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Risky Mortgages Sub-Prime Loans | What about Jumbo Loans? | Why are Jumbo Loans Viewed as Risk?

Wait a minute!  I thought Jumbo mortgage loans were OK?  The last few weeks in mortgage financing have been a whirlwind of change.  A few weeks ago the main focus in real estate was on sub-prime loans that were associated with high risk to risky buyers,  Then it was Alt-A...which really are no and low doc loans.  All of a sudden they are considered risk.  Within the last week or so..jumbo loans seem to be the latest victim of mortgage risk! Now Jumbo Loans or non conforming loans over 417K are considered risk!  With new guidelines for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac coming out in September that will change and limit qualifying amounts for  home buyers no matter what instrument they choose, it seems to me that the number of eligible buyers will be greatly decreased in the near future. At least in the short term it seems as if we are returning to more traditional and conforming loan underwriting with 20% down,  I would love for loan officers and mortgage companies to share their thoughts on the near future of mortgage loans.  All comments and insights would be greatly appreciated.

Jim Crawford REMAX

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Comments

Too much risk huh?  Not backed by Fannie or Freddie and the size of the loans, that says it all.  yes...you're right, it may drop, and I believe soon.   But right now forget it, plus they have to make up for their losses in the Alt-a & subprime crap
Posted by Larry Bettag - Cherry Creek Mortgage over 2 years ago
Laarry thanks for responding!  So they will charge the customers that can afford to pay?  That seems unfair.
Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO (RE/MAX Paramount Properties) over 2 years ago

Nice post. As mortgage brokrs it is our job to find the programs and guidelines that fit these unique products. I love my job and have gotten set up with around 10 lenders in the last 2 weeks to replenish the other 10 that went out of business. What we are doing now is focusing on portfolio lenders, not reits, and banks with close ties to wall street like WAMU. Our jobs are a little more time consuming, however that is what mortgage brokers do. We BROKER out loans to lenders with a proper fit to the missing puzzle piece. It is frustrating how many lenders are changing their guidlines midstream during a loan, however you need to continue to adapt to the changes and find the lenders with the good jumbo pricing, find the lender that goes to 90% on the investment property, etc, etc, My USP is service. Bottomline, and the ability to navigate through the murk to continue to find those good products

Posted by The Mortgage Network over 2 years ago
I am parked for an answer, because this makes no sense to me either! If someone has 20% down on a $600,000 home, why are they penalized with a higher interest rate?
Posted by Indianapolis Real Estate | Paula Henry (Red Door Real Estate) over 2 years ago
One of our local lenders is still offering jumbo loans at the same rate as conventional conforming.  In Hawaii the jumbo loan amount is over $625,000.  That is still below the median priced home here.
Posted by Randy L. Prothero - Hawaii REALTOR® (Century 21 Liberty Homes) over 2 years ago

Jim,

One of my listings just closed on Monday. It was 23% down and it was through Countrywide. I was shaking and offered the the buyers Mortgage broke a dinner if he could close on time.. on time I mean they said within 2 weeks. Well I will be posting this guys success on AR this week. He did everything he said and wanted the challenge. I haven't seen that type of deal go so smoothly in many months. So what did he do right? When he accepts my invitation to AR ..I hope he chimes in here. Oh and the home was purchased for 255,000

Posted by Neal Bloom-Realtor ® Assoc.-CRS-Weston FL (Keller Williams Properties) over 2 years ago
If it's not one thing, it's another! It seems like the lenders are considering every loan a risk these days.
Posted by Kelly Sibilsky (Licensed Through Referral Connection, LTD.) over 2 years ago

Brian!  Thans a bunch!  You mentioned one line that interested me in particular.  "It is frustrating how many lenders are changing their guidelines midstream during a loan"There is one major lender(whom I will not name) that I know that keeps denying they are doing this, but it seems to be business as usual.  I was outsied a closing the other day, where the lender told the buyer they need an additional 15K to do the deal.  It was a total re-write of the loan terms.

Paula we are all parked for answers.

Randy thanks!  Wow, I did not know they were that high!

Phelena I do hope we get some lenders responding to the post, I would really like to hear their response.

Neal thanks!  We are all sweating it out.  We had a closing where the original loan was with HomeBanc, that closed shop on writing loans.  Then Countrywide picked it up.  We closed at 4 PM one afternoon, and the next morning Countrywide was not writing, because at that time they had not secured that additional backing to keep their business open!

Kelly what a turn around.  From anyone gets a loan, to everyone is now a prospective risk.

Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO (RE/MAX Paramount Properties) over 2 years ago
So much for equal opportunity
Posted by Gary Smith (Agent Marketing Today) over 2 years ago

Gary thanks for stopping by!  :)

Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO (RE/MAX Paramount Properties) over 2 years ago
There are still a few lenders out there offering Jumbo loans albeit at a bit of a higher rate then a few weeks back (mid to upper 7's%).  Now is the time for mortgage professionals to get creative to provide solutions for Jumbo buyers.  One strategy that can work is to do a first mortgage up to the conforming loan limit of $417k and simultaneously offer a fixed rate 2nd mortgage for the remaining balance (the rate on the 2nd depending on the loan to value ratio could be in the upper 7's% to low 8's%).  If a buyer needs total financing of say $650k, its better to have the bulk of the funds at a fixed rate in the mid 6's% than the entire amount in the upper 7's%.  Hopefully the secondary market for these loans recovers and jumbo rates come back down.
Posted by Robert Spaight (Homestar Mortgage) over 2 years ago
Rob  I'd like to personally like to thank you for taking the time to share.  I'm sure every agent reading this on AR is taking notes!  This is what agents are so desperately looking for,.. solutions to get the deal done.  I hope this jumbo scenario is a short term fix until things get back to normal!
Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO (RE/MAX Paramount Properties) over 2 years ago
Jim, I have to admit I'm like Paula and I am parked to hear the answers!  Thanks for asking the question!
Posted by Marchel Peterson Spring TX Real Estate E-Pro (Results Realty) over 2 years ago
I wish we had more answers form loan officer's.  I guess this is a holiday weekend.  I was thinking the secret has to be keeping the financing below 417K within the conforming loan range.  I also think that buy downs may be a solution also.
Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO (RE/MAX Paramount Properties) over 2 years ago

I have a 620 mid-score, low DTI ratio, perfect mortgage history and good income (Full Doc). Are there any 80/20 or 100% LTV/CLTV programs for me?

 

Posted by Hiram Edwards over 2 years ago
Let's see if any mortgage people will answer this for you.
Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO (RE/MAX Paramount Properties) over 2 years ago

Being in North Carolina I do not feel your pain,  Our average Loan Size is between $175,000 and 250,000.00.  There has to be a limit to a value of a home. 

Posted by John Popp over 2 years ago
In many markets the price points are well above your range.  In Atlanta the average home ealistically starts at about 250K even if trhey say it is lower, it isn't.  In northern Virginia, the average single family detatched home starts at about 550K.
Posted by Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO (RE/MAX Paramount Properties) over 2 years ago

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