Many lenders allow a streamline
refinance process to retain their customers. Also, Government
insurers like the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans
Administration (VA) offer their own specific programs to enable you
to take advantage of today's low interest rates with very little or
no out of pocket cost. Please read on for specific information about
how a Streamline Mortgage Refinance can save you money.
FHA Streamline
Refinance
If you currently have an FHA loan and you
are considering refinancing to lower your
monthly payment
there is a simple low cost "FHA Streamline" refinance process which
you should consider. If your refinance transaction is simply paying
off the loan with a new one at a lower rate you will qualify for an
"FHA Streamline Refinance without Appraisal". There is no
requirement for either an appraisal to prove value or for any
credit evaluation. While this approach will save you a lot
in fees and from having to requalify from a credit perspective, you
must reestablish your escrow accounts at settlement. You have to
come to settlement with enough cash to establish the escrow account
with a similar amount of money refunded by your current lender after
settlement.
FHA has permitted streamline
refinances on insured mortgages since the 1980's. The
streamline refers to the amount of documentation and
underwriting that needs to be performed by the lender, and does not
mean that there are no costs involved in the transaction.
The basic requirements of a
streamline refinance without appraisal are:
The mortgage to be refinanced must
already be FHA insured.
- The refinance is to result in a
lowering of the borrower's monthly principal and interest
payments.
- No cash may be taken out on mortgages
refinanced using the streamline refinance process.
- No income, employment, or asset
verification is required.
- A mortgage payment history is
required verifying no late payments within 12 months.
Another option is the "FHA Streamline
Refinance with an Appraisal". This program is designed for
people taking cash out or who want to add the escrow account to
their loan balance (the escrow account refund from your current
lender is yours to use as you see fit).
The basic requirements of a streamline
refinance with appraisal are the same as without an appraisal but we
are able to
finance all of your closing costs.
There are certain situations when an FHA
Streamline refinance does require credit qualification. In these
situations, we will require verification of employment, assets, and
credit profile.
If your new payment is larger unless
going from an ARM to a fixed rate
If you remove a borrower from the current
loan
If you assumed the current mortgage
without credit qualification and the assumption was within 6
months.
FHA Streamline Refinances are one of the
easiest and least expensive loans available.
VA Streamline
Refinance
The Veterans Administration is available
to active duty military and Veterans and Reservists. If you have a
high interest rate VA loan, there is a low cost Interest Rate
Reduction Loan (IRRL) program which will lower your mortgage payment
inexpensively. If you are currently in a VA loan the qualification
process is very easy and it will allow you to take cash out of the
property to pay bills or for any other reason. The VA makes the
process very easy and you do not need to pay anything out of pocket
at settlement.
VA IRRL refinance loan which allows you
to reduce your monthly cost easily. The IRRL benefit
offers:
- Faster processing
- Option to roll closing costs into the
new loan so you'll have nothing to pay up-front
- No credit evaluation
- Lower monthly payments
- No appraisal requirements in most
situations
- Faster equity growth if the term is
reduced
- Option to include up to 2 months
payments into loan allowing you to skip two payments
- If the property is now rented, the
veteran must certify they once lived in the
property
Veterans with current VA loans can take
advantage of lower rates and reduce monthly payments quickly and
easily with radically reduced documentation requirements. The IRRL
does not require any income, asset verification or credit report and
it's available in fixed-rate mortgage options. This refinance
program is part of your veterans benefit.
Conventional Streamline Mortgage
Refinance
Most lenders offer a
streamline refinance process. As you are aware, mortgages are bought
and sold every day, and it is the current loan servicer who
determines if a streamline mortgage refinance process is available.
You are usually able to eliminate recording, state, and county tax
payments (same lender old loan and new loan), You usually must
requalify according to the lenders current guidelines and we must
appraise the property to verify value, but this can be a money
saving approach. Of course, if you have an issue with the current
lender you may want to change
anyway.