FHA Streamline Refinance Essentials - Things Every Borrower Needs to Know

Few Florida mortgage borrowers know this, but theloan, provided the property has enough equity to cover
Federal Housing Administration - or FHA - has allowedthe additional amount.
streamline refinances on FHA mortgages since theOut-of-Pocket Mortgage Costs Covered by Increasing
early 1980s. The word "streamline" refers to the factthe Interest Rate
that this particular form of home loan refinanceLenders handle FHA Streamline Refinancing in different
involves a significantly smaller amount of red tape andways. Few lenders give "no cost" refinances i.e. zero
paperwork than most typical refinances.out-of-pocket costs to borrower. They will, instead,
The basic requirements of the FHA streamlineusually cover your closing costs by increasing you
refinance are: The mortgage which is to be refinancedinterest rate slightly.. With this premium, your Florida
should be FHA insured.o The mortgage which is to bemortgage lender will typically cover any closing costs
refinanced should be recent and not illegal.o Therequired as part of the transaction.
refinance is to conclude with lessening the borrower'sOut-of-Pocket Mortgage Costs Covered by Increasing
interest payments and monthly principal.o No moneythe FHA Mortgage Amount
can be drawn on refinanced mortgages through theLenders may allow borrowers to pass on paying
streamline refinance method.out-of-pocket expenses by folding the closing
Benefits of the FHA Streamline Refinanceo Evaluationexpenses in to the next mortgage value. This is done
is not usually requiredo Paperwork involved is minimaloonly if there is enough equity in your property, as found
No income verification, credit check, underwriting fee orby the FHA assessment.
employee verificationo Easily decrease or increase theRemember, FHA Streamline Refinances may be done
period of the term of the existing loano Enjoy benefitsby having no appraisal at all, but then the new loan
of existing low interest rateso Very little, or even zero,value must be the same as the original loan value.
other expenses involvedNote: Investment properties (i.e. properties where the
Most people select the FHA Streamline Refinanceborrower does not live in her or his principal residence
because the refinance is available with zerofull-time) can be refinanced via the straight FHA
out-of-pocket expenses. This offer comes in twoStreamline Refinance process only. In these cases,
ways. In the first, the expenses, if any, can be coveredout-of-pocket expenses must be paid by the
by the lender in return for a bit higher interest rate.borrower.
Alternatively, the expenses may be added to the new