3% Down Payment: New Program from Fannie and Freddie is Great News for Home Buyers

Are you looking to apply for a mortgage? You can simply apply by clicking this link to take you to the application. If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are purchasing a new home or refinancing their existing home, please forward this email to them or reply back to this email with their contact information. I very much appreciate your referrals. I'll take excellent care of them!

Happy New Year everyone, and welcome back to the 2015 edition of our blog!

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have recently released some great news. They are stepping up to the plate to help first-time home buyers with a 3% down, 97% financing, program. Additionally, they are willing to be more flexible with credit scores and debt-to-income ratios. They are also now allowing down payments to be gifted by relatives to first-time home buyers applying for a loan.

This fantastic new program will allow first-time homeowners to get into the market now, while conditions are great. With home prices slated to rise in 2015, now may be the time to lock in a low rate. Renting is costing you more than it costs to own a home right now, so what's stopping you from exploring your buying options?

The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) has officially launched new lending guidelines that will enable the government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) to offer 3% down-payments on mortgages. In a press statement released today by the FHFA, it was announced that these changes are now in effect.

“The new lending guidelines released today by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will enable creditworthy borrowers who can afford a mortgage, but lack the resources to pay a substantial down payment plus closing costs, to get a mortgage with three percent down,” said Matt Watt, Director of FHFA. “These underwriting guidelines provide a responsible approach to improving access to credit while ensuring safe and sound lending practices.“

Freddie Mac announced its new three percent down-payment change under the banner of “Home Possible Advantage.” Dave Lowman, executive vice president of single-family business at Freddie Mac, called the program a “responsible path to homeownership and lenders a new tool for reaching eligible working families ready to own a home of their own.”

Fannie Mae also announced the change, albeit without a special banner, though the GSE stressed that this should not be seen as a be-all/end-all solution.


“This option alone will not solve all the challenges around access to credit,” said Andrew Bon Salle, Fannie Mae’s executive vice president for single family underwriting, pricing and capital markets. “Our new 97 percent LTV offering is simply one way we are working to remove barriers for creditworthy borrowers to get a mortgage. We are confident that these loans can be good business for lenders, safe and sound for Fannie Mae and an affordable, responsible option for qualified borrowers.”

If you're interested in learning more about our market and the great programs out there for first-time home buyers, give The Mortgage Doctor a call. We would certainly love to hear from you!

Information and/or data is subject to change without notice. This is not a commitment to lend or extend credit. All loans are subject to credit approval including credit worthiness, insurability, and ability to provide acceptable collateral. Not all loans or products are available in all states or counties.  ENG Lending and Bank of England are not affiliated with any government agency. ENG Lending is a division of Bank of England. NMLS 418481. Member FDIC.

Happy Holidays from The Mortgage Doctor!

Are you looking to apply for a mortgage? You can simply apply by clicking this link to take you to the application. If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are purchasing a new home or refinancing their existing home, please forward this email to them or reply back to this email with their contact information. I very much appreciate your referrals. I'll take excellent care of them!

Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!

This is the time of year to spend quality time with family, friends, and loved ones. It's important to share memories and laugh a lot during this time, as it's not every day you can get everyone together! 

Also, make sure you tell the people you care about how much you love them. Life is unpredictable, and it can be easy to forget to express how you feel about those you care about! 

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year from The Mortgage Doctor! See you on the other side!

How Can You Eat Smart This Holiday Season?

Are you looking to apply for a mortgage? You can simply apply by clicking this link to take you to the application. If you have any friends, family, or co-workers who are purchasing a new home or refinancing their existing home, please forward this email to them or reply back to this email with their contact information. I very much appreciate your referrals. I'll take excellent care of them!

The holiday season is upon us! With this time of year comes great food and a whole lot of eating. To avoid Dietary Attention Deficit Disorder this holiday season, The Mortgage Doctor wants to share some tips and tricks. To stay healthy and avoid eating too much, eating unhealthy foods, and failing to stay active, follow these quick tips:

• Pre game before the party. The office or holiday party can be awfully tempting. Fill up on high fiber fruits and vegetables (apples, pears, cauliflower, broccoli) before the event so that you won’t be as tempted to eat the high calorie items at the party buffet.

• Go the distance. Put some distance between you and the buffet at the party. Engage in conversation with somebody, play a game, or do something to keep your mind engaged in something else other than the food. Chewing gum is also a great way to keep you from mindless snacking.

• Just say "No" to the food pushers. Often times we feel bad if we refuse food from somebody we love during the holidays. You don't have to be rude, but instead you can say things like, “This spread looks fantastic, but I just can’t eat another bite.” Or “Wow, thank you so much. I already tried that and it was delicious.”

• Step it up. Purchase a pedometer and start tracking your steps. If your daily average is 5,000 steps, increase that by 2,000 steps a week until you can average 10,000-12,000 steps/day.

• Shut down the cookie monster. Are you a cookie baking monster? Do you go on a holiday cookie baking binge? If so, schedule the cookie baking for 1 day. Keep less than 10% of what you bake and give the rest away to friends and neighbors. If you participate in a cookie exchange, you don’t have to bring those cookies back home. Again, you can give away to friends, neighbors, or donate them.

• Track your nutrition. There are so many apps available that can help you keep track of what you are eating and drinking. Tracking your nutrition will also help you be more mindful of what you eat. I recommend My Fitness Pal or Lose it.

• Think your drink. Whether it be a fancy latte, eggnog, or holiday cocktail, it can be really easy to drink your calories. A large peppermint mocha can have at least 500 calories! Try ordering skinny versions by ordering smaller portions, or use skim milk or sugar free syrups.  For alcoholic drinks, skip the eggnog or heavy beers. Tip: A Moscow mule is around 125-150 calories.

• Get competitive. If you own a Fitbit, you can challenge friends to daily step challenges. This can be a huge motivator on a day when you might not feel like being active. 

• Know your numbers & get a physical. Most people wait until after the Holidays to get healthy, but why not start before? Go get a physical and have your Doctor check other important numbers like your blood pressure, cholesterol, and waist circumference. Sometimes our body weight isn’t the best indicator of health. These other numbers are important too! (You can also get your blood pressure checked for free at your local pharmacy.)

• Take time to relax. When we feel stressed, that can lead to overeating. Take time to treat yourself to something restful. Maybe that’s a manicure or pedicure, maybe that’s a few minutes on calm.com, or maybe it’s just taking the dog for a walk. Whatever it is, schedule time for you! 

I hope this information straight from The Mortgage Doctor will help you avoid Dietary Deficit Disorder over the next few months. Have a safe, happy, and healthy holiday season!

Source: Stirlist Amber Pankonin MS, RD, CSP, LMNT

ENG Lending is not affiliated with the Stirlist health website by Amber Pankonin listed here. ENG Lending is a division of Bank of England. NMLS 418481. Member FDIC.