How to Avoid a Higher-Priced Mortgage Loan | LendingTree (2024)

Mortgage closing costs can add up at the closing table and over the life of a home loan. One way to avoid a higher-priced mortgage loan may be to stay away from government-backed loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). Borrowers often choose FHA loans for their flexible underwriting guidelines, but the short- and long-term costs may outweigh the benefits.

  • What is a higher-priced mortgage loan?
  • What are HPML requirements?
  • How to avoid HPML loans
  • Which loans are exempt from HPML requirements?

What is a higher-priced mortgage loan?

A higher-priced mortgage loan (HPML) is a mortgage with an annual percentage rate (APR) that’s higher than the average prime offer rate (APOR) offered to well-qualified borrowers.

The APOR is set by the Federal Financial Institutions Examination Council (FFIEC) and is based on a weekly survey of average interest rates and terms offered to highly qualified borrowers.

Because HPML loans typically come with higher interest rates, monthly payments and closing costs, lenders are required to take extra precautions to make sure you can repay your loan (more on this below).

Your APR is not the same as your interest rate; rather, it’s a measure of the cost to borrow your mortgage and includes origination fees, discount points, mortgage insurance and other costs.

HPML rules only apply to first mortgages, second mortgages and jumbo loans on homes used as your primary residence.

Your mortgage may be considered a higher-priced mortgage loan if:

  • You have a first mortgage with an APR that is at least 1.5 percentage points higher than the APOR
  • You have a second mortgage with an APR that is at least 3.5 percentage points higher than the APOR
  • You have a jumbo loan with an APR that is at least 2.5 percentage points higher than the APOR

What are HPML requirements?

If your mortgage is considered an HPML loan, lenders must take extra steps to prove you can repay it. These include:

  • Obtaining a home appraisal. HPML loans may trigger a home appraisal requirement for loan programs that don’t typically require one, such as an FHA streamline refinance.
  • Obtaining a second appraisal. If you’re buying a home that was recently “flipped” (purchased, fixed up and re-listed for sale within a short time period) the lender might order a second appraisal.
  • Maintaining an escrow account for at least five years. Lenders may require you to establish an escrow account, regardless of your down payment amount, to ensure your property tax bills and homeowners insurance premiums are paid on time.
  • Confirmation you are borrowing at least $28,500. HPML rules apply to loan amounts of $28,500 or higher. If you’re borrowing less than that, you’ll be exempt from the extra HPML requirements.

Where you live influences how your lender handles an HPML loan, but your loan officer should be familiar with the guidelines that apply to your situation.

How to avoid HPML loans

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s 2019 Mortgage Market Activity and Trends report found just over 1 in 10 of all home loans used to buy one- to four-unit, owner-occupied site-built homes in 2018 t0 2019 crossed the HPML threshold. However, government-backed loans, manufactured homes and purchase loans were more likely to be higher-priced.

Here are five key ways to avoid an HPML loan:

1. Don’t take out an FHA loan

First-time homebuyers often opt for FHA mortgages because they allow for lower credit scores and higher debt-to-income (DTI) ratios, which measure your total monthly debt compared to your gross monthly income. However, in 2019, 36.5% of FHA loans were higher-priced, according to the aforementioned CFPB report.

THREE FEATURES OF FHA LOANS OFTEN LEAD THEM TO CROSS THE HPML THRESHOLD:
  1. Two types of mortgage insurance are required. FHA borrowers pay a lump-sum upfront mortgage insurance premium (UFMIP) of 1.75% of their loan amount, plus an ongoing annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP), which ranges from 0.45% to 1.05% and paid as part of the monthly mortgage payment. FHA mortgage insurance premiums are factored into the APR calculation.
  2. Mortgage insurance is paid for life with a minimum down payment. A 3.5% down payment comes with lifetime mortgage insurance premiums. A down payment of at least 10% may allow you to stop paying MIP after 11 years — otherwise, MIP can’t be removed even if your home’s value rises.
  3. Credit score minimums may lead to higher interest rates. FHA-approved lenders offset the risk of allowing lower credit scores by charging higher interest rates. That means you might pay more for your FHA loan over the long term compared to other mortgage types.

2. Boost your credit scores so you qualify for a conventional loan

Conventional mortgages require private mortgage insurance (PMI) when you put down less than 20%. PMI can be removed after you’ve reached 20% equity.

Save money on mortgage insurance costs — and avoid the additional HPML restrictions — by taking some extra steps to boost your credit scores above 620:

  1. Pay your credit card balances down. Keeping your credit account balances below 30% of your total available credit will go a long way to increasing your scores. This will also lower your DTI ratio.
  2. Pay everything on time. A recent late payment will damage your credit score, so put your payments on autopay to avoid missing a payment. If you do pay late, wait three to six months to give your scores time to recover before applying for a home loan.

3. Make a bigger down payment

The bigger your down payment, the lower your conventional PMI premiums will be. Lower monthly mortgage insurance costs lead to a lower APR, which may help you dodge the HPML threshold. In addition, making a 20% down payment means you’ll avoid mortgage insurance altogether.

4. Ask the seller to pay closing costs

Lenders calculate your APR based on the amount of costs you’ll actually have to pay. FHA loans allow a seller to pay up to 6% of the purchase price toward your closing costs. That could help push your APR below the HPML limits so you don’t have to deal with HPML requirements.

5. Buy a site-built home

Although manufactured home loans account for a small percentage of originations each year, in 2019, they exceeded the HPML limits about 70% of the time for both conventional and FHA purchase loans.

Which loans are exempt from HPML requirements?

  • Construction loans. HPML rules don’t extend to construction loans to finance a newly built home. However, the rules do come into play with any permanent mortgage used to replace the construction loan after the home is completed.
  • Rural and underserved areas. If you’re buying in a rural area and taking out a mortgage at a smaller bank, you might not need an escrow account.
  • Planned unit development or condo association insurance. Buyers may not have to add the cost of homeowners insurance to an escrow account if their monthly homeowners or condominium association has a master insurance policy that protects all of the units in the development. These types of policies may not cover losses such as burglaries or fires inside your home, however — so make sure you buy a separate homeowners insurance policy to protect everything within the walls of your home.
How to Avoid a Higher-Priced Mortgage Loan | LendingTree (2024)

FAQs

What types of loans are exempt from HPML? ›

The HPML Appraisal Rule exempts the following loans from all of its requirements:
  • Qualified Mortgages, as defined in Regulation Z (12 CFR § 1026.43(e)) and the CFPB's Ability-to-Repay/Qualified Mortgage Rule; ...
  • Reverse mortgages;

What causes a loan to be HPML? ›

Your mortgage will be considered a higher-priced mortgage loan (HPML) if the APR is a certain percentage higher than the APOR, depending on what type of loan you have: First-lien mortgages: If your mortgage is a first-lien mortgage, the lender of this mortgage will be the first to be paid if you go into foreclosure.

How do I write a letter of explanation for an underwriter? ›

The key to writing a great letter of explanation is to keep it short, simple and informative. Be clear and write with as much detail as you can since someone else will need to understand your situation. Avoid including irrelevant information or answers to questions the underwriter didn't ask.

What is prohibited with a higher priced mortgage loan? ›

Higher-priced mortgage loans are subject to the following restrictions: (1) Repayment ability. A creditor shall not extend credit based on the value of the consumer's collateral without regard to the consumer's repayment ability as of consummation as provided in §226.34(a)(4).

What are the HPML rules? ›

The HPML Appraisal Rule applies to residential mortgages–which are not otherwise exempt from the rule–if the APR exceeds the average prime offer rate (APOR) by 1.5 percent for a first-lien or conforming loans, 2.5 percent for first-lien jumbo loans1 and 3.5 percent for subordinate loans.

What are at least 3 things that are prohibited as practices in the mortgage lending markets? ›

Fair Lending
  • Discrimination. The FHA prohibits discrimination in residential real estate–related transactions based on. ...
  • Disparate Impact. ...
  • Disparate Treatment. ...
  • Predatory Lending. ...
  • Unfair and Deceptive Practices.

What can you do if your mortgage is too high? ›

Some options that your servicer might make available include:
  1. Refinance.
  2. Get a loan modification.
  3. Work out a repayment plan.
  4. Get forbearance.
  5. Short-sell your home.
  6. Give your home back to your lender through a “deed-in-lieu of foreclosure”
Sep 9, 2020

What are the major factors affecting loan pricing? ›

pricing, can be attributed to sensitivity of pricing to factorn such as Dollar Value of the loan, the risk of the industry and the financial strength of the borrower, the type and the purpose of the loan, the character of, and relationship with the borrower and the other factors associated with it.

What are the three major factors that you will consider before lending? ›

7 Factors Lenders Look at When Considering Your Loan Application
  • Your credit. ...
  • Your income and employment history. ...
  • Your debt-to-income ratio. ...
  • Value of your collateral. ...
  • Size of down payment. ...
  • Liquid assets. ...
  • Loan term.
Jan 10, 2020

What are the 3 C's of underwriting? ›

The Three C's

After the above documents (and possibly a few others) are gathered, an underwriter gets down to business. They evaluate credit and payment history, income and assets available for a down payment and categorize their findings as the Three C's: Capacity, Credit and Collateral.

What are some red flags for underwriters? ›

General Red Flags
  • verifications that are completed on the same day as ordered or on a weekend/holiday.
  • homeowner's insurance is a rental policy.
  • different mailing addresses on bank statements, pay stubs and W-2s.
  • assets are not consistent with the income.
  • child support noted on pay stubs, but not on loan application.

What are the 4 C's of underwriting? ›

The 4 Cs of Credit helps in making the evaluation of credit risk systematic. They provide a framework within which the information could be gathered, segregated and analyzed. It binds the information collected into 4 broad categories namely Character; Capacity; Capital and Conditions.

What is the most important mortgage to avoid? ›

An interest-only mortgage can be extremely risky for one or more of the following reasons:
  • You may not be able to afford the significantly higher monthly payments when the interest-only period ends. ...
  • You may not be able to refinance if you have little to no home equity.

What type of loan should be avoided? ›

Title Loans

And like home equity loans, you cash in an asset—in this case your car—in exchange for quick funds. The risk is great, as you can lose your car if you don't repay as agreed. Even worse, people can lose their car over an amount much lower than the car's value.

Can a mortgage be higher than the house price? ›

Traditional mortgage programs will not allow a borrower to finance an amount that's above a home's sales price.

What terms are allowed in a high cost mortgage? ›

High-cost mortgages must meet the same three requirements that pertain to higher-priced mortgages, but in addition to these, the following conditions apply, among others: no balloon payment is allowed; the creditor cannot recommend default; the maximum allowed late fee is 4 percent of the past-due payment; points and ...

What is the HPML threshold? ›

Effective January 1, 2022, the exemption threshold amount is increased from $27,200 to. $28,500. This amount is based on the CPI-W in effect on June 1, 2021, which was reported on. 8 See 12 CFR pa rt 34, a ppendix C to subpart G, comment 203(b)(2)-1 and -2 (OCC); 12 CFR part 226, Supplement.

Do all HPML require 2 appraisals? ›

The Rule also requires a creditor to obtain a second written appraisal, at no cost to the borrower, for a HPML when: The seller acquired the dwelling within 180 days prior to the date of the borrower s purchase agreement.

What questions are mortgage lenders not allowed to ask? ›

Because of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (ECOA), lenders are prohibited from discriminating against you because of your age, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and if you receieve income from public assistance programs.

What are some common lending abuses that borrowers should avoid? ›

Predatory Lending Practices
  • Inadequate or False Disclosure. ...
  • Risk-Based Pricing. ...
  • Inflated Fees and Charges. ...
  • Loan Packing. ...
  • Loan Flipping. ...
  • Asset-Based Lending. ...
  • Reverse Redlining. ...
  • Balloon Mortgages.

What are 3 factors that affect the terms of a loan for a borrower? ›

7 Main Factors That Determine Loan Amounts
  • 1) Credit Score. Lenders determine loan amounts based on a borrower's credit score. ...
  • 2) Credit History. ...
  • 3) Debt-to-Income Ratio. ...
  • 4) Employment History. ...
  • 5) Down Payment. ...
  • 6) Collateral. ...
  • 7) Loan Type & Loan Term. ...
  • Apply for a Loan with HRCCU.
Aug 6, 2021

Which type of loan is exempt from RESPA? ›

The sale of a loan after the original funding of the loan at settlement is a secondary market transaction. Such a sale is exempt from RESPA coverage as a secondary market transaction.

Which loans are exempt from HOEPA rules? ›

Loans Exempt from HOEPA Coverage
  • Reverse mortgages.
  • Construction Loans (applies to only the initial construction of a new dwelling)
  • Loans originated and directly financed by Housing Finance Agency (HFA)
  • Loans originated under the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA's) Rural Development Loan Program.

What loans are exempt from HMDA? ›

A Closed-End Mortgage Loan or an Open-End Line of Credit that is temporary financing. A transaction is excluded as temporary financing if it is designed to be replaced by permanent financing at a later time. A loan or line of credit is not temporary financing merely because its term is short.

What type of loan is not covered by RESPA? ›

A “bridge loan” or “swing loan” in which a lender takes a security interest in otherwise covered 1- to 4-family residential property is not covered by RESPA and this part.

What are the 4 types of qualified mortgages? ›

There are four types of QMs – General, Temporary, Small Creditor, and Balloon-Payment.

What are the 6 RESPA triggers? ›

The six items are the consumer's name, income and social security number (to obtain a credit report), the property's address, an estimate of property's value and the loan amount sought.

What types of loans are not subject to Trid? ›

The rule does NOT apply to Home Equity Line of Credit transactions reverse mortgages mortgages secured by a mobile home or other dwelling that is not attached to real property. Also, TRID rules do NOT apply to loans made by a person or business that makes 5 or fewer mortgages in a calendar year.

What are the HOEPA fee triggers for 2022? ›

For HOEPA loans, the adjusted total loan amount threshold for high-cost mortgages in 2022 will be $22,969. The adjusted points-and-fees dollar trigger for high-cost mortgages in 2022 will be $1,148.

What are the thresholds for identifying high-cost loans under HOEPA? ›

HOEPA (§ 1026.32(a)(1)(ii) and Comments 32(a)(1)(ii)-1 and -3): For HOEPA loans, the adjusted total loan amount threshold for high-cost mortgages for the year 2022 will be $22,969, an increase from $22,052 in 2021.

What does HOEPA not apply to? ›

HOEPA does not apply to reverse mortgages, new purchases, or construction or home equity lines of credit. If a loan is subject to HOEPA, the lender must make certain disclosures to the borrower at least three days before the loan is finalized.

What are the three most common errors in HMDA reporting? ›

Common HMDA Errors to Check Before Filing
  • Reporting Cash-out Refinancing rather than Refinancing for the Loan Purpose. ...
  • Reporting Withdrawn rather than Approved Not Accepted. ...
  • Reporting the wrong score (or not reporting one at all for loans approved but not accepted)
Feb 26, 2020

What type of loan is not reportable under HMDA? ›

Business purpose loans are only reported if the purpose is to purchase, refinance or improve a dwelling. This loan would not be HMDA reportable.

Does HMDA apply to all loans? ›

HMDA requires many, but not all, lenders to collect and report information regarding loan applications they receive, loans they originate and loans they purchase from other lenders. Not all loans are included; information is only reported if the loan or application meets specific criteria set forth in Regulation C.

What are two things RESPA prohibits? ›

RESPA Section 8(a) and Regulation X, 12 CFR § 1024.14(b), prohibit giving or accepting a fee, kickback, or thing of value pursuant to an agreement or understanding (oral or otherwise), for referrals of business incident to or part of a settlement service involving a federally related mortgage loan.

What are examples of RESPA violations? ›

RESPA violations include bribes between real estate representatives, inflating costs, the use of shell entities and referrals in exchange for settlement services.

Does RESPA apply to all mortgages? ›

The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) is applicable to all “federally related mortgage loans,” except as provided under 12 CFR 1024.5(b) and 1024.5(d), discussed below.

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