| *In
its revised regulations, HUD stuck with a number of previously
announced requirements that have drawn criticism from investors
and developers, including that fifty percent of the units
be owner-occupied. However, HUD says it will no count vacant
or tenant-occupied bank-owned REO (R-E-O) as non-owner occupied
units in the computation.
*The
main changes were that in the controversial policy that
no more than 30 percent of the units in a condo project
could be financed with FHA-insured mortgages. The new
standard maximum will be 50 percent.
*For
new developments or condo conversion projects, FHA financing
will be available in projects where at least 30 percent
of the existing units have been sold.
The
new rules were mainly geared at new condo conversion projects.
Thats where we saw the biggest changes. Its
understandable that they made the changes to new developers,
but why didnt they amend the 50% nonwarrantable
rule? If you noticed, they only helped out developers
of these condos and not future buyers or sellers for that
matter.
Without
amending the 50% nonwarrantable rule, it will be impossible
for the condo market to ever increase in value. Most condos
right now are selling for less than 40k in the Phoenix
Metro area. This is down from 120k over a year ago and
down from 80k less than 12 months ago. Now, this is only
troublesome for buyers and sellers not investors of these
units. Investors can pick these up for a steal right now.
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