| Many older Americans who have resided in their | | | | home, the age of the home-owner and the anticipated |
| houses for many years or decades saw the price of | | | | IRs. The reverse mortgage does not need to be paid |
| their houses rise dramatically, particularly recently. | | | | back until the borrower moves out of the home once |
| However, in high cost areas, for example the | | | | and for all. HUD pronounced more than 308,000 |
| Northeast and West, home values have overreached | | | | seniors have used the federally-insured HECM loan |
| the Congressionally-mandated cap of $362,790 for | | | | program since 1990 to convert the equity in their home |
| getting an FHA-backed reverse mortgage - leaving | | | | into money with no need to move. The volume of new |
| millions of seniors without access to the monetary | | | | reverse mortgages insured by the FHA's HECM |
| security this vital program offers. The Expanding | | | | program has increased 10-fold during the last 6 years. |
| Homeownership Act of 2007 would make reverse | | | | As well as providing larger access to reverse |
| mortgages available to an extra 2,000,000 seniors by | | | | mortgages, The Expanding Yankee Homeownership |
| raising the FHA's Home Equity Conversation Mortgage | | | | Act of 2007 would address growing fears about |
| ( HECM ) loan limit equivalent to the Fannie Mae / | | | | augmenting home repossessions and high-risk |
| Freddie Mac conforming loan limit. By skyrocketing and | | | | mortgages. The law would protect and preserve the |
| simplifying the loan amount, this change would help | | | | Yank Dream of homeownership by modernizing the |
| people seniors who have houses valued above this | | | | FHA and giving house purchasers access to a safe, |
| FHA loan limit of $362,790 but less than $600,000, get | | | | fair and reasonable alternative to exotic subprime |
| a reverse mortgage thru FHA. Eligible seniors would still | | | | loans. The law is presently outstanding before the U.S. |
| need to be 62 years old or older and have paid off | | | | House of Delegates . Get a quote and see what you |
| their mortgages or have only a tiny mortgage balance | | | | qualify for. |
| remaining. The loan amount relies on the value of the | | | | |