In 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 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.