A conforming loan is a mortgage for less than $417,000, while a loan larger than that is a non-conforming (sometimes called “jumbo”) loan. There are differences in the qualification guidelines on these loans. There are a bazillion mortgage companies that can approve you for a conforming loan: finding a lender for a jumbo loan can sometimes be more challenging because the rules are stricter.
One-Step vs Two-Step Construction Loans
There are two different ways to get financed for building a home: A) one-step loans (sometimes called “simple close” loans) and B) two-step loans. Both loans are great products, but it depends on the type of home you’re building. Here are the differences:
One Step Loans: with a one-step construction loan, you are selecting the same lender for both the construction loan and the mortgage, and you fill out all the paperwork for both loans at the same time and when you close on one a one-step loan, you are in effect closing on the construction loan and the permanent loan. I used to do lots of these loans years ago and found that they can be the greatest loan in the world IF you’re absolutely certain on what your home will cost when it’s done, and the exact amount of time it will take to build. For example, a tract home builder that builds 200 homes a year can easily work with a one-step loan when he’s building a floor plan he’s used fifty times in the past. However, when building a custom home where you may not be absolutely sure what the exact price will be, or how long the building process will take, this choice may not be a very good fit. Continue reading “I think it’s helpful for people to know the difference between “conforming” and “non-conforming” loans”