Archive for Chris Birk
VA Loan Volume Surges, Remains Safest Mortgage Option
The VA Loan Guaranty program had a big year in FY11, driven by a surge in refinance loans and a tighter lending climate that’s drawing renewed attention to this flexible, government-backed mortgage. The VA guaranteed nearly 360,000 loans last year, a 14-percent increase from FY10. Since FY07, the number of VA loan guaranties has surged [...]
8Feb2012 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
VA Funding Fees Set Through September 2016
Military homebuyers finally got some clarity this week regarding the VA Funding Fee, a mandatory governmental charge applied to all VA loans that has been in a legislative limbo. The fee helps fund the VA Loan Guaranty program and ensures this long-cherished lending mechanism remains outside any Congressional appropriations process. Confusion took root this fall when [...]
28Nov2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
Why VA Loans Are More Important Than Ever
The last few years have proved a mixed bag for home buyers and homeowners alike. Borrowers who qualify have reaped the benefits of government-sponsored tax credit programs and record-low interest rates. At the same time, the subprime mortgage meltdown and ensuing financial crisis created a restrictive credit environment and made it significantly tougher for some [...]
14Nov2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
Spread the Word: Millions of Veterans Unaware of their VA Home Loan Benefits
The VA loan program has helped more than 18 million service members achieve the dream of homeownership since 1944. Today, these flexible loans remain the safest and most powerful lending option on the market for military borrowers and their families. Qualified veterans can purchase a home without having to spend money on a down payment, [...]
11Nov2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
Firms Accused of Fleecing VA Mortgage Borrowers
Thirteen lenders — including Wells Fargo, JP Morgan Chase and Bank of America — allegedly collected illegal fees worth millions of dollars from VA borrowers. In hundreds of thousands of VA refinancing transactions, the lenders allegedly charged an additional $300 to $1,000 per loan, according to claims made in a lawsuit by two whistleblowers. In [...]
6Oct2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
VA Waives Funding Fee Gap for Mortgage Borrowers, Lenders
Some last-minute confusion regarding legislative changes to VA loan fees has left some lenders and prospective homeowners scrambling for clarity with home closings on the line. But the Department of Veterans Affairs sought to calm fears over the weekend, pledging to cover additional costs while waiting for President Obama to act on a bill that [...]
5Oct2011 | Chris Birk | 3 comments | Continued
Buying from a Bunker: Service Members Can Secure Home Loans While Abroad
Military members live on the go. From domestic reshuffling to extended overseas deployments, service members and their families face frequent relocation. Hassles and headaches can easily follow. All that moving can take a toll on finances and credit health. But serving overseas doesn’t mean military members have to hold off on their pursuit of a [...]
13Jul2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
Vets Get $22 Million to Settle Mortgage Foreclosure Claims
Two national mortgage lenders will pay more than $22 million to settle claims under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) that they allegedly violated a law meant to insulate military members from illegal foreclosure, according to the Department of Justice. A Bank of America subsidiary improperly foreclosed on about 160 service members from January 2006 [...]
15Jun2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
Citi Rolls Out Mortgage Relief Program for Disabled Veterans
Disabled veterans with Citi-owned mortgages may be able to tap into a special relief program recently announced by the financial giant. The program cuts interest rates for eligible service members and waives late fees and other past due amounts. The 2.5 percent rate reduction covers a two-year window. Service members are required to provide documentation [...]
31May2011 | Chris Birk | 0 comments | Continued
Tornado Relief Sought for VA Mortgage Loan Borrowers
The VA is asking mortgage lenders and servicers to provide relief to military borrowers in areas affected by April’s devastating tornadoes. In a circular released earlier this month, the agency encourages servicers to waive late charges and halt credit reporting for veterans whose homes, families or livelihoods were impacted by the storms, which tore through [...]
18May2011 | Chris Birk | 1 comment | Continued
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