There is great news this month for first-time homebuyers. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has made changes that will benefit up to 20% of people looking to buy.
The most significant could result in as much as a 0.5% reduction of the interest rate. When you apply for a mortgage, your rate is based upon various risk factors. If you have a low credit score, a small down payment, or are buying an investment property, your loan is at a higher risk of default than someone who has excellent credit, large down payment, or is going to live in the home. These risk factors are added into your interest rate as “Loan Level Price Adjustments,” or LLPAs.
First time home buyer programs such as “HomeReady” and “Home Possible” have always had reduced LLPAs, but this month FHFA announced that they are removing all such pricing adjustments from their most popular first-time homebuyer programs.
FHFA has also increased the income limits associated with the programs and is allowing lenders to offer up to $2,500 in grant funds to qualifying borrowers. If you have questions about a first-time homebuyer mortgage, reach out to Jaxzann Riggs of The Mortgage Network at (303) 990-2992 for answers.
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