Everything to Know About Bridge Loans

Life happens, the market changes and sometimes you need to make an offer on your next home before your current one sells. This is commonplace these days, and sometimes the only way not to lose that opportunity at your dream home! Our team at theLoanDesigner will create a custom Bridge Loan for you to help cover your anticipated down payment. Learn more below with our Founder & Branch Manager, Patty Newby, as she walks you through Bridge Loans 101.

All loans are subject to underwriting or investor approval. Other restrictions may apply. This is not an offer of credit or a commitment to lend. Guidelines subject to change

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Bridge Loan Today

FHA Home Loans
What is an FHA Loan?
An FHA loan is a mortgage that’s insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), a U.S. government agency within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. The government agrees to insure loans for lenders that have been FHA approved to reduce risk to the lender.

Types
While the FHA insures many types of loans, the FHA 203(b) and FHA 203(k) tend to be the most popular, Loan limits $563,500 in many DFW Counties. FHA limits are based on county. Connect with us at startetheLoan Designer.com for your specific county. FHA limits are based on county.

  • FHA 203(b) Mortgages: The FHA 203(b) is widely known as the basic FHA loan and is the most common loan that the FHA insures. This type of loan has more relaxed qualification guidelines than conventional loans because the government helps to manage the lender’s risk. As with many conventional mortgages, FHA 203(b) mortgage funds are typically disbursed in a single amount. These types of loans can be some of the most affordable, requiring down payments as low as 3.5%.
  • FHA 203(k) Mortgages: The FHA 203(k) loan is often known as a rehabilitation mortgage, because they’re intended for homes that require either minor remodels or significant structural repairs. They’re similar to the 203(b), with funds included for home improvements, renovations, and repairs. This type of loan is disbursed in stages, usually separated by the amount needed for the purchase of the home and individual repairs as they are certified and completed. The size of 203(k) loans varies depending upon the work that needs to be done and the type of loan given, however the maximum amount permitted for this type of loan is the home’s value plus $35,000.
  • FHA Streamline 203(k) Mortgage: The Streamline 203(k) loan is a simplified process that eliminates much of the paperwork required for a normal rehabilitation mortgage. This type of loan is intended for purely cosmetic remodeling, such as kitchen, bathroom, patio, deck, or siding; therefore, the available funding is less than that of a normal 203(k) loan. The amount permitted for a Streamlined 203(k) is limited to one of two options: the purchase price of the home plus renovation expenses or 110% of the home’s value. The loan will be limited to the lesser of the two totals.

How Can an FHA Loan Help You?
Lenders take on considerably less risk with an FHA loan because the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development agrees to cover any loss they may incur if there are problems with the payment of the mortgage. This allows lenders to offer loans with lower interest, more flexible terms, and less stringent guidelines. These benefits will make it easier for you and your family to build home equity and refinance your mortgage in the future if you choose to do so.
It’s also typically easier to qualify for an FHA loan than it would be to qualify for a conventional loan. To qualify for an FHA loan, a less-than-perfect credit score is usually acceptable. Another advantage of choosing an FHA loan is that this type of loan is usually assumable. This means that if you choose to sell your home, the new homebuyer can assume your remaining FHA insured loan balance.

All loans are subject to underwriting or investor approval. Other restrictions may apply. This is not an offer of credit or a commitment to lend. Guidelines subject to change

Get Started with your
FHA Home Loan Today

VA Home Loans

What is a VA Home Loan?
For veterans of surviving spouses of veterans, getting a VA home loan can make financing your house much easier. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) guarantees a portion of VA mortgage loans. In other words, the VA adopts the responsibility of covering any losses that may occur from the loan defaulting. This extra guarantee allows the lender to offer more relaxed guidelines, lower interest, and no down payments. VA loans come in varying amounts depending on location, however, they all come at 0% down and the upfront funding fee is rolled into the balance of the loan. The loans are designed to provide long-term financing to service members, veterans and their eligible surviving spouses. As veterans lending specialists in Frisco, Texas and the greater DFW Metroplex, theLoanDesigner is government-qualified to issue VA loans to any eligible client.

How to Qualify for a VA Loan?
To qualify for a VA loan, you must identify as one or more of the following:

  • An active service member
  • A member of the National Guard or Reserves for more than 6 years
  • A veteran who has served 90+ consecutive days of active service in wartime and 181+ consecutive days in peacetime
  • A surviving spouse of a service member who has died either in the line of duty or as a result of a service-related injury

In addition to the above requirements, to qualify for a VA loan, you must be able to provide proper documentation, including W2 forms for the last two years, your last two pay stubs, documentation of assets such as bank accounts, and your DD Form 214 (Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty).

VABA

Here are some of the VA loan program’s signature benefits:

  • Zero Percent Down: Conventional loans Can require 3% to 5% down or more, which can make them unaffordable for many service members and veterans. Fortunately for those with full eligibility, VA loans are among the last remaining home loans available on the market that require no down payments.
  • No Monthly Insurance Premiums (PMIs): Unlike other government-backed financing options, VA home loans don’t require borrowers to pay private monthly insurance. VA loans don’t require PMI because the federal government provides the backing and protection that’s usually covered by private monthly mortgage insurance payments. This helps to minimize monthly payments, which will save eligible borrowers thousands of dollars and help build more equity over the life of the mortgage.
  • Lower Interest Rates: Mortgage interest rates are always dependent upon the relative amount of risk assumed by lenders in financing the loan. In carrying federal government backing, VA loans constitute much less risk on the part of the financial institutions acting as lenders. This allows these institutions to offer interest rates that are about 0.5 to 1 percent lower than the interest rates of conventional loans.

How VA Loans Can Help You
The VA loan program offers flexible, government-insured loans with significant benefits to U.S. veterans and their surviving loved ones. With no down payments or mortgage insurance premiums, VA loans offer affordable financing that will make it easier for y and your family to build home equity in the coming years or refinance your mortgage if you so choose in the future.

All loans are subject to underwriting or investor approval. Other restrictions may apply. This is not an offer of credit or a commitment to lend. Guidelines subject to change

Get Started with your
VA Home Loan Today

Conventional Home Loans

Conventional Mortgage Loans vs. Government-Insured Loans
With any type of loan comes a certain amount of risk for the financial institution acting as a lender. Often, the government will mitigate this risk by offering programs that will cover potential losses. When certain conditions are met, this can benefit both the lender and the borrower. On the other hand, when the government isn’t covering potential losses, a private company must provide this insurance. These loans can be more costly and more difficult to attain for individuals with low credit or income; however, they offer more freedom than government-backed loans can.

Why go Conventional?

If you or your property don’t qualify for a government-insured loan, like an FHA or VÁ loan, Patty Newby will work with you to find the conventional loan that will help you finance your home in Dallas, Texas and beyond. Conventional loans can offer several financing benefits that government-insured loans can’t provide. With theLoanDesigner, you will have an experienced professional by your side to determine which financing option will be best suited for your unique situation.

Conventional Loan Types

  • Conforming Loans: These conventional loans use the guidelines set by the two major government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Conforming conventional loans are subject to a standard maximum of $806,500 for a single- family home. (This standard can change based upon the average price of living in your area.) Other standard guidelines for conventional loans include requirements for borrower credit scores and borrower annual income and a minimum down payment 3% or more.
  • Non-conforming Loans: Loans that don’t conform to the guidelines set by the government-sponsored enterprises are known as non-conforming loans. For example, loans that exceed the maximum loan amount set by these guidelines are known as jumbo loans. Whether a loan is conforming or non-conforming, if it’s not government-insured, it’s considered a conventional loan.

Fixed-Rate vs. ARM Conventional Loans
The interest that you pay on a conventional loan depends on the type. There are two ways that interest is managed for conventional loans, with a fixed rate or an adjustable rate.

  • Fixed Rate Mortgage: With a fixed-rate mortgage, the interest rate is established when you take out the loan and is never subject to change. Depending on the economy, this set rate may be high, low, or somewhere between. During periods when interest rates are low, a fixed-rate mortgage may be the best choice. Fixed-rate loans keep the same interest during the life of the loan, despite any changes in the economic climate. This means you could be locked into a low rate early that will save you thousands of dollars, or you could be locked into a rate that will prove high compared to changing industry standards.
  • Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARMs): Unlike a fixed-rate mortgage, interest rates on an adjustable-rate mortgage will fluctuate with the changing market. This means that your interest rate will consistently be compared to a broader measure of current interest rates, called an index. When this index goes up or down, so will your mortgage payments. This insures that your interest rate is always conforming to current industry standards, which can be an advantage if interest rates drop; however, these types of loans are unpredictable and your monthly payments may increase dramatically. Many ARMS come with limits that set maximums and minimums for the adjustments in your interest rates.
All loans are subject to underwriting or investor approval. Other restrictions may apply. This is not an offer of credit or a commitment to lend. Guidelines subject to change

Get Started with your
Conventional Home Loan

Construction Loans

One of theLoanDesigner’s mainstays since 2004, Construction loans have helped many clients move into their dream home in both Frisco and Plano, Texas and beyond. Founder & Branch Manager, Patty Newby, has personally used the construction program for her own home, and looks forward to sharing her experience with you.

You’ll receive rapid turn times from the approval process to funding because our experienced team does everything in house! That also means we keep control of your file in house, and one-time closes are available. Clear and constant communication is the key to our success, ensuring a stress-free process for you from application through funding. We’re Fannie-Mae approved, so we can sell directly with no overlays.

We offer Construction and Jumbo Construction loans, Fannie Mae HomeStyle Renovation and Interim Construction loans as well as 203K Rehab.

Our top priority is you – theLoan Designer team knows you have many choices, so we strive to make the difference you deserve.
Construction Solutions:

  • All of Texas surrounding areas
  • Construction Loans finance the construction of a home while interest payments are made during the construction phase. Upon completion of the construction, the permanent loan is closed

Borrower

  • Has a lot purchased in their name
  • Has hired or contracted a builder to build their home
  • Purchase lot from individual at the time of construction financing (simultaneous closing)

Loan Terms

  • Construction financing available up to 95%
  • Maximum loan amount $1,000,000.00 (need more than $IM, give me a call)
  • Owner Occupied Properties
  • FICO – Down to 640
  • Low Fixed rates
  • Standard loan term – 7 months
All loans are subject to underwriting or investor approval. Other restrictions may apply. This is not an offer of credit or a commitment to lend. Guidelines subject to change

Get Started with your
Construction Home Loan

Jumbo Loans
What is a Jumbo loan?

A Jumbo loan is a mortgage loan that exceeds the traditional conforming limit or conventional loans (the conforming limit is the standard price limit theLoanDesigner will buy). This limit is set by the two government-sponsored agencies who buy the majority of U.S. residential mortgages – Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Although these limits apply to most loans, the Loan Designer will work with you to get you the Jumbo loan you deserve.

One of theLoan Designer’s mainstays since 2004, Jumbo loans have helped many clients buy, build or refinance their dream home in Lewisville, Texas and beyond. Inclusive of flexible programs that require no mortgage insurance and as little as 10% down, Founder & Branch Manager, Patty Newby, will work with you to get the Jumbo loan you need.We offer Construction and Jumbo Construction loans, Fannie Mae HomeStyle Renovation and Interim Construction loans as well as 203K Rehab.

Due to the large monetary value of Jumbo loans, borrowers are expected to prove their financial stability and responsibility to qualify for one. Having a low debt-to income ratio is important to demonstrate to lenders that you are able to pay monthly principal, taxes, interest, and insurance. With Patty’s team on your side, you can be sure that you will obtain the Jumbo loan that is best fit for your financial situation.

All loans are subject to underwriting or investor approval. Other restrictions may apply. This is not an offer of credit or a commitment to lend. Guidelines subject to change

Get Started with your
Jumbo Home Loan Today