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Day: May 23, 2013

Your cost for new mortgage compliance

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Minneapolis, MN: We all know about, and most of us have been effected by the real estate and mortgage industry meltdown. The government agencies, many of which have been created since the meltdown, including the Consumer Financial Protect Bureau (CFPB), come at a significant cost to you for their new “protection” and compliance rules.

cfpb_logoDid you know the average cost of originating a mortgage climbed from $2,291 in 2009 to $3,353 in 2013? That’s because today, mortgage lenders must comply with about 350 different federal, state and local rules. Of course those charges are past on to you.

The sad thing, is very little within the new rules have actually made a large difference on the street. Rather, most of the rules have done little to correct anything  except reduce consumers ability to get loans. The increasingly stringent laws and regulations are affecting the mortgage industry and leading to higher costs and risk for lenders.

A great example of the new laws and costs, yet didn’t hit its mark has to do with the difference between licensing requirements for Loan Officers. If your Loan Officers works at a bank, credit union, or mortgage company owned by a bank or credit union, the Loan Officer has no mandated educational requirements, no state or federal requirements, no continuing education requirements, and simply has to get registers into the National Mortgage Licensing and Registry System (NMLS).

On the other hand, if your Loan Officers works for a non-bank lender, or for a broker, they must complete educational requirements, plus pass both state and federal testing requirements. They are also required to have yearly continuing education.

This means that today, roughly 80% of all Loan Officers are unlicensed, with no mandated testing or education, yet the vast majority of consumers believe all of them have a license.

nmls_checkTo check if your Loan Officer is licensed, go to www.NMLSconsumeraccess.org.  Type in the Loan Officers name or NMLS number. At the bottom of the page, it will say Licenses/Registrations.  If there are one or more states listed, that Loan Officer is Licensed.  If it says “Federal National Loan Originator”, that person is NOT licensed.

When getting a mortgage loan, likely the largest financial transaction of your life.  If is probably prudent to work with a licensed professional.

FHA changes drive homebuyers to conventional loans

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St Paul, MN: FHA mortgage loans are due on June 3rd, 2013 to make a significant change that is driving more clients to conventional loans.  New FHA loans after that date that have less than a 10% down payment or equity for a refinance, will now have mortgage insurance for the life of the loan.  Currently FHA mortgage insurance goes away once the loan is paid down to 78% of the original value.
Eric Metzler, a Senior Mortgage Loan Officer with Cambria Mortgage in St Paul, MN.,  said clients currently in the process who can afford a slightly higher down payment of 5%, versus FHA’s 3.5% minimum down payment are all going with a conventional loan.
He further indicated that it is a pretty simple choice. The difference between 3.5% down, and 5% down for many isn’t much money. But the dramatically higher monthly mortgage insurance, high initial up-front mortgage insurance premium, and now mortgage insurance for life has killed FHA for all better qualified home buyers, leaving only those with weaker credit to need an FHA Loan.
updateThe major reason FHA has increased the costs is an effort to replenish their default pool of money because of recent losses due to the market crash. But now less and less people are taking FHA loans. The pool of FHA clients will no longer have a blend of strong and weak buyers, they will only have weak buyers – resulting in a more risky pool. Something that got them into trouble to begin with.

Those with excellent credit can sometimes even obtain a 3% down conventional loan.

The new rule also effects the popular FHA Streamline Refinance.  Those refinancing their FHA loan will now have PMI for at least 11-years if they are 90% loan-to-value or better, or life of loan if over 90% loan-to-value.

The trend toward conventional had already started over the past few years as FHA made several increases to the cost of their loans with higher mortgage insurance rates.  The “life-of-loan” requirement starting June 3, 2013 is the proverbial straw in the camels back for many home buyers.