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For buyers who are purchasing a “fixer-upper” home in Washington State, financing can sometimes be a challenge. That’s because many home buyers in this situation actually need two kinds of loans — one to purchase the property, and one to cover the cost of rehabbing it.
The FHA 203k program was designed with these challenges in mind. It allows home buyers in Washington to buy a fixer-upper and rehab it, all with one loan.
But how does FHA 203k work, and how might you as a home buyer benefit from using this loan program? Here’s what you should know.
Using two separate loans to purchase and renovate a fixer-upper can be time-consuming. There’s more paperwork to do, more underwriting and screening, etc. Also, you might end up paying more in total interest since you’re paying it on two different loans.
It’s in cases like this where the FHA 203k loan program can be useful.
This program is managed by the Federal Housing Administration, which falls under HUD. It’s similar to the “regular” FHA loan program that’s popular with home buyers, but it goes beyond that by providing funds for renovation and rehab.
According to the HUD website: “Section 203(k) insurance enables homebuyers and homeowners to finance both the purchase (or refinancing) of a house and the cost of its rehabilitation through a single mortgage.”
We’ve touched on one of the primary benefits of the FHA 203k loan program already. It’s simplicity. By using one source of funding to both purchase and rehab a fixer-upper home in Washington, borrowers can save time and paperwork hassle.
They might save money as well, by paying interest on only one loan instead of two.
This is one of the only mortgage financing programs that allows home buyers to purchase a home in need of work. With a “standard” or conventional mortgage loan, the property will be evaluated to ensure that it’s both livable and marketable. Most fixer-upper properties would not meet this standard. With FHA 203k, Washington home buyers can purchase such property and then make it livable.
This program has been around for many years. As a result, most housing professionals are familiar with it and know how to operate it within its parameters. This is true for mortgage companies as well as general contractors and construction folks.
Do you have questions about home loans? Are you ready to apply for a mortgage to buy a home? If so, Sammamish Mortgage can help. We are a local mortgage company from Bellevue, Washington serving the entire state, as well as Oregon, Idaho, and Colorado. We offer many mortgage programs to buyers all over the Pacific Northwest. Contact us today with any questions you have about mortgages.
Whether you’re buying a home or ready to refinance, our professionals can help.
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No Obligation and transparency 24/7. Instantly compare live rates and costs from our network of lenders across the country. Real-time accurate rates and closing costs for a variety of loan programs custom to your specific situation.