Mary Ny asked:




Fannie Mae was chartered in 1938, as the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), with the responsibility of creating a secondary market for home mortgages. It operated under direct federal control. In 1968, the Federal National Mortgage Association was partitioned into two separate entities- one wholly owned by the government and known as the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), and the other to retain the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) name. It was privatized by legislation enacted in 1968 and became fully private in 1970.

Fannie Mae (along with Freddie Mac) sets the limit each year on the size of a conforming loan based on the October to October changes in mean home price. Mortgages above this limit are considered jumbo and super jumbo loans because Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac only buy conforming loans to repackage into the secondary market, making the demand for non-conforming loans much less. Thus, interest rates for jumbo and super jumbo loans are higher than for conforming loans.

According to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), borrowers see mortgage rates 25-50 basis points lower because of what Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do. This is reflected in lowered interest rates of up to a half percentage on each individual homebuyer’s mortgage, which translates to lower payments and increased consumer cash flow for other purposes. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also were the agencies that recommended that FICO scores be used in mortgage lending. Now, FICO scores are the mortgage industry standard for originating conventional loans, adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) based on various prime rate indices, jumbo loans and 2nd home purchases as well as the popular cash out mortgage refinance loans.

Today, Fair Isaac estimates that more than 75% of all mortgage originations in the U.S. involve the FICO credit score. FICO scores are being used in almost every sector of the nation’s economy, and largely determine whether or not you will be approved for credit (including mortgage loans), what interest rates you will pay and what loan terms are available to you. This is why it is important to maintain a high FICO. But, if you’re a homeowner who’s had credit issues in the past, a timely mortgage refinance or home equity loan (second mortgage) for debt consolidation can help raise your score substantially and save you a lot of money.

Pauline

Chuck Lunsford asked:




For obvious reasons the qualification requirements for a mortgage restructuring are quite different than those for a first time home buyer. The homeowner’s attempt to restructure usually indicates some current, or recent, financial duress on the homeowner’s part, who in all likelihood is trying to save the home and stop foreclosure. Understandably a lender will likely be very strict, even unforgiving, depending on the homeowner’s circumstances.

Similar to a first-time home buyer, a homeowner attempting to restructure has to be able to prove they can in fact afford the new monthly payments. Unlike the first time buyer those attempting to restructure typically experience a harder time proving to the lender that even though they have recently suffered a financial set-back, they are in fact “back in the saddle” and have adequate monthly cash flow to enable them to afford what is likely to be a higher monthly mortgage payment.

It is proving to be a bit more troublesome for those with damaged credit when applying for a mortgage restructuring in recent times. Conventional loans are usually not available in this circumstance, leaving only those loans offering much higher interest rates. The caveat here is that along with the higher interest rates comes a higher monthly payment (unless the homeowner has accumulated a substantial amount of cash to buy points), which may possibly “kill the deal” if the borrower cannot prove conclusively they will be able to afford the new, higher mortgage payments.

Income

Income requirements for restructuring are the same as that for a first time conventional mortgage loan. The maximum amount of income allocated to a mortgage payment cannot exceed 28%. As mentioned previously the difficulty comes with proving to the lender that the monthly income will be sufficient to cover the higher monthly mortgage payment.

A word of caution is in order. As tempting as it may be to inflate your income or downplay your debts and other financial commitments in order to improve your position, it is a fraudulent offence to lie about your income on a mortgage application form.

Employment

Lenders all seem to follow the same guidelines regarding employment. Regardless if the borrower has a job or is self-employed, they still have to provide the following documentation:

For all loans:

o Complete last year and the previous years signed federal tax return forms, and last year and the previous years W2 federal forms.

o Two most current pay stubs within 30 days for each borrower.

o Last three bank statements for all savings and checking accounts.

o Evidence of additional income (rental agreements, child support, alimony, military allowance).

For self-employed borrowers:
o Last year and the previous years signed federal corporate tax returns.

o Last year and the previous years signed federal partnership tax returns.

o Last year and the previous years and current (calendar or business year) year to date (YTD) signed Profit and Loss Financial Statements.

o Current year to date (calendar or business year) signed state tax return forms.

Conclusion

In what was an act of “too little, too late” the government stepped in and began examining some of the questionable lending tactics which started the whole sordid mess. As a consequence lenders have been forced to enact stricter loan requirements and funding obligations to negate the need for government legislation. While this strategy has provided a stop-gap measure to reduce future abuses and irresponsible actions, it offers very help to those borrowers who are struggling to stop foreclosure and keep their homes.

Homeowners and buyers today can expect much more stringent requirements from the lenders. Credit score requirements are becoming increasingly strict. If you’re looking to restructure an existing mortgage, make sure you have money for closing costs and a substantial down payment along with solid documentation of your income. And above all, don’t let the clock run out on your efforts.

Erik