FHA Guidelines for a Quick Sale

A homeowner facing foreclosure can use a brief sale to get around the court system and decrease the damage to his credit. A brief sale occurs when the borrower sells the property for less than the balance due on her mortgage. The amount of debt remaining after the brief sale is canceled or forgiven by the creditor, and the debtor is no longer legally accountable for the mortgage consequently.

Significance

A brief sale is used by a homeowner who can’t afford to cover her mortgage. Foreclosure, the legal method that lenders use to gain control over a home when the loan payments aren’t being forced, can be distressing for the homeowner, inflict serious damage on her credit, and cause federal tax liabilities. The creditor incurs legal expenses in a foreclosure and has the additional duty of finding a potential buyer for your home. Short sales are a way for the homeowner to lessen the impact on her credit and be relieved of the burden of this loan, while the creditor still recoups some of the mortgage debt without having to selling the home.

Characteristics

The seller must be at least 31 days late on his mortgage payment, or in default, to be approved for an FHA brief sale. A borrower is considered in default after a specific number of mortgage payments are missed, as explained in the loan documents. The purchaser in a short sale can find a brand new FHA mortgage loan to complete the purchase. These transactions must be at”arm’s length,” meaning that the buyer does not have any known connection to the seller, thereby eliminating a potential conflict of interest.

Requirements

HUD requires the purchase price in a brief sale meet a minimum percentage of the house’s worth, per HUD publication,”Preforeclosure Sales Program.” As of 2010, the FHA lender can accept only offers which will bring about a purchase price of at least 88% of the house’s market value after transaction costs for the initial 30 days the home is up for sale. This percentage drops to 86 percent for the next 30 days. After 60 days, the creditor can accept an offer that ends in a web of 84 percent of the house’s worth for the duration of the listing period. The borrower should use the home as a principal residence to qualify for a brief sale, unless the variable leading to the foreclosure, such as a significant illness, compelled the debtor to leave her property. The debtor needs to provide HUD with documentation showing she could no longer cover the loan.

Considerations

HUD, the federal government agency which manages the FHA, pays a bonus to the seller of up to $1,000 if the brief sale has been completed within three months of this application. HUD allows all reasonable costs associated with the loan transaction, such as closing costs and the real estate agent’s commission. Up to one percent of the purchaser’s new mortgage could be included in the seller’s closing costs if the purchaser comes with an FHA loan.

Warnings

The seller of a home in a brief sale who tries to purchase a new home of comparable value in the same area will not be eligible for a brand new FHA loan. The industry worth HUD uses to figure out the minimum offer amount is determined by a fresh FHA evaluation and isn’t based on existing property values or the original amount of the loan. The creditor can use the buyer’s evaluation if the evaluation was done according to FHA standards.

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