Reverse Mortgage Appraisal Surprises
Posted by Robert H Irving on March 8th, 2012
A recent industry report states that reverse mortgage counseling “fall through” (rate at which potential borrowers fail to complete a reverse mortgage) is now up to 25%; a substantial increase over prior years. Counselors claim the chief reason is because FHA appraisals are often well below borrower expectations.
Really ???
If this has happened to you, chances are you are just not working with a very skilled or experienced reverse mortgage professional. The result of that fatal decision is an out-of-pocket expense of $400 or more for an FHA appraisal… only to learn that your home value is not what you anticipated. Additionally, you have already spent $125 or more for the counseling session… since that FHA appraisal cannot be ordered by the lender unless counseling has been completed. For most seniors, $525 out-of-pocket expense is a very heavy price to pay… simply to find out that they don’t qualify for the HECM (Home Equity Conversion Mortgage) or that they will not receive as much money as originally anticipated/needed.
Reverse Mortgage Professional
The professional reverse mortgage originator should never allow a senior borrower to reach this point. From the very beginning, the originator should have helped you to calculate a realitic estimate of your home value. He/she should already know your current real estate tax assessment (let’s say your home is assessed at $278,000 by your town or county). And the originator should know published estimates of market or sales value (let’s say several public sources estimate market value at $293,000). While discussing the subject with you during the initial interview, home value should always be a major talking point. It is a critical component of the calculation that determines exactly how much you qualify for.
Guidance From Reverse Mortgage Professional
In the above example if you think your home is worth $375,000 and the originator blindly accepts your guess, you could be in for major disappointment… and needless expense. Unfortunately, some loan officers may do exactly that because they are only interested in generating loan applications… that’s how they get paid. They could care less if your loan ever actually closes. Beware the phone bank, boiler room, telemarketing operations… this is how many of them operate. The experienced professional, on the other hand, will work with you to set appropriate expectations.
If there is continued home value disagreement, he/she will recommend that you contact several real estate sales specialists in your area to request an “opinion” of value. Real estate brokers are quite knowledgeable about the reasonableness of home values in their own local market. “Opinions”, however, may range from a brief phone conversation to a multi-page written presentation with comparable sales details. These are not actual “appraisals”, but if you contact several real estate brokers you should be able to arrive at a close approximation of your current home value. The brokers will be happy to provide documentation of their “opinion” in hopes that you might eventually sell and they might get your listing.
In the end, the value determined via the FHA appraisal is all that matters. In our example above, the actual appraisal could come in lower than you would ever consider selling your home for. But remember, you’re not selling the home. You are mortgaging the home.
FHA appraisals are intended to estimate fair market value at a certain point in time based upon current market conditions and documented sales of like or comparable properties. This is the value that will be used to begin the calculation to determine how much you qualify for under HECM rules and guidelines. The resulting number should not be a surprise if you are working with a professional reverse mortgage loan originator who has your best interests in mind.
Most Important Reverse Mortgage Decision
It is worth repeating time and again – the single, most important decision you will ever make about reverse mortgages… is the loan officer you select to assist you in the process. There can be no substitue for character, reputation and experience. Absolutely no substitute!
Author – Robert H. Irving, CSA®
Senior Reverse Mortgage Consultant – NMLS #19086
Subscribe to Reverse Mortgage Information by Email
>>> Subscribe to Reverse Mortgage Information – Click Here <<<
>>> Free Referral to Consultant In Your Area – Click Here <<<
FOLLOW US: Twitter.com @BobIrvingCSA
DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this blog is accurate and correct to the very best of our ability. We are not legal experts and we do not attempt to give legal advice. Same applies to tax advice. Always consult an expert on these subjects. If you think we report something inaccurate, please let us know right away. If we write something you like, let us know about that, as well. Tell a friend or link to the site.
FOR MY LICENSING & COMPANY INFORMATION: GO HERE
PRIVACY POLICY
We will never share your information with anyone without your permission.
COPYRIGHT 2012: All posts are copyrighted by Robert H. Irving. You may link to any post as long as you properly credit the author and this blog. Thank you












Recent Comments