Fha Loan Mobile Home Requirements

Is Refinancing A Mobile Home Worth It

Todays mortgage rates have risen from the record lows seen during the pandemic. But manufactured and mobile homeowners may have personal property loans with interest rates that are far higher than mortgage rates. That means refinancing into a mortgage loan could still create worthwhile savings.

Chattel loans have interest rates typically over 7 percent. Refinance to a mortgage loan, and you may get a rate closer to 5%, according to recent Freddie Mac data.

Lowering your interest rate can save thousands over the life of the loan. Plus, if you pay private mortgage insurance , you could refinance and eliminate the monthly PMI fee if youve earned enough equity in your mobile home.

Pros Of Buying A Mobile Home

Affordability. The primary advantage for manufactured housing is its price. Today, construction costs are up to 20 percent less to complete compared to a site-built home.

Predictability. Manufactured homes are built brand new with the cost to the consumer established prior to the home being built. Cost overruns and change orders common with newly constructed site-built properties are avoided.

Environmentally Friendly. New manufactured homes are built using todays latest environmentally friendly technologies and materials to lower the impact on the environment as well as energy-efficient savings.

Is A Manufactured Home A Good Choice

A manufactured home can be a good choice. It really comes down to your goals and priorities.

If youâre worried about the homeâs value, research shows that a well-maintained mobile home on a foundation can appreciate at a similar rate as site-built houses. Additionally, manufactured homes must be built to strict HUD codes to ensure quality, so buyers can get a safe, well-built home by going this route.

And if your local real estate market is very competitive, buying a manufactured home can be a way to bypass the bidding wars and buy a brand-new, beautiful home with less stress.

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Fha Loan Credit Issues

Your FHA lender will review your past credit performance while underwriting your loan. A good track record of timely payments will likely make you eligible for an FHA loan. The following list includes items that can negatively affect your loan eligibility:

• No Credit History If you don’t have an established credit history or don’t use traditional credit, your lender must obtain a non-traditional merged credit report or develop a credit history from other means.
• Bankruptcy Bankruptcy does not disqualify a borrower from obtaining an FHA-insured mortgage. For Chapter 7 bankruptcy, at least two years must have elapsed and the borrower has either re-established good credit or chosen not to incur new credit obligations.
• Late Payments It’s best to turn in your FHA loan application when you have a solid 12 months of on-time payments for all financial obligations.
• Foreclosure Past foreclosures are not necessarily a roadblock to a new FHA home loan, but it depends on the circumstances.
• Collections, Judgements, and Federal Debt In general, FHA loan rules require the lender to determine that judgments are resolved or paid off prior to or at closing.

What To Know About Manufactured Homes

When you hear the term âmanufactured home,â you might think of traditional single-wide or double-wide trailers. Single-wide mobile homes are typically 18 feet wide and towed onsite in one piece. Double-wide mobile homes are towed trailers joined together and are typically wider. You can purchase those using an FHA loan, but the definition of a manufactured home is actually broader than that â and so are your homebuying options.

Over the years, manufactured homes have evolved in size, features offered, and overall appearance. Many donât look that different from regular homes. They have vaulted ceilings, wrap-around porches, and other features you might associate with an upscale site-built home.

Many manufactured homes are put together in multiple sections, allowing for larger, more spacious layouts than youâd see in single-wide or double-wide models.

On average, manufactured homes cost less than in-site homes. Purchasing a manufactured home may therefore provide an alternative for homebuyers purchasing in extremely competitive markets or where home values are higher than they can comfortably afford.

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How Do I Become Qualified For A Manufactured Home Loan

Ensuring you have a good credit score and a workable budget is the first step to financing a manufactured home. Once youve decided which type of housing to explore and the kind of financing youd like, make sure you qualify. Include the home and any add-ons like land, decks, foundations, or garages. Take steps to check and improve your credit rating and pay down debts. Credit card balances compared to credit limits are a major factor in credit scores, as is making all payments on time.

Steps in the loan application process include:

Fha Manufactured Home Rules

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Manufactured, mobile, modular. These are all types of homes, but what do the terms mean? Manufactured and mobile are virtually synonymous, with the latter an old-school term no longer used by the FHA. The FHA doesnt permit truly mobile homes for consideration for its loan program. Manufactured homes must meet U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development standards, known as the HUD code. Modular homes must meet local and state standards for building, and are comparable to stick-built houses. Lenders will require verification that the manufactured home meets FHA guidelines before approving a mortgage.

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Fha Mobile Home Guidelines

A typical mobile home is built in a factory and may come as a single wide, double wide or triple wide version. All three are eligible for FHA insured financing. You also have the option to finance the home that is placed on leased land with an initial lease of at least 3 years.

FHA Eligible Mobile Homes Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• The home must have been built after June 15th, 1976
• There must be a HUD tag or certification label attached to each section of the mobile home. The tag may be on the inside possibly in the electrical panel or somewhere in the kitchen. It is important to verify whether the home has these tags before you purchase it.
• The floor space cannot be less than 400 square feet
• The home must be on a permanent foundation and considered a permanent dwelling
• If new, the home must have a one-year warranty from the manufacturer
• The home must have both a water supply and sewer system that are FHA approved
• The FHA loan term cannot exceed 20 years although an extension can be granted to 25 years for purchases that include both the lot and the home.

If you already own the land, the equity that you have in that land can be used towards the down payment. The land can also be gifted to you by a relative. Read our article on FHA gift funds for more info about how to use gifts for your down payment.

Fha Manufactured Home Loan Construction Requirements

Once you find the perfect plot of land, FHA-approved lenders will need to verify the following:

• The home site has access to water and sewer facilities
• The site has all-weather access
• The home is taxed as real estate
• The home is permanently attached to land according to local building guidelines
• The home has an approved HUD seal visible on the exterior
• The towing hitch and any running gear is removed
• The living area is at least 400 square feet

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Can You Buy A Mobile Home With A Fha Loan

Mobile homes are often less expensive than traditional sitebuilt homes, but this does not imply they are cheap. As a result, you may require a mortgage, which you will need to know how to finance a mobile home.

Are you, however, eligible for a loan from a bank or other financial institution? Many would-be buyers have this question on their minds because the cost of financing a manufactured home can vary widely, depending on factors such as location, age, and condition.

Although you may not be eligible for traditional mortgages, there are many lending options to help you finance your housing needs, with one of these options being FHA loans.

Fha Loan Minimum Property Requirements For Mobile Homes: A Reader Question

A reader asks, I am applying for refinance on my double wide home and have had an appraisal done and have made all upgrades they have requested. Now they are asking me to have an engineer to come out to inspect the footings that were put in and have a certified engineer sign off on them. I have looked at the requirements and do not see where this is required.

Can you give me any advice on this? The footings were put in according to the manufactures specifications and were inspected at the time of the installation of the double wide.

What FHA loan applicants need to know in situations like these is that FHA minimum property requirements are not necessarily the only rules that apply. The answer to this reader question may depend on a variety of non-FHA requirements including state or local building codes or even lender standards.

The best advice in cases like these is to get more specific information from the lenderwhy are the additional requirements applicable? Is it because of building code issues? Does the lender have a specific requirement in these cases? Knowing the source of the requirement and not just the fact that there is such a requirement is a big step in the right direction when it comes to getting an answer.

Borrowers who talk to the lender but still arent sure about the answers they get should contact the FHA directly by calling 1-800 CALL FHA for assistance.

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Can I Finance A Manufactured Home

Financing the purchase of a manufactured home can be much easier than financing a traditional home.

Financing terms depend on the lender, but the minimum credit scores for the options we discuss below, range from 580-650. Scores higher than 650 should get slightly better terms. Scores lower than 580 may not qualify for a loan at all.

Who Refinances Mobile Homes

Not all lenders offer manufactured or mobile home loans. So even if your property meets guidelines for mortgage financing, you may need to do some digging to find a lender that will work with you.

One good option could be to contact a mortgage broker to help with your search. Brokers work with multiple mortgage lenders and may be able to direct you toward a lender that offers manufactured home refinancing in your area.

Also note that mortgage lenders enforce minimum loan amounts, which could potentially restrict financing options for lower-priced mobile/manufactured homes.

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Fha Manufactured Home Guidelines

A typical manufactured home is built in a factory and then transported to the job site where it is placed on the foundation. Since the home is not built on site, it is considered a manufactured home and will be treated differently.

FHA Eligible Manufactured Homes Must Meet the Following Criteria:

• The home must have been built after June 15th, 1976
• There must be a red HUD certification label attached to each section of the modular or manufactured home and must be visible even after siding and/or painting is completed
• The home must adhere to the Manufactured Home Installation Standards
• The home must be a single-family dwelling
• The floor space cannot be less than 400 square feet
• The home must be on a permanent foundation and considered a permanent dwelling
• If new, the home must have a one-year warranty from the manufacturer
• The home must have both a water supply and sewer system that are FHA approved

The FHA loan term cannot exceed 30 years. You may want to consider a 15-year FHA loan or even an adjustable rate program depending upon your long term needs.

Use Existing Home Equity

If you already own a home, you could leverage your home equity to pay for a manufactured home to use as a second home or rental property.

Equity is the part of your homes value that youve paid off. If your home is worth $300,000 but you owe only $150,000, youd have $150,000 in equity.

You can borrow against your equity by getting:

• A cash-out refinance: This kind of loan replaces your existing mortgage with a larger one, generating extra cash. Its a good idea if you need a new primary mortgage and cash out for a big purchase
• A home equity loan or line of credit: With these loans youd keep your primary mortgage in place and add a second mortgage. Home equity loans provide a lump sum of cash home equity lines of credit let you borrow from your equity as needed

Since these kinds of loans are secured by your homes value, interest rates are competitive, especially if you have good credit and enough equity for your lenders loan-to-value rules.

But these loans also require a lien on your home which means you could lose the home if you fail to make payments.

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Basic Requirements For Fha Manufactured Loan

Manufactured homes must meet specific property condition requirements to be eligible for purchase with an FHA loan, including:

• The home must have been built after June 15, 1976. Mobile homes built before HUD standards were enacted are not eligible for government-backed loans.
• The living area must be at least 400 square feet.
• The home must have the approved HUD seal visible on the exterior.
• The home site must have access to water and sewer facilities.
• The site must have all-weather road access.
• The home must be the primary residence.
• The home must be permanently affixed to the land according to local building guidelines.
• The towing hitch and any running gear must be removed.

Ways To Finance A Manufactured Home

Keep these factors in mind when seeking financing:

• Where will you put the home? The loan will likely be for the home only, so youll need to either buy the land for it through another loan or rent some land through a mobile home community. Renting land could mean you will not be eligible for some loans.
• Bigger homes may not be eligible for some loans Buying a double-wide home that costs $100,000 or more isnt allowed in an FHA loan. Maximum loan amounts vary by the type of home bought.
• Compare lenders Not only should you compare the type of loan, but see how fees and interest rates vary among lenders.

Here are four broad financing options:

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Manufactured Homes Financing Requirements And Guidelines

Manufactured home financing guidelines require that the land must be owned by the homeowner. The manufactured home needs to be permanently built on a concrete foundation.

• The floor area of the manufactured home needs to be a minimum of 400 square feet
• There are overlays with regards to credit for manufactured home financing borrowers
• Minimum credit scores for manufactured home financing is 620 by most lenders
• However, depending on the manufactured home financing mortgage lender, higher credit scores may be required

The reason why manufactured home lenders require higher credit scores is that they classify it as higher risk investments.

Fha Not The Right Fit Here Are Some Alternative Manufactured Home Loans

FHA loans arenât right for everyone. Fortunately, there are several other loan programs that allow you to purchase manufactured homes.

Conventional

A conventional mortgage is one not backed by the government, but rather regulated by the government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Some conventional loans allow you to put down as little as 3% on a home.

Unlike FHA loans, conventional loan programs allow you to buy a manufactured home as a second home. So if you want to buy a double-wide in a beach community as a vacation property, conventional may be the way to go.

VA

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs backs home loans for qualifying veterans, active-duty military, and eligible surviving spouses. VA borrowers who have full entitlement can buy a home with 0% down. Those with partial entitlement may be eligible for 0% down as well, depending how much entitlement they have available and the purchase price of their homes.

To buy a manufactured home with a VA loan, the home must be on a permanent foundation and must be listed as real estate property with the local municipality . The lender may require you to prove that the vehicle title has been eliminated.

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USDA

Learn more: USDA Loan Qualifications & Loan Limits 2021

Chattel loans

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Can You Get An Fha Loan On A Manufactured Home

With the cost of buying a home increasing, some homebuyers turn to manufactured homes as a more affordable alternative. However, getting a mortgage to cover this type of home can be a bit tricky. Lenders tend to view manufactured and mobile homes with a different level of risk than traditional properties.