Today, HUD released Mortgagee Letter 2017-01, announcing a reduction in the FHA annual mortgage insurance premium by 20-25 basis points across the board and eliminating MI surcharges on loans over $625,500 in high-cost areas. This announcement, sure to please originators across the country, comes on the heels of the FHA Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund (MMIF) once again reaching its statutory-mandated reserve of 2% in 2016.
The premium cut goes into effect with closings/disbursements on or after January 27, 2017. This is a slight departure from typical FHA policy changes which are usually implemented by the date the case number is obtained. Note, the UPFRONT MI Premium (UFMIP) is not changing and remains at 1.75% for forward mortgages.
The new annual premiums, effective January 27th, are highlighted below.
Happy originating!
Peter