Freddie Mac has announced a new home improvement loan program called the CHOICERenovation Mortgage. This product replaces Freddie Mac’s previous renovation mortgages and is very similar to Fannie Mae’s HomeStyle Renovation and FHA 203k loans. It offers many benefits to borrowers looking to improve their property .
How does it work?
The CHOICERenovation mortgage differs from its predecessor in that it eliminates the need for intermediary financing for construction and allows the borrower to obtain one loan at closing to cover the cost of purchasing the home and any proposed renovations or repairs. Since more than 80% of homes nationwide are at least 20 years old and another 40% are more than 50 years old, Freddie Mac recognizes that many homes will need significant improvements to attract buyers. A CHOICERenovation mortgage allows potential buyers to make these improvements up front with a single mortgage.
The mortgage can take the form of a 30- or 15-year fixed loan or a 5/1 or 7/1 ARM, and the maximum loan amount can reach each county’s super-qualified limits.
Who can it help?
CHOICE Renovation Mortgages are designed to meet the needs of property buyers (especially first-time buyers) as well as existing homeowners. It can also help multi-generational families who need to modify their homes to meet their unique living needs. This program can even be used to help those whose homes have been damaged by natural disasters and those who wish to prevent damage from future natural disasters by securing their property with things like retaining walls, improved foundations, or storm barriers.
What are requirements?
Loan proceeds must be used to pay for renovations to an existing property, not to demolish the old one and build a new one . It can also be used to fund title costs , appraisals, plan fees, permits, and up to six months of mortgage payments. Loan proceeds cannot be used for any items (other than appliances) that are not permanently attached to the property. CHOICERenovation mortgages require that all planned renovations be completed within one year of loan origination.
Freddie Mac allows these mortgages to be used for 1-4 primary residence units, single-family second homes, investment properties, and manufactured homes.
LTV reports
The value of the property on these loans is determined as the lower of the purchase price of the home plus renovation costs or the appraised value of the renovated home. If an existing loan is refinanced under the program, the value is simply the appraised value after upgrades or improvements. Acceptable loan-to-value ratios for the CHOICERenovation mortgage are as follows:
In the United States, financial companies can be of many types, including commercial banks, investment companies, insurance companies, asset management companies, etc. Each entity has specific functions and operations, but together, their goal is to provide financial services such as lending, investing, insurance, and asset management to meet the financial needs of individuals, businesses, and other organizations.
- Primary residences 1 unit: 95%
- 2-unit primary residences: 85%
- Primary homes with 3 or 4 units: 80%
- Second home 1 unit: 90%
- 1 unit investment properties: 85%
- Prefabricated houses: 95%
This aid program is undoubtedly a great opportunity , as it will allow you to have the money to finance a home. We hope that this content helps you. All the information is collected from official sources, so we invite you to visit the blog where we share everything related to housing. See you in the next content.