Condo FHA

It’s just got easier to buy a condo with a low down payment.

FHA brings good news for buyers of Los Angeles condos
FHA brings good news for buyers of Los Angeles condos

The Federal Housing Administration ( FHA ) insures nearly 20% of mortgages made by private lenders and banks.  The FHA has significantly eased condo financing regulations in order to open up homeownership to more first-time buyers.  #fha #condo #dtla

Under the new rule, individual condo unit owners may apply for federal mortgage insurance, even if the condo owners association or developer has not applied for funding. Since the agency stopped allowing single-unit approvals in 2008, it has been all but impossible to obtain FHA financing for condominium units. That has now changed.  Condo buyers may now expect better results when purchasing with as little as 3.5% down.  The legislation will also help condo owners who want to refinance or apply for a reverse mortgage by giving them more options.  It is not certain how well FHA loans will work for lofts because loft conversions usually have numerous unusual issues that confound most lenders. These issues include: listed as a commercial or industrial building rather than a residential building; presence of large percentage of commercial units in the building; concrete floors that may be considered “no flooring”; and other lofty issues.  For industrial and loft conversions, a loft lender with at least 5% down may still be the most practical way to go for now.

The new FHA rules should open up thousands of additional units for prospective home buyers to consider, many of them at lower than average prices.

“The change will definately give new opportunities to more first-time home buyers,” said Corey Chambers, Broker Associate with Realty Source Inc. “For most renters who plan to stay in the neighborhood for several years, owning a condo unit with low down payment provides much better long-term results than renting because renters generally pay all or most of the mortgage for their landlords, whereas they could instead be building equity and net worth while forever eliminating rent increases.”

The new FHA condo rules lower the owner occupancy rate requirement from 50 percent to 35 percent for properties that are more than one year old and have less than 10 percent of units in arrears on their dues.

More FHA condo details at www.nar.realtor/condominiums/fha-condominium-rule-assessment

The new rules went into effect on Oct. 15, 2019.

Get a free list of FHA / VA and other low-down payment condos in Downtown Los Angeles. Fill out the online form:

 

Top Questions and Answers
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A: Downtown L.A. is a very diverse business area with many industrial, commercial and residential properties.   The LA Loft Blog is the authority on DTLA lofts and condos for sale and for lease.  Other local businesses can be found on the DTLA Business Directory.

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A: The Westinghouse Electric Building at 420 S San Pedro St is today called the Little Tokyo Lofts condominium building.  It started as an elevator factory built in 1922.  Details at www.LittleTokyoLoft.com

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Can industrial conversion loft condos now be purchased with FHA?

Copyright © This free information provided courtesy L.A. Loft Blog and LAcondoInfo.com with information provided by Corey Chambers, Realty Source Inc, BRE#01889449 We are not associated with the homeowner’s association or developer. For more information, contact (213) 880-9910 or visit LAcondoInfo.com  Licensed in California. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale or rental. This is not a solicitation if buyer or seller is already under contract with another broker.

More Condos to Be Approved for 3.5% Down FHA Home Loans October 15

Condominiums are often the most affordable option for first-time home buyers, small families, and those in urban areas. Buyers looking to pick up a good deal with a low down payment will have more choices in a couple months.  #fha #condo

Over recent years, it has not usually been practical to do an FHA backed mortgage for most condos because it would often fail. That situation appears to be changing very soon. The California Association of Realtors has just announced that FHA will make it easier to purchase condos with FHA financing beginning October 15.

NAR: New Condo Rules Will Open More Doors for Buyers

The association says changes to FHA financing qualifications will bring more entry-level homes to the market, helping to meet buyer demand. The relaxation of some rules by HUD is expected to help revive the condo market.  NAR says the new condo rules, which will help more would-be buyers access affordable housing, satisfy many of the changes the association has backed for more than a decade.

To qualify, the condominium building must have at least 50% owner-occupancy, and a maximum of 35% commercial space. HUD may approve an owner-occupancy level as low as 35% for older properties with less than 10% of units in arrears.

580 credit score is all it takes to qualify for FHA financing. Buyers will likely get a better rate with a Conventional loan if their credit score is above 720. An FHA loan is more flexible to obtain, but no matter what, you will have to pay mortgage insurance. A Conventional loan requires a higher credit score and more money down, but does not have as many provisions. Los Angeles County FHA loan limit is $726,525.

On the HUD site, we only see two approved condos in all of Los Angeles County:  1015 ARCADIA AVE, ARCADIA, CA 91007 and 129 N HILLCREST BLVD, INGLEWOOD, CA 90301

On fhaloans.guide, we see many approved condos buildings:

Bunker Hill Tower 800 W 1st St – Approved via HRAP HUD Review and Appraisal Process

On the MLS, we see these recent FHA approved condo buildings:

525 N SYCAMORE AVE
8650 BELFORD AVE
8710 BELFORD AVE
436 S VIRGIL AVE
2884 SAWTELLE BL
4125 INGLEWOOD

Downtown has seen very few recent successful FHA/VA condo transactions, but that should change, and the tiny list of FHA approved condos should grow substantially after October.   |   VIDEO

Here is a HUD federal government website with more help to identify FHA-VA approved condominiums:
https://entp.hud.gov/idapp/html/condlook.cfm

In addition to FHA approved buildings, buyers can today find a few HUD repos and FNMA foreclosures in awesome buildings like The Mercury at 3810 Wilshire Bl.

Buyers should educate themselves a bit before choosing a lender. Regarding the condo situation over the last 20 years in Los Angeles, local real estate agents say that the truth is certain: Many lenders don’t like wasting their time with people who must use FHA. Buyers really need to use one of the lenders that goes above and beyond to help buyers. When they say they can help with FHA, buyers would be wise to ask questions to verify that the lender has successfully completed FHA loans recently.

Get a free list of FHA / VA approved condos for sale. Fill out the online form:

LOFT & CONDO LISTINGS DOWNTOWN LA [MAP]

  Lofts For Sale     Map Homes For Sale Los Angeles

SEARCH LOFTS FOR SALE Affordable | PopularLuxury
Browse by   Building   |   Neighborhood   |   Size   |   Bedrooms   |   Pets   |   Parking

Copyright © This free information provided courtesy L.A. Loft Blog and LAcondoInfo.com with information provided by Corey Chambers, Realty Source Inc, BRE#01889449 We are not associated with the homeowner’s association or developer. For more information, contact (213) 880-9910 or visit LAcondoInfo.com  Licensed in California. All information provided is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and should be independently verified. Properties subject to prior sale or rental. This is not a solicitation if buyer or seller is already under contract with another broker.