List of HUD Approved Condo's In Tampa, Saint Petersburg & Clearwater Florida Conventional Lenders will only lend on Condominiums that are on HUDS APPROVED PROPERTIES list. List of HUD Approved Condo's If it's not on the list we need a Condo Questionnaire completed. It may at that time be added to the list. Condominiums with at least 51% full time residents without weekly rental rates are best suited for the program. Most lenders require a condo questionnaire to be completed to determine eligibility but in some cases the lender will use only the appraisal to find out if condo is suitable for their loan portfolio.   03/25/2011

State of Florida Home Buyer Assistance Program Process and Time Line by County 1.  County sponsored home buyer education class is required. 2.  Home buyer is APPROVED and signs contract for home. 3.  Lender sends Reservation Form with contact to county. 4.  With-in 5 days, home is inspected by county staff. 5.  If necessary, lead based paint assessment is completed. 6.  Lender sends loan package to county. IF NO REPAIRS ARE NECESSARY...... 7.  County approves application package. 8.  County contracted appraiser completes appraisal. 9.  Home buyer meets with home buyer counselor. 10. Mortgage package e-mailed to title company. 11. Home buyer assistance check is released by county after HUD 1 is approved. 12. Closing occurs at the offices of the title company. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE ... 02/08/2011

Realtors; Closing Agents and Settlement Fees - Here is an internal Memo that became privy to me from a well known lender this morning.  "We are seeing that some Realtors are requiring certain Title Agents to act as the Closing Agent with the buyer having no say in the matter. These particular Realtors and Closing Agents make the borrower believe that it is being required by the bank; or in some cases by Fannie Mae who owns the property; neither of which is true. The Closing Agent then charges a $1,500 settlement fee to the buyer on the closing statement when the buyer in actuality could have used a Closing Agent of their own choosing and paid around $500." "Because the Realtor's closing agent is not a recommended vendor of the bank or lender, the 10% tolerance for fee's listed on the GF... 01/20/2011

The difference between Knowledge and Wisdom; I have struggled with this one and perhaps someone can enlighten me; but here's my take on it. It seems to me that it is plausible to say; that if I studied really hard in high school to get good grades and attended a well known college where the professors I studied under were all Doctorates who had written books on the subjects they were teaching; that I could walk out into the world with the knowledge I need to be successful in life. Would that not in-it-self give credence to the notion that I am wise?  Could I not take all the knowledge I have and immediately go to work and by speaking fluently about the nuance's of my degree earn the respect of my fellow colleagues? And If I did that; wouldn't that prove that in-deed I am wise? If I coul... 01/13/2011

Down payment requirements were changed by Fannie Mae on December 13th 2010. Under new Fannie Mae guidelines, buyers of owner-occupied, 1-unit properties (i.e. single-family homes,condo's,town homes) can now forgo the minimum 5% down payment from their own funds. Down payments can now be comprised from 100% of gifted and/or granted monies. Buyers of second homes or investment homes or multi-unit properties must still make the required down payment from their own funds. Other changes made are 1) Going forward Debt with fewer than 10 payments remaining must now be included in an applicant's monthly obligations and 2) Debt not reporting a monthly payment must be assigned a minimum payment equal to 5% of the outstanding credit balance. These edits will raise some applicant's Debt-to-Income R... 01/05/2011

Dramatic Channelside Condo complex with unique living homes. Located close to Tampa Port, downtown skyline and Channelside views from expansive windows and rooftop terraces makes for a unique and close location to all the excitement of Tampa. You can search available homes via the MLS right here: Florida Home Searches. Looking for a property manager in Tampa? To see our reasonable rates and great service check out our services on  Tampa Homes Deana E. Cuevas Solaris Realty of Tampa Bay, Inc (813)966-3907 - Deana Direct (813)657-6223 - Office Deanacuevas@gmail.com www.tampahomeguides.com Deana Cuevas is an agent working in the Pasco, Polk and Hillsborough area helping buyers and sellers buy and sell homes.  Contact Deana at 813-966-3907 to list your property for sale or to purchase a pro... 12/02/2010

Unavoidable Economic Obstruction that's what came to mind yesterday after spending most of my Monday morning working on a new purchase application. The borrower was a perfect buyer 20% down, great income and credit; slam dunk purchase deal I thought to myself. It was Monday morning and I was off and roaring early. I had a hot new purchase deal at 9AM on a borrower with no buyers agent. What a great Referral this is going to be I thought. Then came the property details; the buyer wanted to buy a condo she had been living in and renting for the last 3 years. No problem so far; but then I find out the condo association is in trouble and the buyer was planning to buy it as a short sale. Still O.K. Then I find the property is not FNMA approved. Well Now; that could be a Problem. So I check w... 11/18/2010