Category Archives: Mortgage Guidelines

Government Releases Additional HARP Guidance For Underwater Homeowners

Tuesday, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac unveiled lender instructions for the government’s revamped HARP program, kick-starting a potential refinance frenzy across IL and nationwide. HARP st......

Banks Resume Tightening Mortgage Guidelines

As part of its quarterly survey to member banks nationwide, the Federal Reserve asked senior loan officers whether last quarter’s “prime” residential mortgage guidelines hav......

The Government’s Revamped HARP Program For Underwater Homeowners

The Federal Home Finance Agency announced big changes to its Home Affordable Refinance Program Monday. More commonly called HARP, the Home Affordable Refinance Program is meant to give “......

Conforming Loan Limits Drop In High-Cost Areas

For homeowners in high-cost areas nationwide, conforming and FHA loan limits have dropped by as much as 14 percent. Effective October 1, 2011, the temporary mortgage loan limits that allowed ......

After A Pause, Mortgage Guidelines Resume Tightening

Mortgage guidelines appear to be tightening with the nation’s largest banks. In its quarterly survey to senior loan officers nationwide, the Federal Reserve uncovered that a small, but g......

Is An FHA Mortgage Better Than A Conforming One?

The FHA is insuring a greater percentage of loans than during any time in recent history. In 2006, it insured roughly 5 percent of the purchase mortgage market. Today, it insures one-qua......

Temporary Conforming Loan Limits Expire September 30, 2011

If you live in a high-cost area, keep an eye on your calendar. Effective October 1, 2011, temporary conforming loan limits will be lowered nationwide. Perhaps by as much as 14 percent. These l......

Mortgage Guidelines Start To Loosen At The Country’s Biggest Banks

Another quarter, another sign that mortgage lending may be easing nationwide. The Federal Reserve’s quarterly survey of senior loan officers revealed that an overwhelmingly majority of U......

Conforming ARMs From 2004-2006 Are Adjusting To 3 Percent

When a mortgage applicants chooses an adjustable-rate mortgage over a fixed-rate one, he accepts a risk that — at some point in the future — the mortgage’s interest rate wil......

Get Your Applications In : FHA Mortgage Insurance Premiums Rising 0.25 Percent April 18, 2011

After this week ends, the FHA is raising mortgage insurance premiums on its new Chicago borrowers. It’s the FHA’s third such increase in the last 12 months. Beginning with FHA Cas......

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