Category Archives: Housing Market

Buy a Home for Your Parents With This Special Loan Program

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As a long-time Mortgage lender in Sacramento, I have used this relatively unknown loan program to help my clients purchase new homes for their parents while avoiding the more stringent rules and higher rates that come with buying an investment property.

It is not uncommon that I get that call from a concerned client, trying to figure out how to help their parents move closer to them, so they can spend more time with the grandkids, or worse case they need emergency help. The challenge of long-distance caregiving can be a significant drain on the family, and this program may be the answer.

Unfortunately, purchasing a second home or investment property often means you need to put up a much larger down payment than you would for a primary residence, and the interest rate might be higher. The benefit of this Family Opportunity Mortgage is that even if you currently own a primary residence, the new loan is subject to the same guidelines and rates as an owner-occupied home! If your parents don’t have sufficient income or cannot work and wouldn’t qualify for a mortgage on their own, this could be the program you could use to help them.

This unique mortgage offers several benefits over traditional second home mortgages. First, no occupancy requirements – For second homes, typical rules require the borrower to occupy the home for some part of the year. There is no such requirement for this type of mortgage however, the parents must live in the property as their primary residence.

Secondly, there are no distance requirements – Some underwriters may require that a second home not be located near your primary residence. This rule has softened, but the underwriter would ask for a strong case of why this home should be considered a 2nd home under standard underwriting guidelines. But thankfully, with this program, there are no distance requirements! The home could be located right next to yours or in a different town; it’s still priced and underwritten as a primary residence, allowing you to secure a home for your parents at a lower cost.

Not all lenders offer this program, so be sure to ask your lender if this is available or give me a call anytime. We can cover this in more detail to see if you are eligible for this unique program.

The above information is for educational purposes only. All data, loan programs, and interest rates are subject to change without notice. All loans are subject to underwriter approval. Terms, conditions, and eligibility requirements apply. Always consult an accountant or tax advisor for complete eligibility requirements on tax deduction.

Home values are up. Can you still afford to buy?

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Home prices in California are going up and will probably continue to do so. Does that mean they are less affordable?

The news can be misleading and confusing as it recently touted the significant move higher in the median home price, currently up 15% nationally versus last year. And 14.3% in Sacramento County, says the Sacramento Association of Realtors. 15% sounds awfully high. But the median home price does not measure appreciation. Instead, it marks the middle price point of recent home sales. 

With a substantial lack of inventory for lower-priced homes, more transactions occur for higher-priced homes, which pushes the median home price higher.

The actual Sacramento home price appreciation rate was about 1.25% for the last quarter, or 5% annualized. And it is forecasted to increase by a similar margin next year. So have you been priced out of the market?

The short answer is no, or at least not yet. California’s affordability factor has improved year over year because mortgage rates are down by almost a full percent, and incomes have gone up (Avg. weekly net pay is up 5.7% year over year nationally). Also, remember, only a portion of your income goes towards paying your mortgage. A 5% rise in income can offset a much more significant percentage rise in housing expense.

Let’s assume your monthly earnings did not improve from last year. Consider a buyer’s max purchase price of a new home, based on his/her income and debt was $450,000 last year. Maybe this buyer decided to wait because they were nervous about the market. Now, that home is worth about $472,500.

As a mortgage professional, if I were to use the same income and debt structure I used last year, this buyer would now afford a home for $490,000. This tells us that homes are actually more affordable, even though they have appreciated.

Granted, I am using very simple math here, and this does not get into down payment or cash required to purchase this home but is purely to show you the media doesn’t’ always get it right. Take the time to work through these numbers with a mortgage professional you trust, and don’t give up your dream of homeownership!