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Jumbo Mortgage Loans Charleston SC

Jumbo Mortgage Loans Charleston SC

Here in the Charleston, SC area it is no mystery that we have some very expensive residential luxury real estate, and unless borrowers have the cash to pay for it, often times they need jumbo loans. There are countless beach and water front homes on Kiawah, Seabrook Island, Daniel Island, Sullivan’s Island, Folly Beach and Mt Pleasant as well as homes downtown Charleston SC that exceed $3Million. Click see the latest updates on interest rates and lowest current mortgage rates.

A jumbo mortgage loan is one where the amount borrowed is above conventional conforming loan limits. This standard is set by the two government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and sets the limit on the maximum value of any individual mortgage they will purchase from a lender. Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC) are GSEs (government sponsored entities) that purchase the bulk of U.S. residential mortgages from banks and other lenders along with the FHA, allowing them to free up liquidity to lend more mortgages. When FNMA and FHLMC limits don’t cover the full loan amount, the loan is referred to as a “jumbo mortgage” in which private investors are in the marketplace to provide these necessary funds. The average interest rates on jumbo mortgages are typically higher than for conforming mortgages due to the inherent risk the investors are taking on riskier backed assets. On October 1, 2011 the jumbo conforming limit of $729,750 in “high cost” areas was reduced to $625,500.As of 2010, the limit on a conforming loan in “general” areas was $417,000 for most of the US, apart from Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, where the limit was $625,500. The limit in “high cost” areas was $729,750 and $938,250, respectively.

Jumbo mortgage loans are a higher risk for lenders. This is because if a jumbo mortgage loan defaults, it may be harder to sell a luxury residence quickly for full price because less of the population can afford pricier homes. Luxury prices are more vulnerable to market highs and lows in some cases. That is one reason lenders prefer to have a higher down payment from jumbo loan seekers. Jumbo home prices can be more subjective and not as easily sold to a mainstream borrower, therefore many lenders may require two appraisals on a jumbo mortgage loan. The interest rate charged on jumbo mortgage loans is generally higher than a loan that is conforming, due to the higher risk to the lender. It can be more expensive to refinance a jumbo loan due to the closing costs, because taxes, insurance and other related costs are so much greater. Some lenders will offer the service of an extension and consolidation agreement, so that a jumbo refinancer will not have to pay for mortgage tax again on the same principal balance. In other cases, title insurance companies will offer up to a 50% discount, often required by law for those refinancing within 1 year to 10 years. The largest discount is for refinancing within one year. Some consumers seeking a jumbo mortgage choose to seek advice from a competent professional familiar with jumbo mortgage loans.

OPTION 2 – Some investment brokers and/or large investment firms will lend money to their clients for jumbo luxury loans but secure it against liquid assets they manage for them. Often times these loan are lower in cost since their is collateral backing the loan to the borrower.

Charleston SC – Top 5 for Housing Improvement

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According to many experts in housing and economics there will be a few place in the next coming years where buying real estate is a good investment, and Charleston, South Carolina is one of them. Read the recent article by MSN.Home prices of course, are variable and depend on many factors, each of which is difficult to predict. Still, average home prices will drop by 7.9% nationwide in 2010, according to Moody’s Economy.com. In the few areas where there could be positive price growth, the projected increase is modest. “These areas will essentially be flat next year,” says Steve Cochrane, managing director at Moody’s Economy.com.The top 5 cities for home prices

Tacoma, Wash. (+2.44%)
Memphis, Tenn. (+0.99%)
Pittsburgh (+0.89%)
Charleston, S.C. (+0.18%)
Seattle (-0.50%)

Smaller areas across the Southeast are expected to fare well in 2010 primarily because they fared relatively decently during the housing crisis, says Jeannine Cataldi, a senior economist at IHS Global Insight. “They didn’t have such a big run-up, and they have a diverse economic base that enabled them to stay stable,” she says. Home prices in Charleston, South Carolina didn’t get out of line with household incomes; also, Boeing is investing in a fairly large manufacturing plant there, which could create some potential for income and job growth, says Cochrane.In short; these pockets of the country share a few important characteristics. One is that they are starting with a limited supply of housing stock. Another is that throughout most of the decade, prices basically stayed in sync with household income, says Cochrane.

Saving Your Home From a Foreclosure

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Well it goes without saying that we are in tough times economically as a country, and even more so as it pertains to real estate. With all the bad news we hear about real estate and the economy there is some good news to report. Even though our government is has made many mistakes with our money recently it appears as if those in the white house are doing their best to help homeowners.There is a new program to help those who can’t afford their homes any longer quickly sell their homes (that’s relative) without being forced into foreclosure. It’s called (HAFA) or Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives program.You can read the pasted details of the program from RISmedia.com website:HAFA is designed to simplify and streamline the use of short sales and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure by improving the process. Specifically, HAFA will:• Complement HAMP by providing a viable alternative for borrowers (the current homeowners) who are HAMP eligible but nevertheless unable to keep their home. • Use borrower financial and hardship information already collected in connection with consideration of a loan modification under HAMP. • Allow borrowers to receive pre-approved short sales terms before listing the property (including the minimum acceptable net proceeds). • Prohibit the servicers from requiring a reduction in the real estate commission agreed upon in the listing agreement (up to 6%). This is to ensure the seller/borrower can still utilize the expertise of a real estate agent. • Require borrowers to be fully released from future liability for the first mortgage debt and if the subordinate lien holder receives an incentive under HAFA, that debt as well (no cash contribution, promissory note, or deficiency judgment is allowed). • Use standard processes, documents, and timeframes/deadlines. • Provide financial incentives: $1,500 for borrower relocation assistance; $1,000 for servicers to cover administrative and processing costs; and up to $1,000 match for investors for allowing a total of up to $3,000 in short sale proceeds to be distributed to subordinate lien holders (on a one-for-three matching basis; up to 3% of the unpaid principal balance of each subordinate loan).HAFA is a complex program with 43 pages of guidelines and forms. To help everyone better understand the process, below are some frequently asked questions that address the basics.What is HAFA?Initially announced on May 14, 2009, with guidance and standard forms issued on November 30, 2009, the program will help owners (referred to below as borrowers) who are unable to retain their home under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). A borrower (the current owner) may be able to avoid a foreclosure by completing a short sale or a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure (DIL) under HAFA. The guidance and forms released on November 30 do not apply to loans owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Those enterprises will issue their own HAFA guidance and forms.Who is eligible for HAFA? The borrower must meet the basic eligibility criteria for HAMP: • Principal residence. • First lien originated before 2009. • Mortgage delinquent or default is reasonably foreseeable. • Unpaid principal balance no more than $729,750 (higher limits for 2 to 4 unit dwellings). • Borrower’s total monthly payment exceeds 31% of gross income.How is the program being implemented? Supplemental Directive 09-09 (November 30, 2009) gives servicers (those who process payments) guidance for carrying out the program. All servicers participating in HAMP must also implement HAFA in accordance with their own written policy, consistent with investor (lender) guidelines. The policy may include such factors as the severity of the loss involved, local market conditions, the timing of pending foreclosure actions, and borrower motivation and cooperation.A short sale agreement (SSA) will be sent by the servicer to the borrower after determining the borrower is interested in a short sale and the property qualifies. It informs the borrower how the program works and the conditions that apply. After the borrower contracts to sell the property, the borrower submits a “request for approval of short sale” (RASS) to the servicer within 3 business days for approval. If the borrower already has an executed sales contract and asks the servicer to approve it before an SSA is executed, the Alternative RASS is used instead. The Servicer must still consider the borrower for a loan modification.What are the steps for evaluating a loan to see if it is a candidate for HAFA? 1. Borrower solicitation and response. 2. Assess expected recovery through foreclosure and disposition compared to a HAFA short sale or DIF. 3. Use of borrower financial information from HAMP. (May require updates or documentation.) 4. Property valuation. 5. Review of title. 6. Borrower notice if short sale or DIL not available (to borrowers that have expressed interest in HAFA).What are the HAFA rules regarding real estate commissions? The guidance states that a servicer may not require a reduction in the real estate commission below the amount stated in the SSA. The SSA states that the servicer will pay the commission as stated in the listing agreement, up to 6%. If the servicer has retained a vendor to assist the listing broker, the vendor must be paid a specified amount from the commission. Neither buyers not sellers may earn a commission in connection with the short sale, even if they are licensed real estate brokers or agents. They may not have any side deals to receive commission indirectly.What else should I know? • The deal must be “arms length.” Borrowers can’t list the property or sell it to a relative or anyone else with whom they have a close personal or business relationship. • The amount of debt forgiven might be treated as income for tax purposes. Under a law expiring at the end of 2012, however, the tax may not apply. Forgiven debt will not be taxed if the amount of forgiven debt does not exceed the debt that was used to acquire, construct, or rehabilitate a principal residence. Check with a tax advisor. • The servicer will report to the credit reporting agencies that the mortgage was settled for less than full payment. There will be a negative effect on credit scores. • Buyers may not reconvey the property within 90 days after closing.When does the program end? Short Sale Agreements must be executed and returned to the servicer no later than December 31, 2012