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Government Shutdown...What hapens to my FHA closing Tuesday?

By
Mortgage and Lending with Gateway Funding NMLS#133257

Let’s pretend that it does not matter which side of the isle you are on. This is not left or right, red or blue, democrat or republican. This is our collective government and I keep hearing both sides say this is what the people want. What the people want is for those elected to show up at work and do your job. What the people want is to not be told what they want. Grow up, shut up, and show up at work to do what you were elected to do. Keep the government running!

As my blog is primarily a real estate/mortgage message I take this opportunity to make you aware of what is possible in a shutdown means to real estate agents and their clients.

Fortunately while 90% of all loans are backed by the federal government a great portion of those are backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and while those two entities are government run they are funded from the fees they charge. Unfortunately The FHA does not work the same way and while the number of FHA loans have fallen off recently the FHA accounts for a large percentage of the loans currently being processed (roughly 60,000 per month). During a shutdown the FHA will be unable to insure loans and their staff will be unavailable to underwrite and/or approve new loans. According to HUD in the event of a shutdown only 350 of the 9,300 employees would be available to work.

This so called economic recovery is being pushed (not pulled) by a small housing recovery. Maybe, just maybe we could stop pointing fingers and laying blame based on party affiliation and not snuff out the small flame by delaying closings on FHA loans in the coming week.

If you have an FHA loan closing be prepared as I am not certain anyone currently knows what to do.

Comments(105)

Nora Sims
Northern Shadows Realty, Inc. - Sedona, AZ
helping folks like you since 1978!

Fortunately, the market that I work in will not be impacted by FHA loans not funding in time. But, I appreciate the update, Peter.

Unfortunately, as a naturalized American citizen I ponder at what became of American pride and the American dream...

Each one of us needs to focus on the choices we make every day and choose not to let this happen to our America.

Sep 30, 2013 06:19 AM
Anonymous
Susan Severson

Some good points here, and I did share the statistical information with some consumers.  However, I'd like to offer what I hope is some constructive criticism: please be careful to edit run-on sentences.  Your message has a tendency to get lost when the sentences are poorly constructed.  I had to read your blog several times before I fully understood your comments.  Punctuation does matter.  No ill intent ... just some friendly professional advice.

Sep 30, 2013 06:43 AM
#88
Marshall Brown
Mid America Inspection Services, LLC - Fargo, ND
BSEE, CHI

I remember a movie, "Brewster's Millions", I think was the title, where Richard Pryor stumbled onto politics as a great way to waste $30,000,000 (part of the movie’s plot).

In competing with the two real politicians who were running for mayor he decided "None of the above" was the best choice. This became his theme in running in an election he didn’t want to win.

I think this is our best option as a nation now. We have adequate examples of a dysfunctional government. I say reelect no one!

Let’s start from scratch with candidates with no past experience and choose none of the above. How much worse could they be? Remember the founding fathers had no real experience either, just a desire to do better than had ever been done before.

IMHO

 

Sep 30, 2013 07:00 AM
Jana Holmstrup
Jana Holmstrup - CCO - Kings Mortgage Services, Inc. - Visalia, CA

VA sent out an announcement today - Business as Usual for them!

Sep 30, 2013 07:25 AM
Bill Morrow
Keller Williams of Central PA - Mechanicsburg, PA
Bill Morrow, Associate Broker

It's time that the American public educate themselves on what is really going on.  If the government shutting down effects the economic recovery that much, then we haven't had much of an economic recovery.  If the government shutdown, shuts down the economy then we live in a very socialistic government controlled economy. I don't care whether its FHA funding or ObamaCare we cannot continue to have a few support this growing mass of entitlement oriented persons.  These programs all sound great on the surface but they are economically unsustainable.

Sep 30, 2013 07:25 AM
Geoff ONeill
John L. Scott Medford - Medford, OR

Probably nothing will happen.  We can only hope for that, as Congress meddles with our business all the time.

Sep 30, 2013 09:16 AM
Peter Buchsbaum
Gateway Funding - Horsham, PA
A relationship you can trust is an investment we a

Nora,

One can only hope

Susan,

Thanks for the help.

Marshal,

Sounds like a plan.

Jana,

The FHA and USDA announced the same thing late today. Now we need to see what happens with the tax transcripts we need for each file.

Geoff,

Hope is not a great plan. Congress seems to hope that they can resol ve their differences and so far not a great result.

Sep 30, 2013 10:42 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Interesting! I actually never thought about that. I suspect it will still close on time, but you never know.

Sep 30, 2013 11:07 AM
Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Peter,

Good point. In the greater DC metro area, I am sure we will pretty impacted by this. I hope, renters & home owners saved their money for October. Annoying for sure, when these Kindergarteners prefer to be right at any cost instead of working things out. As the Syria issue proved, politicians are pretty out of touch with most citizens.

Sep 30, 2013 11:31 AM
Dana Hollish Hill
Hollish Hill Group, JPAR Stellar Living - Bethesda, MD
REALTOR * Broker * Coach

I'm definitely with you on this one. I heard that the last shut down ended up costing the government (actually, the taxpayers) $1.6 Billion extra. They have got to stop hurting the recovery, especially the real estate market. 

Sep 30, 2013 01:07 PM
F U
nobody - Alamance, NT
Dead

I believe they are trying to force to many changes during this recovery. If they want to regulate health care, regulate cost. Make providers give upfront pricing.

Sep 30, 2013 02:54 PM
Elise Harron
Dirt Road Real Estate - Kingman, AZ
Rural Vacant Land and Development Specialist

And tonight, at the last minute it still looks like the shutdown is going to happen.  Not only is this irresponsible it is very costly.

Sep 30, 2013 02:54 PM
Kimo Jarrett
Cyber Properties - Huntington Beach, CA
Pro Lifestyle Solutions

Isn't it amazing that everybody who wants their government to change continues to cast their votes for the same representatives at every election cycle and then blames the corrupt politician for being inept, dah? The voters who elected the politicians are to blame for the chaos we're in and until they change their votes and elect new representatives, don't expect any changes in behavior from our elected representatives.

Sep 30, 2013 06:45 PM
Paul Collier
Patriot Home Mortgage - Huntington Beach, CA
Paul Collier

Seems the movie "Dave" taught me that you could put our budget in the hands of a competent small business owner and it would be fixed almost immediately. That being said, we're feeling the definite panic in trying to service the large number of VA loans we deal with...loans all attached to REAL, LIVE veterans and their families. I hope the outcome of all this is positive and this is just one of those painful tantrums we have to have in order to grow.

Oct 01, 2013 05:24 AM
Peter Buchsbaum
Gateway Funding - Horsham, PA
A relationship you can trust is an investment we a

Karen,

If the files are done yes closings should happen. The problem now is the delays to newr files.

Dorte,

We always hope peolple learn lessons.

Dana,

It is always the tax payer that pays the price.

Janine,

I was mostly concerned with the real estate aspect of the current issue.

Elise,

Terribly irresponsible. And sold to us as "ideaology"

Kimo,

Change only comes when people make change possible.

Paul,

Kevin Klein and Charles Grodon. The solved the budget shortfall by scapping a program designed to make people feel better about a decission they had already made. Great lesson for those arguing today.

Oct 01, 2013 05:35 AM
EMILIA B COOPER, REALTOR® SFR.NCHSE.AHWD
LAROSA REALTY - Orlando, FL
Short Sales, Foreclosure & Bank Owned Real Estate

Peter, very interesting blog post, and thank you for sharing with us!

Oct 01, 2013 01:59 PM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Fortunately, I have no FHA loans in Escrow these days.....I wish I had, but no-one accept offers with FHA loans nowadays. Whatever changes they are going to do, hopefully, they will benefit borrowers.

I usually don't want to contemplate about politicians, but I never heard even single one of them who cares about the people he/she represent more than their own bank accounts....Such a shame....

''The difference between a corrupt and an honest person; the corrupt person has a PRICE and the honest person has VALUE!''

Oct 01, 2013 04:01 PM
John Rakoci
Eagle Realty - North Myrtle Beach, SC
North Myrtle Beach Coastal Carolinas

There are 800,000 NONESSENTIAL govt employees not being paid $1 Billion weekly. Now if only we could get congress and Obie on that list! Just think how much money they could not waste!

Oct 02, 2013 08:15 AM
Charles Stallions Property Manager
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services - Pace, FL
Pensacola, Pace & Gulf Breeze Property Management

When the people get tired of being 2nd class they will rise up

Oct 03, 2013 11:07 AM
Mike West
Heritage Oak Properties - El Dorado Hills, CA
El Dorado Hills, CA CDPE, CNE, Licensed Loan Origi

AMEN!!!!!!

Oct 07, 2013 07:08 AM