WHAT IS A CONVENTIONAL LOAN?
Conventional loans are broken down into either conforming or non-conforming loans. To qualify as a conforming loan (or an A paper loan), it must fall under the guidelines established by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, corporations that have established industry standards and guidelines that govern credit requirements, down payment amounts, and maximum loan amounts. Borrowers that do not meet those requirements due to flawed credit can often still obtain what is known as a non-conforming loan (B, C, or D paper loans). Your loan options can be limited by poor credit. A credit score is a system of points earned based on your credit history. This three-digit number (ranging from 300 to 900) is influenced by such factors, among others, as:
There are three major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion) that produce comparable credit scores using some version of FICO, the industry standard developed originally by Fair Isaac and Company. Because this credit score is used by most lenders to determine your qualifications for a loan, you may want to see what you can do to increase your credit score before you apply for a mortgage.
There are two types of home construction loans:
There are two main types of home construction loans:
You pay interest only on the outstanding balance. The interest rate is variable during construction, moving up or down with the prime rate. If the Federal Reserve raises or decreases short-term interest rates while the house is being built, your interest rate will change.
The lender converts the construction loan into a permanent mortgage after the contractor finishes building the home. The permanent mortgage is like any other mortgage. You can choose a fixed-rate or an adjustable-rate loan and specify the loan’s term, typically 15 or 30 years. When you’re ready, shop and compare mortgage rates.
Many lenders let you lock a maximum mortgage rate when construction begins. Lenders generally require a down payment of at least 20 percent of the expected amount of the permanent mortgage. Some lenders make exceptions.
Stand Alone Construction
Stand-alone construction loan can work out well if it allows you to make a smaller down payment. That can be a major advantage if you already own a home and don’t have much cash for a down payment but you will have more cash after you sell your home. You can live in your current home while your next home is under construction. This type of loan has drawbacks, though: You pay for two closings and two sets of fees — first, on the construction loan; second, on the permanent mortgage.
And if your financial circumstances change for the worse during construction, you may find it difficult or impossible to qualify for a mortgage.
Qualifying for a Construction Loan is Harder
When you apply for a loan to build a home, the lender doesn’t have a complete home as collateral, so qualifying for a loan can be more difficult. The lender will want details about the home’s size, the materials used and the contractors and subcontractors who do the work. The general contractor can pull all this information together. On top of that, the lender needs to know that you can make your monthly loan payments during construction. If the lender thinks you can’t make your current rent or mortgage payments while your house is being built, you won’t qualify.
Adequate savings for unexpected costs are a must.
The lender will make sure you have savings to pay for unexpected costs. “There are always cost overruns when you are building a home that you may not know about until you are into it. We don’t want them to use every last dime they have before they start,” said Dennice Henshaw, former east side division manager for Washington Federal. Cost overruns are incurred when borrowers change their minds about what they want as construction proceeds.
Choose your builder carefully
An important aspect of building your home is choosing the right builder. Find one that has built the kind of house you want in terms of price, style and size. Look into the builder’s credentials with the local home builders association and ask for references from previous clients. Check with the Better Business Bureau to see whether there are any complaints against the builder. Typically, your lender will look into the builder’s credit standing, financial situation and licenses, as well as the track record for building similar homes. Lenders will conduct routine inspections as the home is built. During this period, the lender pays the builder in stages, called “draws."
