Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac launched their new mortgage guidelines that went into effect last December 1st, now requiring a much lower down payment. From the previous 5% to 3% in what lenders hope will be a good kick start from a sluggish housing market that we have seen lately.
Now the brain trust at WalletHub has released its 2014 Mortgage Insurance Report to help low-down-payment home buyers save up to $12,000 on their decision between a Federal Housing Administration loan and private mortgage insurance.
On the other hand FHA premiums, unlike private mortgage insurance, continue to be assessed throughout the life of a loan, even if the loan to value ratio drops below 80%. This creates a huge cost disparities over time, between private mortgage and the FHA option.
New mortgage guidelines are expected to significantly increase the availability of more new purchases.