Friday, August 29, 2014

Important Details About FHA 203K Maryland

By Harriet Porter


For people that want to purchases houses that need a lot of repairs before they can be occupied, 203k loans can be used to complete such transactions. The traditional Federal Housing Administration, FHA financing requires that property be in livable condition before closing. Not all properties are ready for new occupants to move in; there are those that require extensive work before they are ready. In considering FHA 203k Maryland residents should know what to expect.

The loans are administered by the FHA. They make it possible to make purchases of property, plus include the cost of doing repairs and making improvements. One major requirement is that the people applying for the loans have to be the ones that will occupy the houses. They are never meant for people that purchase property for investment purposes. The program was designed to mainly expand the ownership opportunities for various persons. A down payment which is 3 percent of the total cost of repairs and acquisition is charged.

There are requirements that one has to meet before they can qualify for the loans. First one has to find property that they want to live in that requires repairs. An offer to purchase the house is then submitted. The purchase and sale contract have to specify that they will be using FHA 203k. This offer will have to be contingent on the individual getting approved for the loan.

The loans are insured by the department of Housing and Urban Development, HUD, and thus only lenders that are qualified will be approved to offer the loans. HUD normally offers the list of lenders that are qualified where the individual can submit their application. Because the loan includes costs of rehabilitation, one is required to include a list of required repairs and their costs.

Lenders have requirements that must be met by applicants. Some of the major considerations are the credit scores, their debt-to-income ratio and proof of income. Prior to having the loan approved, all the requirements of lenders must be met. A closing date is then set once there has been approval. The cash that is used for purposes of rehabilitation is placed in an escrow account that is normally controlled by lenders.

Upon closing, the rehabilitation work is started by the contractor. Specific milestones are set during which contractors are required to provide a list of the completed work. For verification of the completed work, inspection is ordered by the lender. This is a way of making sure the work has been well done. If the inspection verifies the work is well done, the lender is paid by money in the escrow account.

The loans have to be used for improvements costing at least 5000 dollars and the work needs to be completed within 6 months. For smaller projects, streamlined 203k will be the best option because it offers a less cumbersome process. If the cost is underestimated, the loan amount cannot be increased. Thus it is important to work with qualified contractors.

One should expect to incur closing costs just like is the case with most loans. At one time or the other, these costs have to be paid by the individual. Costs of appraisal also have to be incurred.




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