FHA Buy and Bail Exceptions

 

HUD-4155.1 REV-5, paragraph 1-2

 

Principal Residences

Question 50: If my principal residence is currently covered by an FHA-insured mortgage, can I purchase another principal residence with an FHA-insured mortgage?

Answer: Only under the following situations described below:

a) Relocation – Relocating to another area not within a reasonable commuting distance from the current principal residence. There is no need to reduce the principal balance. Reference to HUD Handbook 4155.1, 4.B.2.d and Mortgagee Letter 2008-25.

b) Increase in Family Size AND the outstanding mortgage balance on the present property is paid down to 75 percent or less LTV exclusive of any financed MIP.

1 – A current residential appraisal must be used to determine LTV compliance.
2 – The borrower must provide satisfactory evidence of the increase in dependents and how the property no longer meet the family needs. See
Handbook 4155.1, 4.B.2.d.

c) Vacating a jointly owned property; Please Note: Situation cited in HUD Handbook 4155.1, 4.B.2.d. is only meant to be one example of an acceptable situation.

d) Non-occupying co-borrower; On a case-by-case basis, a relative could be a non-occupying co-borrower on more than one FHA-insured property. For example, Mom and Dad are non-occupying co-borrowers on both son and daughter’s FHA-insured mortgages. Reference Handbook 4155.1, 4.B.2.d.

Note: To prevent circumvention of the restrictions on FHA-insured mortgages to investors, FHA generally will not insure more than one mortgage for any borrower (transactions in which an existing FHA mortgage is paid off and another FHA mortgage is acquired are acceptable.

FHA will not insure a mortgage if FHA concludes that the transaction was designed to use FHA mortgage insurance as a vehicle for obtaining investment properties, even if the property to be encumbered will be the only one owned using FHA mortgage insurance.

Contact us now by filling out the form below to find out if you qualify for one of these exceptions.

Contact Us
* indicates required field