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Agent commission lawsuits cast long shadow over VA, FHA borrowers

Housing Wire

Adding this cost to their side of the transactions would throw the vast majority of them out of the market entirely.” Not helping FHA, VA borrowers get off the sidelines Under current FHA rules, sellers can contribute up to 6% in concessions to FHA borrowers to cover closing costs, prepaid expenses and discount points.

VA loan 447
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Homebuyer assistance programs rose to nearly 2,300 in 2023

Housing Wire

Among the nearly 2,300 homebuyer assistance programs available last year, 804 were designed to assist with the purchase of a manufactured home — up 20% from the previous year, according to the report. This brought the nationwide tally up to 2,294, according to Down Payment Resource’s fourth-quarter Homeownership Program Index (HPI) report.

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UWM expands DSCR offerings to real estate investors

Housing Wire

Early this month, UWM announced home-affordability mortgage products designed to help underserved borrowers become homeowners. With the expanded options, investors could get loans starting as little as $50,000 and up to $2 million. UWM originated $38.8 billion in mortgage loans in the first quarter of 2022, a 29.7% decline year-over-year.

Investor 370
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Opinion: Here’s what people are getting wrong about real estate commissions

Housing Wire

Any person involved in selling a home knows that you cannot increase the price of your home randomly to cover the cost of commissions and other closing costs. The market sets the price of the home, and it cares little for closing costs — or what the homeowner invested in it — when determining the price for which it will sell.

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Reverse purchase financing: The financing option no one is talking about

Housing Wire

That’s where reverse purchase financing comes into play, the funding option specifically designed for older Americans. With this option, older homebuyers can increase their purchasing power with fewer financial worries and limitations as they move towards or through retirement. Yet staggeringly few are aware of its existence.

Finance 437
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The risk of zero-down loans while the Fed talks recession

Housing Wire

Bank of America recently announced a loan for lower-income households that doesn’t require homebuyers to come up with a downpayment or closing costs, and doesn’t base the loan on a minimum FICO score. The entire system has to be designed to inflate the price over time. It’s not an investment.”. This is what we do in America.

Loans 543
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Opinion: Agencies are key to fixing housing affordability

Housing Wire

CHLA commends FHA for its work on its “Mythbusters” initiative, designed to blow up the myths around FHA loans by educating lenders and home sellers. With the Federal Reserve gone AWOL on purchasing mortgage loans, mortgage rates have doubled and spreads over 10-year Treasuries are at historical highs. The American homebuyer needs help.

FHA loan 437