Thanksgiving--The following is something to ponder . . .

• If you woke up this morning with more health than illness . . . you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.
• If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation . . . you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.
• If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death . . . you are more blessed than three billion people in the world.
• If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep . . . you are richer than 75% of this world.
• If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace . . . you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
• If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful . . . you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.
• If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the
• shoulder . . . you are blessed because you can offer healing touch.
• If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.
• Have a good day, count your blessings, and pass this along
• to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.

Provided to us by  Bill Sparkman "The Coach"

Ever Changing Lending Guidelines

I want to touch on a few things regarding FHA loans. These are important to address because I have seen them come up with our local clients several times just this month.

From FHA.com website, not a governemnt sponsored site but there is a lot of good information.

"FHA Loan Facts and Fiction About Credit

Here’s a common question we get about FHA loan credit requirements--a variation on a theme that goes something like this:

“My spouse and I are looking to apply for an FHA loan. We just recently got married. He is more than qualified to apply on his own, with a good credit score and great income. I, unfortunately, have terrible credit and unresolved debts. Is it possible for him to apply on his own without factoring in my debt? We were told I had have my credit checked and my debt would also be factored into the debt to income ratio, but not my income. Is this true?”

Unfortunately there is no one single answer to questions like these due to state law, which may affect how an FHA loan application is reviewed depending on whether the state is a “community property” state--one where the law requires both borrower and spouse to be equally obligated on major financial transactions such as a home loan.

FHA loan instructions to the lender in HUD 4155.1 Chapter Four, Section A say:

“Except for obligations specifically excluded by state law, the debts of the non-purchasing spouse must be included in the borrower’s qualifying ratios, if the

• borrower resides in a community property state, or


• property being insured is located in a community property state.”

FHA loan rules add, “The non-purchasing spouse’s credit history is not considered a reason to deny a loan application. However, the non-purchasing spouse’s obligations must be considered in the debt-to-income (DTI) ratio unless excluded by state law. A credit report that complies with the requirements of HUD 4155.1 4.C.2 must be provided for the non-purchasing spouse in order to determine the debts that must be counted in the DTI ratio.

Note: This requirement is applicable if the subject property or the borrower’s principal residence is located in a community property state.”

FHA loan rules DO NOT override state or federal law, so it’s crucial to check the laws of your state to see what might apply in such cases. For more information on this issue, borrowers can also check with a legal expert or real estate expert who can advise on state law as applicable.

Some borrowers may not be affected by community property laws for the simple reason that not all states have such laws, but anyone who does live in community property states will need to carefully examine both the spouse and non-purchasing spouse’s credit during the preparation time leading up to the loan application."

It is important to begin the application process in Texas with both individuals debts calculated in the monthly payments and considered in the overall Debt Ratios. It can save all of us some headaches when it pops up late in the financing game.

Leasing out current property and buying as new home with FHA financing.

Client owns a home, they want to keep the home they own and buy a new home with an FHA loan. They intend to rent the existing home and use some of that income to qualify for the new purchase. 
Beware of a couple key things: 

1. We have to prove 25% or greater equity in the existing home before we can count any of that rental income.

2. We must have a signed lease with proof of deposit and money changing hands. It has to be a legitmate lease or we must calculate full principle, interest, taxes and insurance from this property against the total debt ratio.

I will continue this discussion and would love to hear from you about other situations that you have encountered that might be helpful for folks getting ready to apply for FHA financing.