Can I Refinance My Conventional Loan To An Fha Loan

Refinancing Out Of The Fha And Into Conventional

• Mortgage insurance must be paid for life on most FHA loans
• This is the case regardless of how much youve paid down your mortgage
• Often the only way to drop MI completely is to refinance out of the FHA loan program entirely
• Fortunately this is easy to do and a common reason why homeowners refinance their mortgages

Even if rates are a bit higher than they once were, one opportunity that may remain is refinancing an FHA loan into a conventional loan .

The main benefit of doing this is to remove the compulsory mortgage insurance that must be paid on FHA loans.

Thanks to the FHAs stringent mortgage insurance rules, the annual mortgage insurance premium must be paid monthly regardless of whether the loan balance falls below 80% loan-to-value .

The only exception is if the loan originally came with a 10%+ down payment , or if its an older FHA loan thats exempt from the newer rules.

In reality, most FHA loans are 30-year fixed mortgages with minimal down payments, meaning MIP often stays in-force for all 30 years unless you refinance out of the FHA.

This adds to an otherwise low monthly mortgage payment, making even a great mortgage rate a little less attractive.

Many folks took out FHA loans several years ago to take advantage of the low 3.5% down payment requirement, coupled with the low FICO score requirement.

Because home prices have increased so much since then, some of these borrowers may have the necessary equity to refinance into a conventional loan at 80% LTV or less.

To Qualify For An Fha Streamline You Need To:

• Have a current FHA loan
• Be current in your loan and payments for the last 6 months have been on time, it has been at least 6 months since the first payment on the loan was made and at least 210 days since that loan was closed
• Refinancing would result in a net tangible benefit like lowering monthly payments or switching interest rates from adjustable to a fixed rate.
• You will be able to continue paying for the mortgage insurance

Even though interest rates are very low right now, the fine details of switching from an FHA loan to a conventional loan may not end up being more beneficial. Carefully consider and weigh all of the pros and cons before making the leap.

For help discovering all of your mortgage options in Mission Viejo and California please contact me anytime. I am here to do the work of finding all of your loan options and helping you to decide which is best.

You Can Get Rid Of Fha Mortgage Insurance

If you refinance an FHA loan to a conventional loan, you may be able to eliminate monthly mortgage insurance. Conventional loans dont require mortgage insurance if you have at least 20% equity in your home.

One of the drawbacks of FHA financing with a minimum down payment is having to pay monthly FHA mortgage insurance for the life of the loan. Mortgage insurance protects the lender against default, and the FHA mortgage insurance premium is charged regardless of how much equity you have.

You may get rid of FHA MIP if you:

• Get a conventional home appraisal to confirm you have 20% equity. Lenders will normally order an appraisal as part of the conventional refinance loan process.
• Pay down your current loan to 80%. If you dont quite have 20% equity, it might be worth it to pay down the loan balance with cash and take out a conventional refinance loan to avoid mortgage insurance.

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When Should You Refinance An Fha Loan

The right time to refinance an FHA loan is different for each person. It depends on your current financial needs and circumstances, your current mortgage interest rate and loan terms, and other things.

Freedom Mortgage is the #1 FHA lender in the United States1. Would you like to discuss whether an FHA refinance makes sense for you with a Freedom Mortgage Loan Advisor? Then please visit our Get Started page or call us at .

Can I Refinance An Fha Loan To A Conventional Loan

Yes, its possible to refinance your FHA loan to a conventional loan. Refinancing your FHA loan can be a smart choice for many reasons, especially when you have 20% equity in your home. When you reach 20% equity, you can refinance to remove your MIP and you wont have to pay for private mortgage insurance on your refinance loan either.

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Conventional Vs Fha Refinance

The biggest benefit to a conventional loan is that you dont paymortgage insurance if you have 20% equity in the home.

But not everyone can qualify.

You need good credit and a solid employment history. FHA refinancing is often better for lower-credit borrowers.

Homeowners who originally chose an FHA loan maybe because they had lower credit or wanted a low down payment could be eligible to get rid of their mortgage insurance for good.

If you have at least 20 percent equity, you may be able to refinance to a conventional loan with no MIP and save big on your monthly payments.

A lender can estimate your homes value and whether you have enough equity to get rid of MIP.

But even if you dont, a refinance still might make sense, thanks to todays rock-bottom rates. Youll retain mortgage insurance if you have lessthan 20 percent equity, but your savings could still be significant.

Heres a breakdown of FHA vs conventional mortgage insurance.

• FHA refinanceloans require two types of mortgage insurance: Upfront mortgage insurancepremium and an annual mortgage insurance premium
• Conventional refinanceloans charge private mortgage insurance annually there is noupfront fee. But conventional PMI rates will be much higher if you have lowcredit, in which case an FHA refinance may be the better option

The FHA cash-out loan typically allows credit scores starting at 600 , while a conventional cash-out loan often requires a minimum credit score of 640-680.

In summary:

Can You Have A Fha And Conventional Loan

FHA LoancanFHA loanconventional mortgage loanFHAmortgage

If your credit score is 580 or higher, you can get an FHA loan with as little as 3.5% down. By comparison, you’ll typically need a credit score of at least 620, and a down payment between 3% and 20%, to qualify for a conventional mortgage.

Likewise, can you get an FHA loan if you are not a first time home buyer? FHA loans are not for first–time buyers only. These repeat buyers may have little money for their down payment even after the sale of their former home. The FHA will insure mortgages for any primary residence. There is no requirement that you must be a first–time buyer to use the FHA loan program.

Also, which is a better loan FHA or conventional?

In general, an FHA loan allows for lower credit scores and can be easier to qualify for. On the other hand, conventional loans may not require mortgage insurance with a large enough down payment. So in the end, the benefit of one over the other comes down to the individual needs of the borrower.

Can I buy another house with FHA loan?

In general, a borrower may have only one FHA mortgage loan at one time. If at some point they want to obtain another FHA loan then the first one needs to be paid off before applying for another one. However, there are exceptions to that rule according to The Department of Housing and Urban Development .

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Find The Best Refinance Rate

Getting a good deal isntjust about finding the right refinance program. You also want to lock in the lowestrefinance rate to maximize your savings.

Find a few lenders that offer the refinance program youre looking for, then compare their rates and see who can offer you the best deal on your mortgage refinance.

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Step by Step Guide

You Can Save Money With Private Mortgage Insurance

Conventional mortgage insurance, more commonly referred to as private mortgage insurance , may be a cheaper alternative to FHA MIP, especially if you have a high credit score. The table below compares PMI with MIP for a $200,000 30-year, fixed-rate loan based on your homes equity.

The PMI premiums drop as your equity grows, but the MIP stays the same. A good credit score and increasing equity are a recipe for saving money with a conventional refinance.

An added bonus: Youll automatically end up with a conventional loan without PMI once youve paid your loan balance down to 78% of the original purchase price. You can also request the cancellation of your PMI if youve made extra payments to bring your loan balance down to 80% of the original value of your home.

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Conventional To Va Refinance

On the other hand, if you currently have a conventional mortgage but youre eligible for VA financing, you might consider refinancing into a VA home loan if the rate is significantly better than what youd get with conventional.

Keep in mind that youll pay a funding fee to switch, so make sure the VA loan is cost-effective.

A lender can typically check your eligibility for VA financing in just a few minutes, by requestinga Certificate of Eligibility from the Departmentof Veterans Affairs. You might qualify ifyou or your spouse is a veteran or active-duty servicemember.

Plus, any VA-eligible homeowner can use the VA cash-out loan to refinance up to 100 percent of their homes value.

This is the only major refinance program that lets you cash-out ALL your home equity, and as long as you qualify for VA financing, you do not need a current VA home loan to apply.

In summary:

Reasons to choose a VA refinance

• You have a VAloan and want to skip the appraisal and income verification
• You want toget rid of your mortgage insurance
• You donthave 20% equity in your home
• You need tocash out up to 100% of your homes value

Reasons to choose a conventional refinance

• You have 20%equity in the home and you dont want to pay VAs upfront funding fee

Bank & Investment Accounts

Proof of your assets will most likely be required. If you are required to pay any amount of money to close the loan, you will need to supply 60 days worth of checking, savings, or money market account statements. These are known as liquid assets.

You may also be required to supply non-liquid asset statements such as retirement or stock account statements. This is common when refinancing an investment property, since lenders require that you have money in reserve when getting this type of loan.

If you have enough equity, you are allowed to roll all closing costs into the new loan amount. This could eliminate out-of-pocket expenses.

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How To Refinance An Fha Loan

If you have a mortgage loan backed by the Federal Housing Administration , you may be wondering if this is a good time to refinance. Low interest rates could reduce your monthly payments, or you may be able to take cash out for expenses like home renovations or to pay down higher-interest debt.

Just because you can refinance doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. You need to consider the benefits and make sure you qualify under FHA refinancing requirements. Tally up your total mortgage payment with principal and interest as well as mortgage insurance premiums which are required with FHA loans and see if refinancing gives you a lower monthly payment. Or, if you’re looking to reduce your loan term, make sure you won’t end up with a payment you can’t afford.

There are four main ways for existing FHA mortgage loan holders to refinance. Let’s look at how each type of refinance works, what the requirements are and how you can get started.

Why Choose A Conventional Refinance

The FHA streamline and VA streamline programs are much easier than conventional refinances because they require almost zero documentation. But to use them, the homeowner has to fit into quite narrow criteria.

A conventional refinance on the other hand can do things that streamline refinance programs cant:

• Refinance an investment property or second home.
• Refinance any existing loan type, like sub-prime or Alt-A loans.
• Give the homeowner cash back.

Generally to qualify for this type of conventional loan, the borrower must have at least 10-20% equity in the property, have good credit, and have enough income to qualify for the new loan.

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Drop Mortgage Insurance Premiums

When you get an FHA loan, you must pay an FHA mortgage insurance premium no matter how much you put down. There are two payments: an upfront MIP that you pay at closing and an annual payment thats broken down and added to your monthly mortgage payment.

How long you pay the MIP will depend on the amount you put down.

• If your down payment is at least 10%, youll pay the MIP for 11 years.
• If your down payment is less than 10%, youll pay the MIP for the life of the loan.

With a conventional loan, you must also pay insurance if your down payment is less than 20%. This is called private mortgage insurance and its also a monthly payment. Unlike an FHA loan, you can get rid of your PMI once you have enough equity in the home. You can request that your servicer remove PMI once you have at least 20% equity or wait for it to automatically cancel once you meet the servicers equity requirement typically around 22%.

If you have an FHA loan and have at least 20% equity, youll still need to pay insurance until the 11 years are up or for the rest of the time you have the loan. But, if you refinance FHA to conventional, you could get rid of that monthly fee.

How Much Cash Back Can I Get With Fha

Themax amount of cash you can get using an FHA cash-out refinance is dictated byyour equity.

Remember,you must leave 20% equity in your home after the cash-back is withdrawn. So,when thinking about the amount of cash you can take out, look at your totalequity and subtract 20% plus closing costs to get an estimate.

Heresan example of how the FHA cash-out calculation works:

Inthis example, the home is worth $220,000, and the homeowner only owes $140,000on their mortgage. So they have $80K worth of equity.

However,20% of the homes value must remain untouched.

• 20% of$220,000 is $44,000
• So $44Kmust be subtracted from their total $80K equity,
• Thisgives a max cash-out potential of $36,000

However,the homeowner also uses some of their cash-out value to pay closing costs .

Sothey end up with a total of $33,000 cash back at closing quite a bit lowerthan the $80K of equity originally calculated.

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Advantages Of A Conventional Loan Versus An Fha Loan

Generally speaking, you can often borrow more money with conventional or jumbo loans than you can with FHA loans. There are no upfront mortgage insurance premiums with conventional mortgages. And you can avoid paying for mortgage insurance if you make a 20% down payment.

You do have to buy private mortgage insurance when you make a down payment of less than 20% with a conventional loan. It can be easier to stop paying PMI for a conventional loan than it is to stop paying MIP for an FHA loan, however. If your loan is subject to the federal Homeowners Protection Act , you can request to stop paying private mortgage insurance when your home equity reaches 20%. Additionally, if you are current on your loan and it is covered by the HPA, your lender is required to remove PMI from your monthly bill once your home equity reaches 22%.

You can buy a home, vacation home, second home, rental house, or investment property with a conventional loan. You do not have to occupy the house as your primary residence, as FHA loans require.

Lets Take A Look At An Example Of The Potential Savings:

Original sales price: $300,000 Loan amount: $294,566 FHA monthly MIP: $205.06 Todays home value: $350,000 New refinance payment: $1,178.03

Instead of subjecting yourself to ~$200 in monthly mortgage insurance premiums, you might be able to refinance to a conventional loan at 80% LTV or less and rid yourself of that burden.

This could be the case regardless of how much youve paid down your loan since it closed. Why? Surging home prices, which can lower your LTV substantially.

So even if you only put down a paltry 3.5% a few years ago, you might have the required 20% in equity to lose the mortgage insurance once and for all.

Tip: Note that the Upfront Mortgage Insurance Premium is non-refundable if you refinance out of the FHA to a conventional loan. It may be refundable if you refinance to a new FHA-insured mortgage.

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