by: Tom Laing
FHA HUD homes are those dwellings that have been acquired by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The HUD oversees the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which offers federal insurance on home mortgages. When a home owner fails to meet the payments of a HUD insured mortgage, it results in the home being foreclosed by the mortgage lender. Ownership of the house is then transferred to HUD and the mortgage lender collects the money owed. FHA HUD homes are then put for sale at the current market rate with the aim of selling it off quickly and recovering the money. It, in fact, offers an inexpensive option for those looking to buy FHA HUD homes.
If you’re thinking about buying a home, you might hear the terms manufactured homes, modular home and site built homes. Also, if you are a first time homebuyer you have to be much more careful to pick the right home at the right price. FHA HUD homes, available at about 50% of the original market value, make it a better option for potential buyer to own a house. FHA HUD homes can be considered as the economical option available for a common individual who wishes to own a house.
FHA HUD homes options vary from family residences, townhouses, condominiums and other types of residential properties. FHA HUD homes are the cheapest and most profitable option to buy HUD homes for common man as well as potential investors. For the average buyer, buying an FHA HUD home is considered as an easy way to buy the most house for the least amount of money. But for an investor it is the opportunity to tap the economic potential in re-selling an FHA HUD home at a higher price to somebody ready to buy an FHA HUD home. There are a large number of home buyers who are motivated in buying FHA HUD homes at low market value; this helps them to acquire a larger home than they could normally afford to purchase.
Any qualified purchaser can buy FHA HUD homes. But in order to buy HUD homes, the buyer should have a pre-approved mortgage or possess a verifiable amount of cash for purchase. But the price ranges are such that any low or moderately salaried American can buy HUD homes. In the race to buy HUD homes, an owner-occupant has preference over other buyers if he is deciding to buy a HUD home as his primary residence. But this privilege is valid only for a certain period, beyond which the home will be available to other qualified persons looking to buy a HUD home.
In order to buy FHA HUD homes, a customer can strike the deal only through a real estate agent approved by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. Approved agents can submit bids during any day of a week, from which the highest net bid is chosen. If there is no acceptable bid to buy the HUD home, the home is put to new bidding until sold. On selecting a bid to buy the home, the real estate agent will be notified within 2 days. But it takes about 60 days to complete the settlement, during which time financing is arranged and the sale is closed. If you do not close by the settlement date, your earnest money deposit is forfeited, and you must pay for an extension of the sales contract.
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development would not provide any home loans directly to buy FHA HUD homes. But one can make use of the several insurance mortgage programs available if you wish to buy FHA HUD homes.