Questions for First-time Home buyer looking @ 203k/Homestyle rehab Property

[Rick Beringer]

Hey everyone, 

Recently signed up for this site and have been impressed by the wealth of knowledge I've found here.  I'm currently looking at a property in northern Maryland.  It is a real "fixer-upper" (I will know the true extent this weekend when I go look at it).  It is currently listed as rehab/cash only financing, and a Fannie Mae HomePath property.  

As background: I have an excellent credit score and should be able to put 20% down.  I'll be the owner/occupant. 

My questions: 

1.  What are my options here?  I've been looking into 203k loans and Homestyle loans.  It looks like you can also roll $35k in renovations into a HomePath loan, in some cases.  My biggest concern with these loans is the fact that you need a contractor, approved by the lender, to do all of the work.  From reading around, it sounds like these folks are difficult to find...If possible, I'd like to do most of the work myself (however, I am not a contractor) but by the sound of the Ad, the home is "uninhabitable" and rehab financing is a requirement. 

2.  I was referred to one (Prospect Mortgage) by the Realtor, but I'd like to have some options for negotiation purposes.  So far, it seems that very few outlets handle these loans, and those that do are the big banks (i.e. Wells Fargo).  There are countless stories about the big banks totally dropping the ball on these loans, so I would prefer to deal with someone local, if possible.  Does anyone have any insight, aside from calling local credit unions, to try and track down a company that carries these loans?

Thanks, in advance, for any insight that you can provide!

Rick

[Evan Manship]

You will be very surprised whom all does FHA 203k financing. It is a surprisingly popular product that a lot of lenders are familiar with. Using a "streamline" FHA 203k loan the amount used for rehab extends only until $35k, but a traditional FHA 203k can go as high as $200k+ in rehab amounts.

Unfortunately, your contractor does have to be bonded and licensed to perform 203k work. Be sure to speak with a contractor whom has worked with these products before and knows what to expect -- they will be your best friend for the next few months.

Good luck