FHA Reform Act and Annual Mortgage Premiums; What an Increase Means for Borrowers
The House of Representatives recently passed the FHA Reform Act (H.R. 5072). The bill, sponsored by Representative Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), would give authority to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to increase premiums (a.k.a. mortgage insurance) on loans guaranteed by the FHA. It passed by a vote of 406 to 4 and now heads to the Senate for a vote. The FHA does not make home loans, it insures lenders against mortgage defaults. As a matter of fact, the FHA insures nearly one-third of all new mortgages in the U.S. This is up from just 4% percent in 2006. Due to the high number of mortgage defaults that have occurred over the past few years, the FHA reserves have fallen below the limit allowed by law. The proposed bill hopes to bolster the FHA reserve level. http://bit.ly/aN7AnU
