35/35 DTI
 
 
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augusta: Can I Purchase After a Short Sale in Georgia? - 08/06/11 06:12 AM
Can I purchase after a short sale in Georgia? 
That is a common question on the minds of many Georgia sellers in today’s market.  The answer is, possibly.  In December 2009, HUD announced guidelines under which a seller who has completed a short sale can buy a new home utilizing FHA financing. 
Short Sales
According to FHA underwriting guideline, borrowers are not eligible for a new FHA loan if
·         They pursued a short sale on their principal residence simply to take advantage of declining market conditions, and  purchase, at  a reduced price, a similar or superior property … (3 comments)

augusta: HAFA Short Sale Approval Criteria - 07/01/11 03:08 PM
In an attempt to reduce the increasing number of foreclosures, the U.S. Treasury Department introduced a new federal program last year help to streamlines the short sale process.  The program is designed to help home owners who can no longer afford to keep their homes.
The Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) program began on April 5, 2010.  It is currently set to end on December 31, 2012. HAFA is designed for homeowners who have applied to the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) for assistance, but have not had a success result with their loan modification program. Federal rules require servicers participating in HAMP to implement HAFA. For homeowners … (0 comments)

augusta: When Can I Get My Draw on My FHA 203K Consultant Mortgage? - 02/13/11 03:22 PM
When can I get my draw funds disbursed on my FHA 203K Consultant mortgage?  This is one very critical question that most borrowers fail to think about and ask upfront. 
When doing an FHA 203K Consultant Renovation mortgage, one very important aspect that many fail to consider is the draw process.  Once you have closed on your FHA 203K mortgage, your draw funds will need to be disbursed so that your contractor can be paid.  The Consultant 203K program does not allow for any of the renovation costs to be paid out up front prior to the work being completed. 
How the mortgage company handles that … (7 comments)

augusta: FHA 203K Renovation Mortgage Flow - 02/13/11 05:27 AM
FHA 203K Renovation Mortgage Flow

When using an FHA 203K Renovation mortgage to purchase a home, there is a flow that needs to be followed.  When the proper course is followed, the FHA 203K approval process goes much smoother.
 

For all of your FHA 203K financing needs, call (404) 591-2453.
 
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augusta: 580+ FICO FHA Lending Makes a Comeback - 01/31/11 02:10 PM
Yes, it is true.  FHA mortgages for 580+ FICO borrowers are making a comeback.  In the last 2-3 years, the minimum credit score requirement for FHA loans has changed many times. 
Just a few short years ago, there was no minimum credit score required for an FHA mortgage.  Soon, most all mortgage companies began requiring a 580+ minimum FICO.  A while later, that minimum score requirement was raised to 620+.  Last October, many lenders went to a 640+ FICO on all FHA mortgages. 
All of these changes were in response to the Secondary Mortgage market.  While the Secondary Market in general has … (6 comments)

augusta: FHA Minimum Property Standards - 12/25/10 11:37 AM
With FHA mortgages continuing to take more of the market share, questions often arise regarding what are the potential repairs might be required when the buyer is obtaining an FHA mortgage.  In late 2005, HUD revised their minimum property standards requirements for FHA mortgages.  Prior to this change, even some of the most minor repairs might have required correction. 
FHA's minimum standards are much different today though.   Currently, HUD only requires the repair of conditions that exceed cosmetic and minor defects or normal wear and tear.  FHA Appraisers must still report all readily observable property defects.  The lender's FHA Underwriter must then … (7 comments)

augusta: FHA 203K Renovation Mortgage Georgia Contractor Requirements - 12/20/10 02:37 PM
The FHA 203K Renovation mortgage gives the borrower the ability to select their contractor(s) for their renovation project. The contractor must be licensed and insured.  Documentation requirements are as follows:
 Contractor's Profile completed with at least Three (3) References Copy of Contractor's Applicable License (per local jurisdiction) Copy of Liability Insurance Policy (Worker's Compensation, if applicable) Contractor's Acknowledgment signed and date W-9 completed, signed and dated You can verify a contractor's license at http://sos.georgia.gov/plb/contractors/default.htm.  
For your next renovation project, choose one of the largest volume 203K mortgage lenders in the country.  Call (404) 591-2453.
 
 
 
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augusta: Atlanta Now Ranks as 32nd Largest US City - 11/26/10 09:07 AM
Atlanta, GA now ranks as the 32nd largest US city.  This is according to a Business First report released November 22, 2010.  On that day, Atlanta's population is estimated to have reached 560,002. 
Last September, the US Census Bureau announced that Atlanta was the 33rd largest US city in 2009.  The estimated population then was estimated to be 540,922.   
These rankings are for just cities and do not include metropolitan areas.  The Atlanta Metropolitan area currently ranks as the 7th largest in the US.  As of November 15th, the population of the area is 5,659,044. 
Other GA cities making the list are:
Augusta - #115 … (1 comments)