The Pandemic

The last 18 months of life for everyone has been very hard and uncertain due to the Covid-19 pandemic.   It was particularly frightening for seniors because they were more likely to become ill with it and possibly die.

No one was left untouched by it, either by death or the loss of employment and most certainly the loss of structure and a feeling of safety.

I received many calls from seniors during this time, very afraid about running out of money and trying to take care of themselves, and at the same time, cut off from their families and feeling isolated.

Some had entered into forbearance agreements on their mortgages and the payments for them were paused, but they were now being notified by their Lender to resume them, and many did not have the income to start making payments again.

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I received many calls for help, and I was able to provide everyone a reverse loan and at the least, make them feel a bit safer and and less anxious about what was going to happen to them.

It was challenging when we couldn’t meet personally, but I made it work for each client and we got through it together.

I am grateful that it seems we are moving forward with more confidence and less fear, and I am also grateful that I was able to help many seniors last year by providing them with more money and peace of mind and we survived the pandemic together.

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Reverse Mortgage Application

What are the steps to apply for a reverse loan?  Is it the same as applying for a traditional mortgage or is it different?

It is just like applying for a regular loan, except the borrower won’t have to make any mortgage payments but they will still be responsible for maintaining their home, paying the property taxes, and Homeowners insurance.

The loan application is standard, but there are many lender, state, and federal disclosures to sign in the  application package.   It does require quite a few signatures and a complete copy of it is left with the applicants to save and review.

Along with the signed application, copies of bank statements, Social Security card, Drivers License, Declaration page for Homeowners insurance, Trust  ( if there is one), and any mortgage statements for the property, plus a signed HUD Counseling Certificate.

The file and documents are sent to a loan processor, Escrow is opened and a Title Policy is ordered, along with an order for an appraisal to be scheduled.

When the loan processor has all the necessary items to make the file complete, it is sent to a Lender for Underwriting.

They review it and make sure it is complete prior to giving it an approval.   Sometimes they may request a few additional items,  but nothing that is unusual.

The next step is to order the loan documents and coordinate with Escrow, assign a Notary to meet with the clients and have them sign the documents.

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The documents are returned to the Closing Department of the Lender, they review them for all signatures, communicate with Escrow to finalize closing figures and after the 3-day Right of Recession, the loan funds and closes.

The entire process takes approximately 45 days as long as the borrower has provided all of the necessary documents that are needed for the file.

Appraisals can cause a delay, or issues with the Title of the property, and sometimes the lack of cooperation from the borrower will cause the loan to take longer to complete.

Applying for a reverse loan is generally not difficult and can be completed in a reasonable amount of time.

 

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Higher Reverse Loan Amounts

Effective this month and year, the HUD Lending Limits for FHA Reverse loans were increased from $765,600 to $822,375.00

This is quite a large increase over previous years and could possibly make a difference for senior borrowers who will now have more access to their home’s equity, than they would have had last year in 2020.

The Lending Limit caps a home’s value at this figure, even if a property is worth more, the reverse loan amount will always be calculated on the Lending Limit or the appraised value of the home, whichever is less and the age(s) of the youngest borrower.

For some seniors, this increase can make it now possible to do the loan, because the higher value will possibly provide them a larger loan amount that can pay off an existing mortgage with a high balance, whereas previously, the loan may have been not been adequate enough for refinancing an existing mortgage.

Mortgage interest rates are at the lowest they have ever previously been, and that includes the interest rates on reverse loans, too.  And in addition to very low rates, home values have increased substantially, creating more equity for many homeowners.

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Whether it is Fixed loan or a Line of Credit, FHA HECM, or one of the Jumbo reverse loans, now is the best time to apply for one,take advantage of  low interest rates, and also the increased value of your home.

Use a reverse loan to  increase your cash flow and create a safety net for the future, and have funds for unplanned expenses, and gain peace of mind.

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Reverse Loan; Fixed or Adjustable?

Reverse loans offer many choices to senior borrowers, but it can be confusing to decide which one to use because they are different from traditional mortgages, no mortgage payments are required and they are easier to qualify for on a fixed income.

And they also do not have a loan term.  Reverse loans are still a mortgage, but unlike what we are all accustomed to.   They are different, but similar in that both are liens against the subject property.

In the past when applying for a mortgage to buy a home or refinance, the most popular one was the Fixed rate, because you always knew what your mortgage payment would be, unlike an Adjustable Rate Loan where it can change and possibly increase over time.

And everyone always shops for the lowest interest rate, but that meant you had to pay more Points to get a low interest rate, but if you chose a higher rate the Points would decrease, or possibly be a “Zero” Point loan.

However, with a reverse loan, it is entirely different.   There are no Points, but an Origination fee and sometimes, there isn’t any fee at all.

The other difference is how the selected interest rate determines how much money you will receive from a reverse loan.  Sometimes the lower interest rates provide less money, and cost more, but if the loan is being used to pay off an existing mortgage and freeing up more cash flow, then that would be a consideration.

And then there is the question whether or not to chose a Fixed interest rate or the HECM Line-of-Credit.  is the borrower paying off a large mortgage?   Then the Fixed rate might be the best choice.

But if there is a small mortgage or none at all, then the HECM Line-of-Credit would be the preferable choice, as it will give the borrower more flexibility with their funds, plus it has a “growth” feature that will provide additional funds in the future.

Anyone reading this is most likely thinking, it’s confusing.   And it is.   And that is exactly why it is important to meet with a Reverse Loan Consultant who can provide you with a personalized proposal and eliminate some of the confusion.

In the midst of Covid-19 and the uncertainty of the future, more seniors are now actively investigating the benefits of a reverse mortgage and many have applied for their own loan to preserve their savings and have a financial “safety net”.

And maybe you should, too.

 

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Unplanned Life Events

We can never know what might or could happen in our lives from day to day.   Recently it has been the pandemic of Covid-19 that has killed almost 200,000 Americans as I am writing this and the extreme fall-out from it which has created a massive amount of people who have lost their jobs and businesses.

Then there are the weather events.   Massive killer fires in the western half of our country and the East and the South have to face more hurricanes and flooding.  No one feels safe anymore and if you are a senior, even less so.

And that is why more seniors are seriously considering using a reverse loan so that they have money that is “banked” and available to them no matter what happens.

One example would be they have an insurance claim for damage to their home and the insurance company is fighting with them over it, at least they have money in the meanwhile to take care of their personal needs until they reach a settlement.

Add in isolation for seniors due to Covid-19, and anxiety about money is not a positive situation, but at the least having enough money reduces some of it, and about how to pay for food, care giving and other monthly expenses.

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If a senior has been relying on income from being employed to pay their mortgage payment, but now they are unemployed, they could refinance into a reverse loan that doesn’t have a monthly payment.

But reverse loans have a reputation for being expensive, but are they?   They have the same costs as a traditional loan,  but many people have heard they are expensive, but in truth, they are not.

Now more than any time in the past, is the time to learn about reverse loans, how much money you could receive, and if doing one is your best option to eliminate your worries and fears about the future.

Contact me for a chat about your situation and find out if a reverse loan be of value to you.

 

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Reverse Loan Consultant