Renovation Home Loans
When you’re looking for a new home, it’s possible that you’ll find yourself standing in front of a beautiful house, only to walk inside and feel like you’ve stepped back in time. That uninviting musty smell, drapes from the 1950’s, and pink carpet just like your great grandma used to have. Or you might experience the exact opposite where the home is great inside, but its curb appeal is worse than the house from The Addams Family.
Buying a home that needs some work can be discouraging since renovations can cost thousands of dollars. With a normal mortgage loan, you’d have to buy the home and then come up with additional cash to pay for your upgrades and remodels. But our renovation home loans might change the way you look at a fixer-upper because they allow you to include the cost of your renovations IN the mortgage you use to buy the home.
What is a Renovation Home Loan?
A renovation home loan allows you to take a home that needs a little help and turn it into your dream home without breaking the bank. With renovation mortgages you can include the cost of home improvements or upgrades in the same mortgage used to purchase the home. For example if you wanted to buy a $200,000 home and make $12,000 in upgrades, you could combine those costs into one mortgage with a low down payment.
Renovation Home Loan Details
The details and requirements for a renovation home loan are pretty similar to other mortgage programs, but here are some specific details:
1. Down Payment Requirement
The down payment requirement for renovation home loans is very reasonable, starting at just 3.5% of the purchase price.
2. Credit Score Requirement
You’ll need a middle credit score of 620 or higher to qualify for a renovation mortgage.
3. Interest Rates
Interest rates for renovation home loans are pretty similar to other mortgage programs.
3% down payment, 30 year fixed rate mortgage, 6.274% annual percentage rate (as of 6/13/2018)
What Repairs and Upgrades are Allowed?
With a renovation home loan, you have the flexibility to make a lot of different upgrades and repairs to your new home. Renovation mortgages can help you with:
Kitchen remodel
Home addition - like adding another bedroom
New appliances
Bathroom renovations
Flooring
Heating and air conditioning systems
Decks and patios
Roofing
Plumbing
Fencing
Driveways and sidewalks
Siding
Electrical fixtures and wiring
And more
How does a Renovation Home Loan Work?
Renovation home loans are similar to other mortgage programs. You’ll go through the steps in the home loan process, and then within 30 days of your home loan closing you’ll be able to start your renovations. Since you’re making upgrades in addition to buying the home, you’ll be asked to do a few extra things throughout the process including:
Working with a Contractor
Unfortunately you are not allowed to do the renovations yourself, so you’ll need to work with a licensed contractor. Together you’ll need to create a plan and provide the following documentation:
A detailed proposal of the repairs or upgrades that you want to make
A cost estimate for each repair or improvement broken down into labor and material costs
Working with a Project Inspector - When Renovation Costs are over $35,000
On projects with total renovation costs of more than $35,000, you’ll also be required to work with a Project Inspector or HUD Consultant, in addition to your contractor. The Project Inspector will be there to ensure that all renovations meet guidelines and that the project is moving forward as it should.
How Much Money Can I Borrow for Home Renovations?
It’s possible to borrow a substantial amount of money for home renovations, but stating a specific number is difficult because it depends on how much of a mortgage you can qualify for. By getting pre-approved you’ll be able to determine how much money you can use towards a renovation home loan. Schedule your pre-approval to get started.
