Author: janjordan

Reverse Mortgages Can Fund In-Home Senior Care

According to statistics, there’s a 70% chance seniors over 65 will need some sort of long term care such as in-home care, skilled nursing, or assisted living at some point during their lives.  Although there are various ways to pay for such care, like Medicare, Medicaid, or health insurance, these options often come with limits and additional costs.

For homeowners 62 and over reverse mortgage should be another option considered to fund long-term care.  These tax-free loans convert a portion of home equity into cash without incurring a loan payment.  Borrowers can access the funds via monthly installments, line of credit, a lump sum, and even to purchase a home.

The reverse mortgage line of credit is a great option when facing the future needs of long term care.  This option allows homeowners to secure this FHA insured loan at the current interest rate, then only use the funds when needed – and the line of credit grows as the borrower ages.

Unlike a traditional loan or a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), there are no loan or mortgage payments as long as the borrower lives in the home.   The line of credit comes due either when the last borrower permanently moves out or passes away, in which case the heirs or the estate could pay the loan back either through sale of the home or other means. Depending on how much of the line of credit has been tapped, this could result in significant equity left to heirs. If you never used the line of credit, the equity would still be in place and would pass to heirs along with the home.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Rising Interest Rates And Reverse Mortgages

reverse mortgage loveland fort collins greeley longmont westminster coloradoInterest rates have been at historic lows for years.  This has afforded thousands of Americans to the ability to secure home loans for their dream house.  It’s also worked in favor for those who have made the decision to tap in their home equity using a reverse mortgage.  But interest rates affect a conventional loan differently than a reverse mortgage.

HECM reverse mortgage are insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), and are available to homeowners 62 and over.  These tax-free loans convert a portion of home equity into cash without incurring a loan payment.  Borrowers can access the funds via monthly installments, line of credit, a lump sum, and even to purchase a home. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which regulates the reverse mortgage industry, sets a “floor” rate of about 5%.  As interest rates rise and fall above this floor rate, borrowers will receive less or more in proceeds.  In fact, even a small rise of 1% above the floor rate can decrease available funds by as much as 20%.

Fortunately, once a homeowner has tapped into a reverse mortgage they lock in the interest rate and proceeds will never decrease, no matter what the market does, and the funds available will increase over time when using the line of credit option.  In addition, even if the home decreases in value below the amount of their loan proceeds, they will never be responsible for more than the home is worth.

Bottom line: with interest rates on the rise, now is the time to act if you’re considering a reverse mortgage.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Selling A Home With A Reverse Mortgage? Here’s What You Need To Know

Typically when a senior takes out a reverse mortgage loan on a home, they intend to age there.  But on occasion and reverse mortgage loveland fort collins greeley longmont westminster coloradofor various reasons, the homeowners wants to or needs to sell the home before the loan comes due and payable.  So, what now?

Although this is an important factor, it’s not nearly as daunting as it sounds.  Here’s where to start:

Step 1.) Locate your reverse mortgage loan documents and find any pertinent information regarding the sale of the home.  It will vary from lender to lender.  Most (but not all) reverse mortgage loans are FHA insured.  This means even if you owe more on the loan than the home is worth, you will never owe more than the home sells for.

Consult with a real estate or elder law attorney if you have questions or concerns.

Step 2.)  Contact the reverse mortgage lender to get a payoff quote.  This combined with a home appraisal will give you a good idea of what the sale will look like and what amount of funds you could potentially walk away with.

Step 3.)  Find a real estate agent.  When seeking out an agent, be sure to provide your reverse mortgage loan information up front and look for someone who has experience with such a sale.

Step 4.)  Prepare the home for sale.  From here, everything is similar to any home sale.  You want to prep the home, keep it clean for showings, update anything you may need, etc.

Step 5.)  Sell the home, pay off the reverse mortgage loan (consult with a real estate or elder law attorney if you have questions when paying off the loan), then reap the rewards.  Congrats!
Reverse mortgages are available to seniors 62 and over all over Colorado.  To learn more, contact a reputable reverse mortgage lender.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, and Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Watch Out For Reverse Mortgage Scams

You may hear about email scams, telephone scams, door-to-door soliciting scams – but what about reverse mortgage scams? Unfortunately just as we have scams in every segment of society and at every opportunity, reverse mortgages and seniors are not immune to such activity.

In the past decade, reverse mortgages also known as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HCEM), have increased more than 1,300 percent! This certainly offers an astounding opportunity for fraud perpetrators.

What do reverse mortgage scams look like?

Victims may be offered a free home, an investment opportunity, or foreclosure and refinance assistance. Senior citizens are often unsuspecting targets for scammers, as they are not familiar with the multitude of unscrupulous and dishonest “programs” that exist. Scammers reach their victims often through churches, investment seminars, television, radio, billboard, and mailer advertisements.

When considering a reverse mortgage product, it is very important to research the company. Most reverse mortgages are insured by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA). Seek out companies that are a member of the Better Business Bureau and associated with the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association.

Tips for Avoiding Reverse Mortgage Scams:

• Do not respond to unsolicited advertisements.
• Be suspicious of anyone claiming that you can own a home with no down payment.
• Do not sign anything that you do not fully understand.
• Do not accept payment from individuals for a home you did not purchase.
• Seek out your own reverse mortgage counselor.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Colorado’s FIVE Most Common Reverse Mortgage Myths Debunked

reverse mortgage loveland fort collins greeley longmont westminster coloradoThe Reverse Mortgage, created to aid the realization of retirees dreams, will be in your mailbox and on your TV if you have approached, or are approaching, the eligible age of 62. As with the all special offers across Colorado, marketing can promote it in such a way as to allure you – or to terrify you.

There are a number of points to know when you begin to learn about reverse mortgage. These are simple facts and not marketing strategies.

1.) First of all, married couples can both be on the reverse mortgage loan if they are both over the age of 62. This means when one passes, the other can continue living in the home under the same agreement. No changes take place just because both are no longer in the home.  This gives the remaining spouse a true security as they navigate through the transition of losing their life partner.  The same would apply if one spouse was to leave the home permanently and move into an assisted living facility.  As long as both partners are on the loan,  and one still remains in the home, nothing changes.

2.)  Second, there are NO monthly mortgage payments. So long as the borrower(s) remain in the home as their primary residence, their only financial responsibilities are the homeowner’s insurance, HOA payments, property taxes and basic upkeep/utilities.  This is the case whether a traditional reverse mortgage is acquired, or a reverse mortgage to purchase a home.  No mortgage payments, ever.

3.) Third, funds from a reverse mortgage will not affect Social Security, Medicare or pensions because they are considered “tax free” income.  They also are not declared on tax returns as income.

4.) Fourth, you retain the title to your home and it stays in your name.  There is not a transfer of ownership just because you drew upon the equity of your personal asset.

5.) Lastly, you can access the funds in various ways including monthly payment, a line of credit, a lump sum, or as a purchase.  And the funds can be used however you see fit.  Borrowers can even use a reverse mortgage to buy a new home via the Reverse Mortgage for Purchase program allowing the home purchase and the reverse mortgage loan transaction to take place at the same time.  This a great option for those who wish to be close to family, in a desired location or have a place that fits your new lifestyle, or even move to your retirement dream home.

Reverse mortgage are available to seniors 62 and over all over Colorado.  To learn more, contact a reputable reverse mortgage lender.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Windsor, Erie, Johnstown, Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado, as well as the Cheyenne and Laramie communities of Wyoming.  Contact Jan to learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Reverse Mortgage For Purchase or Cash Purchase? Here’s What You Need To Know

FHA Eases Condo Rules, Expanding Reverse Mortgage MarketIn this day and age, buying a home with cash is rare.  And not because of the reasons you may think – such as who has that much cash nowadays?  Well, that is part of the reason, but it’s a little more complicated than that.  Those who have a substantial amount of cash are finding there are no homes available in their price range and suddenly they don’t have enough cash to be a true “cash buyer”.  This diminishes their hopes of living mortgage payment free.  For example, if a retired couple sells their home or allots other funds amounting to $170,000 for a new home, they will suddenly be facing a new dilemma – finding a home to meet their needs, that doesn’t need repairs, and is in the community they wish to live.  With home prices dramatically increasing in the across Northern Colorado, this scenario is playing out ever more often.

This is where the Reverse Mortgage for Purchase program can provide a solution.  Not only will the program add funds to the buyer’s available cash making up the difference needed to purchase an appropriate home, it will also allow that buyer to live mortgage payment free.  In addition, putting all your cash into one asset can be a scary thought, especially later in life when the future is largely an unknown, and security is a necessity.  When adding a reverse mortgage into the equation, cash home buyers can consider keeping some of the cash or invest it elsewhere.

Here’s how it works:

For seniors 62 and over, home buyers are able to use a reverse mortgage to purchase a home.  The amount of the down payment required from the buyer will depend on the amount of the home they are purchasing.  But unlike a conventional loan, not only will the lender provide the funds to make up the difference between the home price and the down payment, the buyers will be able to live mortgage payment free for as long as they remain in the home.  This frees up income for other things – such as secure retirement living, medical expenses, in home care, vacations, or anything else they may desire.  A Reverse Mortgage for Purchase can be used to buy single family homes, town homes, and FHA approved condos.  New construction can be purchased, but it must have a Certificate of Occupancy before the loan application can be accepted. The home being purchased will need to be the buyer’s primary residence and the required down payment will need to come from a HUD approved source.  And just like a conventional mortgage, the buyer will always retain the title to the home.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Erie, Dacono, Broomfield, Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Reverse Mortgage HECM Line of Credit : What You Need To Know

reverse mortgage loveland fort collins greeley longmont westminster coloradoThe HECM Reverse Mortgage Line of Credit is still relatively new, and to this day many within the financial and retirement industries haven’t fully grasped how it works.  Well, they need to get on board because consumers are interested – and they should be.  Here’s why..

First, what is a line of credit?  Simply put, a line of credit are funds available to you through a financial institution that you can access as needed, or not at all if the need doesn’t arise.  Interest is not acquired if the funds are not used.  This makes line of credit options excellent safety nets, especially for the purpose of creative retirement strategy.

When looking at a HECM Reverse Mortgage Line of Credit, the two are obviously intertwined, meaning the qualification requirements for any reverse mortgage still apply.  These are: age 62 and over, using your primary residence for the loan, this home must meet HUD’s guidelines and needs to be either paid off or have substantial equity, and the borrower must have the financial capability to continue to pay homeowners insurance, property taxes, and the like. Because there are various options to receive the payout from a reverse mortgage, the line of credit is only one of them.

When you have a reverse mortgage line of credit, you have money that is available to you — but you only accrue interest on the money you withdraw.  This means the reverse mortgage line of credit can act as an excellent back up source of funds or can be used for retirement fun, whether it be vacation, spoiling grandchildren, or knowing you have the funds available when you’re ready to take on new ventures.

There are other benefits though.  This line of credit is pretty astounding beyond just being a safety net.

Growth: Not only are you not paying interest, but your untouched reverse mortgage line of credit can grow in value. Money in a reverse mortgage line of credit grows at the same rate as the interest rate on the loan PLUS 1.25% monthly.  So, if the interest rate on your reverse mortgage is 2.50%, then your line of credit will grow at 3.75% (2.50% + 1.25%).

Unique: This growth is unique to reverse mortgage lines of credit — a HELOC for example does not grow.

Hedge Against Falling House Prices: The growth in a reverse mortgage line of credit is guaranteed — without withdrawals, your line of credit is guaranteed to grow.  This means you lock in the current value of your home without taking out an interest acruing loan.

Pretty great, isn’t it?

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Inflation + Retirement = Serious Financial Concerns for Retirees: CNBC

Recently CNBC published an important article that highlights the growing financial concerns of retirees as the nation faces unprecedented inflation. Reverse mortgages can be a tool to help protect against these concerns.

From the article:

Rising inflation has startled many retirees, who now worry about outliving their savings.

The consumer price index for June, measuring the cost of food, gasoline, housing, utilities and other goods, increased by 0.9%, the largest one-month change since June 2008, the Labor Department reported Tuesday. Prices jumped by 5.4% from the previous year, the fastest surge in almost 13 years.  

Although Federal Reserve officials say these price hikes are transitory, many retirees are feeling the sting with higher costs at the grocery store and gas station and with other day-to-day living expenses.

reverse mortgage loveland fort collins greeley longmont westminster colorado

“It’s top of mind with our clients,” said certified financial planner David Mullins, wealth advisor at David Mullins Wealth Management Group in Richlands, Virginia.

As older investors scramble to preserve buying power, some experts suggest making shifts to portfolios. Here’s what retirees need to know.

Shifting assets

While inflation hasn’t fueled dramatic portfolio changes, Mullins has been striving to add “more breadth and depth across asset classes” since the third quarter of 2020.

Historically, many retirees have relied on portfolios with 60% stocks and 40% in so-called fixed-income assets, offering steady earnings through bonds, money market funds, certificates of deposit and other investments.

However, over the past several months, Mullins has reexamined a portion of the 40% allocation, seeking to manage risk and receive higher returns through diversification. 

“I think it’s really important that clients consider nontraditional asset classes,” he said.

For example, he has added commodities, which may include metals, agricultural products like grains and pork, through a “broad basket index,” rather than picking sectors, in addition to allocations of gold.

“Commodities typically perform well in inflationary environments,” he added.

He has also included Treasury inflation-protected securities, along with exposure to real estate, which may offer hedges against inflation.

“When you think about the stakes inflation could have on outliving your money, that’s when you have to play some offense,” Mullins said.

Changing mindsets

As bond yields decline, retirees have also needed to shift their mindset about conservative portfolios, said Linda Erickson, CFP and founding partner at Erickson Advisors in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

While some retirees may have relied exclusively on bonds or certificates of deposits in the past, these options will no longer protect their long-term buying power, she said.

“We have to produce a portfolio that will actually grow more than inflation, and we have to look at this every year,” she said. “We are not in a set-it-and-forget-it environment.”

To beat inflation, retirees may need to lean more heavily on stocks, she said. For example, they may consider buying certain dividend-paying assets.

Some portfolios haven’t changed

While the loss of buying power has sparked concerns among many retirees, not all advisors have made immediate changes to clients’ portfolios.

“I haven’t shifted any portfolios this year because of the threat of inflation,” said Larry Luxenberg, CFP and founder of Lexington Avenue Capital Management in New City, New York.

Client allocations may change if inflation becomes, “more ingrained as it was in the 1970s,” he said. But typically, he saves adjustments for shifts in a client’s financial situation.

Moreover, advisors like Christopher Flis, CFP and founder of Resilient Asset Management in Memphis, Tennessee, say they have designed portfolios to protect clients’ long-term purchasing power. However, there haven’t been significant shifts due to the recent upticks in prices.

“You’ve got to give it some time before you start reacting to something that could be transitory,” he said. 

Read the full article on CNBC here

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Should You Refinance Your Reverse Mortgage?

reverse mortgage loveland fort collins greeley longmont westminster coloradoReverse mortgages are for seniors 62 and older, including married couples, and were once considered a life line. Times have changed, and now reverse mortgages are regularly being incorporated into retirement planning.  But refinance a reverse mortgage?  It’s not something you hear about often, or maybe you don’t even realize it’s an option.  And why would someone want to do this?  Well, here are some fast facts:

Who might want to refinance: 

• In the case of a remarriage, possibly you want to add the new spouse (note: new borrowers added must be 62 or older).  
• Or in the case of divorce, you want to remove a spouse.  
• If the housing market has improved drastically, like we’re currently seeing all over northern Colorado, maybe you want to tap into the new equity.  
• Better interest rates?  Just like with a traditional mortgage, this matters.
• Interested in the Line of Credit option but took out the monthly installments?  Then refinance may be for you. 

What you need to know: 

• The process is similar to that of a traditional mortgage refinance, except you will still be able to live mortgage and loan payment free.
• You will need a new appraisal.
• Some older lenders have exited the reverse mortgage industry, such as Wells Fargo and Bank of America.  If you currently have your loan with one of these lenders, you’re not out of luck, you can still refinance through an existing lender.  
• You can shop around.  You are not stuck with your current lender.
• If your previous reverse mortgage was not FHA insured, you can switch to one that is.  The FHA insurance offers consumer protections, including the promise that you’ll never owe more than your home is worth at the time the loan comes due.
• You will need to take part in third party reverse mortgage counseling.
• If you received your reverse mortgage before 2015, be aware some of the requirements have changed.  Now income and credit does play a factor, although there are options if you fail to meet the new criteria. 
• If you’re not sure you want to stay in the home, refinancing may not be the best move.  Instead possibly consider selling the home to pay back the existing reverse mortgage, then look at a Reverse Mortgage for Purchase to downsize or move to a more suitable home.
• After the refinance, the borrower will still be responsible for property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and other related costs to the home such as HOA fees, upkeep, and utilities.  

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado.  Click here to contact Jan and learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.

Yes, Married Couples Can Get A Reverse Mortgage

reverse mortgage loveland fort collins greeley longmont westminster coloradoIt’s not uncommon to hear heartbreaking stories of reverse mortgages that left a spouse in dire straits after the other spouse passed away.  How could this happen?  Is it something that you need to worry about?  If you and your spouse are considering obtaining a reverse mortgage, it’s important to understand the long term effect it could have on either spouse once the other passes away, and feel confident any appropriate protections are in place.

What Married Couples Need to Know 

When applying for a reverse mortgage the amount of money you can receive is calculated according to the age of the youngest borrower.  The older the borrower, the more money is available from the lender.

If both homeowners are over the age of 62, both homeowners can be on a reverse mortgage loan.  If both spouses are on the loan, the loan continues if either passes away and will continue until both borrowers have passed.

Another scenario to consider is if a borrower obtains a reverse mortgage and then remarries.  If this was to happen, it wouldn’t be unheard of for the married couple to live in the home for 20 or more years before the borrower passes.  At this time the new spouse would not be protected under the existing reverse mortgage loan.  If you have reverse mortgage and you remarry, you could consider looking into refinancing the reverse mortgage and adding the new spouse to the loan.

And yet one more thing to note is the possibility one spouse needs to move out of the home into an assisted living facility due to health concerns.  If this happens, as long as the spouse that remains in the home is on the loan, they can continue under their current reverse mortgage.

Bottom line: If you are married and are considering obtaining a reverse mortgage, it is extremely important to work with a trusted and experienced reverse mortgage specialist who can easily answer all of your questions and address any concerns you may have.  Making sure both spouses are protected should be a lender’s top priority.

Jan Jordan is a Reverse Mortgage Specialist serving the Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and other Front Range areas of Colorado, as well as the Cheyenne and Laramie communities of Wyoming.  Contact Jan to learn if reverse mortgage is right for you.