Reverse Mortgage 101

Who is eligible?

Eligible property must be a single family dwelling or a two-to-four unit property that you own and occupy. Townhouses, detached homes, units in condominiums and some manufactured homes are eligible. Condominiums must be FHA-approved. In general, cooperative housing is ineligible.

Is it a fancy name for home equity loan?

With a traditional second mortgage, or a home equity line of credit, you must have sufficient income versus debt ratio to qualify for the loan, and you are required to make monthly mortgage payments. With home equity loans, the key part is that you must pay this loan back. However, reverse mortgage is different in that it pays you, and is available regardless of your current income. The amount you can borrow depends on your age, the current interest rate, and the appraised value of your home or FHA's mortgage limits for your area, whichever is less. Generally, the more valuable your home is, the older you are, the lower the interest, the more you can borrow. You don't make payments, because the loan is not due as long as the house is your principal residence. Like all homeowners, you still are required to pay your real estate taxes and other conventional payments like utilities.

Types of Reverse Mortgages

Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM): The Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) is the oldest and most popular reverse mortgage product. HECMs and proprietary reverse mortgages tend to be more costly than other home loans. The up-front costs can be high, so they are generally most expensive if you stay in your home for just a short time. They are widely available, have no income or medical requirements, and can be used for any purpose. Before applying for a HECM, you must meet with a counselor from an independent government-approved housing counseling agency. The counselor must explain the loan’s costs, financial implications, and alternatives. For example, counselors should tell you about government or nonprofit programs for which you may qualify, and any single-purpose or proprietary reverse mortgages available in your area.

The amount of money you can borrow with a HECM or proprietary reverse mortgage depends on several factors, including your age, the type of reverse mortgage you select, the appraised value of your home, current interest rates, and where you live. In general, the older you are, the more valuable your home, and the less you owe on it, the more money you can get. The HECM gives you choices in how the loan is paid to you. You can select fixed monthly cash advances for a specific period or for as long as you live in your home. Or you can opt for a line of credit, which allows you to draw on the loan proceeds at any time in amounts that you choose. You also can get a combination of monthly payments plus a line of credit. HECMs generally provide larger loan advances at a lower total cost compared with proprietary loans. But owners of higher-valued homes may get bigger loan advances from a proprietary reverse mortgage. That is, if you have a higher appraised value without a large mortgage, then you may likely qualify for greater funds. Location (for example, your neighborhood) is only one part of the determination of appraised value.

Single-purpose reverse mortgages, which are offered by some state and local government agencies and nonprofit organizations; federally-insured reverse mortgages and are backed by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD. Single-purpose reverse mortgages generally have very low costs. But they are not available everywhere, and they only can be used for one purpose specified by the government or nonprofit lender, for example, to pay for home repairs, improvements, or property taxes. In most cases, you can qualify for these loans only if your income is low or moderate.

Fannie Mae Home Keeper & Home Keeper for Home Purchase
Mortgage investor Fannie Mae developed its own proprietary Home Keeper® reverse mortgage to supplement the federally insured Home Equity Conversion Mortgage

Financial Freedom Cash Account
Financial Freedom, based in Irvine, CA, introduced a "jumbo" proprietary reverse mortgage product called Cash Account to benefit homeowners living in higher-priced homes valued above the FHA and Fannie Mae lending limits

Steps to Getting a Reverse Mortgage

1. Awareness
Homeowner learns about reverse mortgages from a news article, advertisement, word-of mouth, etc.

2. Upfront Education
Homeowner contacts a reverse mortgage lender or the national reverse mortgage lenders association to learn more about reverse mortgages.

3. Counseling
Homeowner seeks counseling from a local HUD-approved counseling agency, or a national counseling agency, such as AARP and National Foundation for Credit Counseling. Counseling is required for all reverse mortgages and may be conducted face-to-face or by telephone. By law, a counselor must review (i) options, other than a reverse mortgage, that are available to the prospective borrower, including housing, social services, health and financial alternatives; (ii) other home equity conversion options that are or may become available to the prospective borrower, such as property tax deferral programs; (iii) the financial implications of entering into a reverse mortgage; and, (iv) the tax consequences affecting the prospective borrower’s eligibility under state or federal programs and the impact on the estate or his or her heirs.

4. Application/Disclosure
Homeowner fills out a loan application and selects a payment plan, whether fixed monthly payments, lump sum payment, line of credit, or a combination of these. Lender discloses to homeowner the estimated total cost of the loan, as required by the federal Truth in Lending Act. Homeowner provides lender with required information, including verification of Social Security number, copy of deed to home, information on any existing mortgage(s), and counseling certificate.

5. Processing
Lender orders an appraisal, which the homeowner pays for, to place a value on the home. The appraiser makes sure the physical condition of the property meets FHA guidelines. If any structural defects are found, the homeowner must hire a contractor to complete the repairs.

6. Underwriting
After receiving all pertinent information and data, lender finalizes loan parameters with homeowner (i.e., determining payment option, frequency of loan interest rate adjustments) and submits loan package for final approval. It can take anywhere from 4-8 weeks (sometimes sooner, sometimes longer) to underwrite a loan package.

7. Closing
If the loan package is approved, closing (signing) of loan is scheduled. Interest rates are calculated. Closing papers and final figures are prepared. Closing costs are normally financed as part of the loan. Lender or title company has homeowner sign loan papers.

8. Disbursement
Homeowner has three business days after signing papers in which to cancel the loan. Upon expiration of this period, the loan funds are disbursed. Homeowner accesses the funds in the form of the payment option selected. Any existing debt on the home is paid off. A new lien is placed on the home. The homeowner may use the loan proceeds for any purpose. The loan "servicer" manages the account and is responsible for disbursing monthly payments to the homeowner (if this option is chosen), advancing line of credit funds upon request, collecting any repayments on the line of credit, and sending periodic statements.

9. Repayment
Homeowner doesn’t make any monthly mortgage payments during the life of the loan. The loan is repaid when the homeowner ceases to occupy the home as a principal residence. The loan may be repaid by the homeowner or the heirs/estate, with or without a sale of the home. The repayment obligation can’t exceed the home’s value or sales price.