Another good reason to close on your new home before April 1, 2012.
Congress voted in December of last year to increase the guarantee fee charged by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and premiums for mortgage insurance that are charged by the FHA for new mortgage loans.
The amount of the increase that begins April 1, 2012 is equal to 0.1 of 1 percent, (10 basis points) and is approximately $10 per month for each $100,000 of the loan.
Lenders may choose to either raise rates slightly to cover this additional cost, or charge higher fees. Banks and mortgage lenders will need to implement these fees sooner for new loans, so that they are being incorporated into loans closing on and after the deadline.
IMPORTANT: If you are in the midst of a mortgage application, go through the fine print. ASK your attorney to review it as well. This fee may be in your loan package even if you are closing prior to April 1, and NOW is the time to get it removed.
For example, if you are getting a loan of $350,000 that is amortized over 30 years, this new fee translates to $12,600 that you should not have to pay.
And a note From Judy: If you have a question about buying or selling a home in Fairfield County, and are in need of an Realtor to represent you, I invite you to contact me, and if you have an idea for a topic that you would like to see on The CT Realty Blog, please include it in the "Post a Comment" section link below this post. We appreciate the feedback and look forward to providing you with the best real estate content, advice and service in Fairfield County, Connecticut.