The following types of mortgages are discussed for the residential buyer. If you are an investor, none of what is written below will apply to you. One of the most frequently asked questions is: "What type of mortgage should I get?" Or, maybe we should get to the root of the matter: "How much will it cost me to buy a home?" There are minimum amounts and requirements that both types of loans have in common. You will have to pay the seller back for unused taxes, set up your tax escrows, and there will be up front PMI if you do not put 20% down. How much you make, what your credit score is, your debt-to- income ratio will help determine your "risk factor" and your interest rate. If you have guessed that the better all of those three things look, the lower your interest rate, you are right. You are rewarded for keeping your credit record clean, working hard, and paying off those you owe. Lack of credit can hurt you, too. In other words, if you have paid everyone you owe in cash, do not have a credit card that you pay on or pay off regularly, and do not have a checking or savings account, your credit score can be lower than the person who has a credit card but makes regular timely payments, has a car loan that is near it's end, and has had a checking account established for the last several years. If you are not sure what your credit score is, don't be afraid to look. You can request a free credit report annually at www.annualcreditreport.com. Now, back to the basics. Let's assume that your credit score is at least 620, and you make enough money to support yourself and pay a house payment. How much house can you afford? That is a great question for a qualified Loan Officer. You can talk to your local bank, or mortgage broker, and after they interview you, they will be able to give you a range that you can afford. Beware of Loan Officers and Mortgage Brokers that want to charge you money for this interview--This should not cost you any money. There are two basic types of mortgages: FHA and Conventional. The minimum standards are outlined below, compared side-by-side, on a $100,000 loan amount. Figures are calculated based on a Tax Proration, because in my neck of the woods, Taxes are paid ahead of time. In states where taxes are paid once they are used, there will be no taxes to be paid back to the seller, and your tax escrows will look differently. $100,000 Mortgage | FHA | Cost | Conventional | Cost | Down Payment | 3.5% | $3,500 | 10% | 10,000 | Max Seller Contribution | 6% | +$6,000 | 3% | +$3,000 | Tax Escrows (est., varies with date of closing) | Pro-rated, Aggregate Adjustment | $1,500 | Pro-Rated, AggregateAdjustment. You may have a non-escrow of taxes. | $1,500 | Pro-rated Taxes paid to Seller |
| $2,000 |
| $2,000 | Recording fees, Courier fees, Title fees, + other Misc. Fees. These will vary based on points purchased, and type of title transfer, and different fees charged by different companies. |
| $850 |
| $850 | Minimum amount you will need to close on your $100,000 home. |
| $3,500 plus $1,650 left over money to cover other costs, like up-front PMI, or buy down points. |
| $11,350 Up front PMI will still be needed with only 10% down. |
Up front PMI is not included in these figures, because it varies based on your "risk" factor. It is necessary to sit down with a qualified Loan Officer to discuss your total estimated costs. What about the $100 Hud Homes? Technically, you will only need $100 down payment. There is, however, the matter of the tax pro-rations, tax escrows, and other closing costs associated with closing a home. Traditionally, 3% was allowed to be contributed to your closing costs, however, HUD will no longer approve closing costs being financed into the loan, so they are less likely to approve your offer if you are asking for a contribution from them. If you qualify for the $2,500 bonus they are offering, as you would in the sale price listed above, your bottom line will look like this: $100 down +$2,500 HUD bonus $1,500 Tax Escrow $2,000 Tax Pro-ration $850 Additonal Misc. Fees $1,950 There are other incentives being offered as well, like the one that Bank Of America offers to purchasers buying in a medium or low-census tract area. So, to answer the two questions: "What type of mortgage should I get?" and "How much will it cost me to buy a home?" , it all depends on what type of loan that you get, who you buy the house from, what your financial history looks like, and where you buy a house. My recommendation is to have a minimum of $5,000 saved. This will allow you to get a basic FHA mortgage, which allows you to purchase pretty much any house that you like within the price range, and have a little money left over to make some improvements to the home before you move in. |