Can You Refinance An Fha Loan

When An Fha To Conventional Refinance Makes Sense

Refinancing from an FHA loan to a conventional one may be beneficial if:

• Current interest rates are lower than your existing rate
• You have significant equity in your home
• Your home has gone up in value
• You have the cash flow to cover closing costs and fees

Remember that FHA-to-conventional refinances will follow the traditional underwriting process and may take longer than something like an FHA streamline refinance would.

Shop Around For The Best Deal

When youre not sure whether a conventional or FHA refinance is best, taking a look at what lenders are offering might help. By weighing the costs of the mortgages and adding in closing costs, you can figure out which option will;save you the most money.

If you want more help with this decision and others relating to your financial health, you might want to consider hiring a financial advisor.;Finding the right financial advisor that fits your needs doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with top financial advisors in your area in 5 minutes. If youre ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Can You Refinance An Fha Loan

In order to refinance an FHA loan, you have to qualify for either the FHA loan or another loan type. Well go over some of whats necessary to qualify for individual loan types a bit later on, but for now, we can speak in general terms.

Your credit score and history affect whether you can qualify. In addition to the score itself, your payment history and previous negative marks like bankruptcy or a forbearance affect who can qualify and when. These latter items are a little more complicated and we would recommend speaking with a Home Loan Expert.

In addition, if youre looking to do an FHA Streamline, going from one FHA loan to another for the purpose of changing your term, lowering your rate or both, theres often a waiting period.

Finally, theres a minimum equity amount thats required in order to refinance in many cases. Whether this is the case depends on the type and purpose of the loan.

Recommended Reading: What Is The Lowest Car Loan Rate

Fha Refinance Loan Types

There are two main types of FHA loan refinancing loans:

• FHA streamlined refinance: The FHA offers a streamlined refinance option for borrowers who want to quickly refinance an existing FHA loan to get a lower rate and/or monthly payment. The biggest caveat to the FHA streamline refinance program is that you can only take up to $500 in cash out of your home. However, there’s a big advantage: You hardly have to provide any documentation. As long as your existing loan is current and is at least six months old, you won’t have to go through the FHA appraisal process again.
• FHA cash-out refinance: If you want to tap into your equity , there is an FHA cash-out refinance option. However, the process is a bit more involved. Specifically, you’ll need to re-qualify based on your credit and income, and you’ll need to get a new appraisal. The maximum LTV on an FHA cash-out refinance is 80%.

You don’t have to use another FHA loan to refinance. In fact, if you have strong credit and at least 20% equity in your home, you could refinance with a conventional mortgage. If you’re not sure about the difference, find out more about an FHA vs. conventional loan.

Alternative Fha Loan Refinancing

If refinancing your FHA loan to a conventional loan isnt possible, you can still take advantage of lower interest rates by doing an FHA streamline refinance. This program offers a faster way to refinance your FHA loan because it does away with more stringent underwriting, such as the need to verify your income and credit or do an appraisal.

To qualify for an FHA streamline refinance, youll need to meet the following requirements:

• You have an FHA loan.
• Youve made on-time mortgage payments in each of the last six months, and its been at least six months since your first payment was due and 210 days since closing on the initial loan.
• Refinancing results in a net tangible benefit, such as lowering your monthly payment or changing from an adjustable-rate loan to one with a fixed rate.
• Youre not looking to take any cash out.
• Youre able to continue paying FHA mortgage insurance.

Read Also: What Is The Best Debt Consolidation Loan Company

Will Refinancing Affect My Credit Score

Virtually every time you apply for a loan, the lender will run a hard inquiry on your credit report. This inquiry can knock a few points off your credit score. If you’re applying for multiple mortgage loans, each additional inquiry can have a compounding effect on your score, dropping it further.

As a result, it’s best to do all your rate shopping in a short period , during which all your inquiries will be counted as one for credit scoring purposes.

Also, closing out your old mortgage loan and replacing it with a new one can negatively affect your credit score because it lowers the average age of your credit accounts.

Because refinancing can have an impact on your credit, it’s important to make sure your credit is in good shape before you start the process.

What Happens To Fha Mortgage Insurance If You Streamline Refinance

Like other FHA loans, the FHA Streamline Refinance requires borrowers to pay mortgage insurance.

Even if youve built equity in the home since purchasing it, the FHA Streamline Refinance cannot be used to eliminate mortgage insurance premium .

FHA borrowers are required to make two types of mortgage insurance payments: an upfront mortgage insurance payment paid at closing, plus an annual payment split into 12 installments, which are paid with your mortgage each month.

• Upfront Mortgage Insurance Premium = 1.75% of the loan amount for most recent FHA loans and refinances
• Annual Mortgage InsurancePremium = 0.85% of the loan amount most recent FHA loans and refinances

With respect to mortgage insurance premiums, homeowners using the;FHA Streamline Refinance program are split into two classes:

Homeowners in the first class – those with old FHA mortgages are;assigned;different mortgage insurance than newer FHA homeowners.

Specifically, these older FHAmortgages qualify for a reduced upfront premium ofjust 0.01%of the loan amount, or $10 forevery $100,000 borrowed.

Additionally, monthly mortgageinsurance is just 0.55 percent of the loan amount annually,compared to regular MIP of 0.85 percent per year.

Don’t Miss: How Do I Get My Student Loan Number

With Today’s Current Mortgage Rates Is Now The Time To Refinance

Refinancing your mortgage is a big financial decision. Its essential to think carefully about what refinancing means for you and how much money you could actually save by refinancing. That said, if you are planning to stay in your home for several years or more, refinancing your mortgage could be a savvy financial move.

Right now is perhaps one of the best times to refinance your mortgage because interest rates in the US are at historic lows. The national interest rate is hovering around zero, and its likely to stay that way through most of 2021 due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. While that doesnt mean youll pay an interest rate of zero, it does mean you could pay a significantly reduced rate.

What Is The Fha Streamline Program

FHA streamline refinance is a program that allows homeowners with FHA-backed mortgages to refinance with less time, hassle and paperwork. With a streamline refinance, you don’t need to go through the FHA appraisal process again, since the FHA has already valued the property.

There are two types of FHA streamline refinance: credit qualifying and non-credit qualifying. A credit-qualifying streamline refinance requires your lender to perform a credit check, calculate your debt-to-income ratio;and assess your ability to continue paying your mortgage.

These requirements dont apply to non-credit qualifying FHA streamline refinances, so why would you opt for the more labor-intensive option? Specific circumstances, like needing to remove a borrower from the mortgage, require a credit qualifying streamline FHA refinance. There’s a plus, though: The added documentation required with a credit-qualifying streamline refinance could result in a lower interest rate than you would get with the non-credit qualifying version.

The streamline program is only available to homeowners who already have FHA loans, but that doesn’t mean you have to refinance with your existing lender. FHA loan requirements and fees may vary by lender. Comparing quotes from several different FHA streamline refinance lenders will help you find the best deal.

Don’t Miss: How Much Can I Borrow Personal Loan Calculator

Alternatives To Refinancing To A Conventional Loan

If all of that seems like too much or youre unable to refinance to a conventional loan an FHA Streamline Refinance could be a good alternative option. An FHA Streamline Refinance can allow you to enjoy some of the benefits of refinancing without changing to a conventional loan. You may still be able to lower your interest rate and reduce your monthly payment, but you wont be able to get rid of mortgage insurance and youll still need to pay closing costs. This type of refinance comes with another benefit: a speedier, more simplified process. Thats because it typically requires less documentation and may not require an appraisal.

While the lender may consider fewer credit factors with an FHA Streamline, it still performs a credit check. If you dont meet minimum credit score requirements for an FHA Streamline or to refinance FHA to conventional, you may want to consider learning how to refinance with bad credit.

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.

You May Like: What Credit Score Do You Need For An Fha Loan

Heres What You Need To Know About Refinancing An Fha Loan

Refinancing your FHA loan into a conventional loan can help you lower your interest rate and let you get rid of mortgage insurance.

Aly J. YaleUpdated August 11, 2021

Our goal is to give you the tools and confidence you need to improve your finances. Although we receive compensation from our partner lenders, whom we will always identify, all opinions are our own. Credible Operations, Inc. NMLS # 1681276, is referred to here as “Credible.”

Refinancing your FHA loan can come with many benefits. For one, it could help you lower your interest rate or monthly payment. Refinancing can also allow you to get rid of your mortgage insurance premiums and save even more cash in the long run.

Heres what you need to know about refinancing an FHA loan:

A Distinct Downside: Mortgage Insurance Premiums

One downside of an FHA refinance loan is that all FHA loans require mortgage insurance, meaning a costly mortgage insurance premium paid by borrowers. By contrast, conventional loans only require insurance, known as private mortgage insurance , if the down payment is less than 20 percent of the property’s purchase.

Each FHA loan requires both an upfront premium of 1.75 percent of the loan amount plus an annual premium of 0.45 percent to 1.05 percent. Exactly when these costs lapse is determined by the term of the loan, amount borrowed and the loan-to-value ratio.

These premiums can add significantly to the costs of the loan and your monthly payment. If youre already paying PMI on your mortgage, this might not be as big a deal, depending on the relative costs, because youre replacing one premium with another. But if you put 20 percent down on your existing mortgage and thus pay no insurance premiums or youve built up enough equity to get your lender to cease to require these premiums this FHA requirement could give you pause and prompt you to consider other financing avenues to avoid this cost.

Dhara Singh is a mortgage reporter for Bankrate. She is a former data analyst turned financial journalist who previously worked at Yahoo Finance,;CNET, Cashay.com and JPMorgan Chase covering the housing and retirement beats.

Don’t Miss: Are Jumbo Loan Rates Higher Than Conventional

Is Fha Streamline Program Legit

While it might sound too good to be true, the FHA Streamline is a perfectly legit refinance program backed by the Federal Housing Administration. It can offer a simplified, low-doc application process and below-market rates. But you have to be a qualified homeowner with a current FHA home loan to use this program.

What Is An Fha Loan

The Federal Housing Administration Loan is a mortgage insured by the Federal Government so that lenders can provide single family mortgages with flexible credit qualifying requirements and loan terms such as low-down payment, low interest rates and low closing costs. Since 1934, the FHA has been helping people become successful homeowners, and FHA mortgages are as popular as ever with homeowners and first-time homebuyers.

The FHA also offers great refinancing options, whether youre an existing FHA borrower or not. If youre thinking about a refi, an FHA refinance might be right for you. Check out these FHA refinance options and how you may qualify for each.

Recommended Reading: How To Eliminate Student Loan Debt

Learn If Refinancing Your Fha Loan Is Right For You

Many people can benefit from refinancing their FHA loans. In the long run, you can usually save money. If you are looking to remodel your home to increase its value, or you want to pay off high-interest debt, refinancing can get you that extra cash you need. With the many options, it is wise to speak with a loan officer.Reach out to us, and we will help you decide if refinancing your FHA loan is right for you.

Am I Eligible For An Fha Loan Refinance

Probably. If your loan is in good standing, you don’t want to take cash out, and you meet the FHA’s basic credit requirements, you should be eligible. As we’ve seen, if you want to take cash out, the vetting process is a little more thorough.

If you have an existing FHA loan and want to lower your interest rate, start by shopping around. Fill out applications with a few of the top mortgage lenders to see what you can get. It might take a little time but could save you thousands in the long run.

Also Check: Which Credit Union Is Best For Home Loan

Options For Refinancing Your Fha Loan

Both FHA and conventional mortgage refinances come with their own benefits and eligibility requirements. Generally, refinancing to a conventional loan will come with stricter , equity, and documentation standards, but it also holds potentially more benefits for the right homeowner.

Should I Pay Off Pmi Early

Paying off a mortgage early could be wise for some. Eliminating your PMI will reduce your monthly payments, giving you an immediate return on your investment. Homeowners can then apply the extra savings back towards the principal of the mortgage loan, ultimately paying off their mortgage even faster.

Read Also: How To Get Car Loan When Self Employed

Should You Refinance An Fha Loan

Now the big question is whether you should refinance an FHA loan. This is a personal decision. Does it make sense to refinance? Do you save money by doing so? Think of all aspects of the process. Youll pay closing costs unless you negotiate a no-closing cost loan. The closing costs could equal between $5,000 and $10,000. You must take this into consideration. Before you jump onto the bandwagon, figure out your break-even point. Heres how you do it:

Closing costs/monthly savings = Break-even point

Heres an example:

Your closing costs equal $6,000. Refinancing will save you $150. Your break-even point equals 40 months. This means you wont see the savings until 3 1/3 years.

Of course, if you take cash out of the equity, your break-even point will be different.

Once you know your break-even point, you can determine if the refinance is worth it. Consider your plans. Will you stay in the home for the long-term? Lets say in the above example, you planned on moving in 3 years. Refinancing wouldnt make sense in that situation. On the other hand, if you planned to move in 10 years or more, it would be worth it.

Another main factor is determining fi you can afford the closing costs as well. Most loans require you to pay the costs up front. There are some cases where you can get help. For example, a relative that gives you gift funds can help. You can also take a slightly higher interest rate and let the lender pay the closing costs. This takes away from your savings, though.