Business

<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Friday, October 17, 2008 You can still get a home loan Conditions are favorable for buyers with the right credit and income, area lenders say. By Debra Smith Herald Writer Despite what's happening in the international credit market, Vern Holden wants potential buyers to know banks are still lending money to local home buyers. The Mill Creek Windermere broker adds this caveat: Unlike a few years ago, buyers need a decent credit score and an employment history. "There is financing out there, but don't expect to buy a house if you're making $8.50 an hour and you've only been working 30 days," Holden said. "Those days are gone." There's a "huge disparity" between national news and the availability of credit for local home buyers, said James Wirth, a loan originator with Landover Mortgage, which has offices in Snohomish County. "The mortgage market is unaffected by recent economic changes," he said. "We really are not seeing the fallout on the mortgage side. Lenders are still lending." Wirth said media reports have focused on the number of lenders folding rather than what remains. Lenders are still lending and mortgages are still out there, he said. Buyers can even find loans with zero down payments. A U.S. Department of Agriculture loan aimed at homes in rural areas requires no down payment. Buyers with credit scores as low as 580 can still qualify for FHA loans with a 3 percent down payment. FHA loans are government mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration. Many of the people who took subprime loans could have qualified for FHA loans, but didn't because subprime loans required less paperwork and a higher debt-to-income ratio, which allowed borrowers to buy more house, Wirth said. A surge of buyers have taken advantage of FHA loans recently, he said, and some buyers may qualify for down payment assistance from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission (www.wshfc.org). Borrowers interested in adding a second mortgage on their home or purchasing an investment property will find less favorable terms and tighter restrictions, Wirth said. Those interested in buying a condominium may also find tighter restrictions, since there's an assumption condo values are more likely to fall quickly. Most lenders will expect at least a 5 percent or 10 percent down payment on loans for condos, he said. It's important for buyers to be approved for a loan prior to falling in love with their dream house, he said. More lookers are turning into buyers, and real estate agents are fielding more questions from buyers about financing, said Diedre Haines, Coldwell Banker Bain's regional managing broker for the county. She said loans seemed to more difficult to get earlier in the year, a time when rapid market changes made loan programs disappeared fast. Now, she said, that doesn't seem to be an issue. Interest rates remain favorable and there are good loan programs available, she said. More than two-thirds of the buyers her agents work with are using FHA or Veteran Administration loans. "FHA has become the new magic word and more people are turning to it," she said. Reporter Debra Smith: 425-339-3197 or dsmith@heraldnet.com. READER COMMENTS Be the first to comment. You must be a registered user and verify your e-mail address to post comments to blogs or articles on HeraldNet. To register, click here. To read other terms and conditions, click here. Log out

1. Teen dies after Granite Falls crash 2. Bikini coffee stands to be regulated as adult entertainment 3. Sultan brothers plead guilty in death of rival gang member 4. Body found after house catches fire north of Bothell 5. Gregoire unveils budget with deep cuts, will press for tax hikes 6. Grief and gratitude expressed for four slain officers 7. Two teenagers hurt in crash near Granite Falls 8. Friends and family honor Clearview couple who loved always 9. Roe appointed interim county prosecutor 10. Arlington's budget is ‘bare bones' 2 - Top 10 Stories Most Talked about 3 - Top 10 Stories Most Emailed

• Zambian woman thanks students for their help • Food banks see rise in use • ‘Making Spirits Bright’ in Edmonds • Wolfpack takes aim at state • Seahawks help students smile • 95 and still volunteering • Sno-King joined by local TV king • Veterans back for Wildcats • Lynnwood seeks to plug $2 million budget gap • Boeing will build, flight test and deliver 787s in South Carolina to spe ... • Snohomish County EDC promoting job growth in key industry clusters • $4 million grant to advance brain tumor research has Everett links • Providence medical center construction tops off its 12-story steel frame ... • Tulalip affordable housing project to be financed by KeyBank, Raymond Ja ... • Arlington's Lak of Ink has a growing following for Luke Kooyman's creati ... • Bank of the Northwest formed • Cascade Bank earns $1.6 million