Building Your Home With Peace Of Mind
One-Time Close Construction Loan Advice: Check Your References
You want to know the online reputation of any service provider you work with-the lender, real estate agent, broker, etc.
You may know some of the most-advertised contractor names in your housing market, but what do their most recent 12 months of customer reviews say about them?
When you read online reviews of these service providers, don’t take any review seriously (good OR bad) unless they provide specifics.
It’s easy to say, “This builder was GREAT!” or “This lender REALLY HELPED me”, and easier still to say, “Bad lender” or “Substandard contractor.” Without specific details, these reviews are useless. Find the ones that say precisely what happened, and pay attention to those reviews.
Single-Close Construction Loan Mistakes To Avoid: Cost Creep
Yes, you sometimes have to expand your budget for an unanticipated issue. But what about when the contract requires you to choose between upscale materials and features versus “budget” versions?
Don’t give into the temptation to add just one more expense to the budget, hoping it will stay just under the dollar amount set for the project overall.
Costs tend to add up over time, and those who consistently err on the “paying more” side of that equation may find their budgets are broken fairly quickly in the process, depending on circumstances. Don’t give in to the temptation to keep adding or upgrading.
Don't Automatically Hire The Lowest Bidder
How cheap is too cheap? Some find out the hard way and wind up living with results they hate for a long time. Determine your budget early, but also decide where your lower limit is.
The lowest bidder likely won’t offer you the same perks or features other contractors might; the key is determining who offers you the best options for your budget.
But even if your budget is small, don’t give in to the temptation to skimp on essential areas of the home, such as weatherproofing, energy efficiency, and durability.
Want More Information About One-Time Close Loans?
We have extensively researched the FHA (Federal Housing Administration) and the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) One-Time Close Construction loan programs.
We have spoken directly to licensed lenders that originate these residential loan types in most states, and each company has supplied us with the guidelines for their products. We can connect you with mortgage loan officers who work for lenders who know the product well and consistently provide quality service.
If you are interested in being contacted by a licensed lender in your area, please send responses to the questions below. All information is treated confidentially.
OneTimeClose.com provides information and connects consumers to qualified One-Time Close lenders to raise awareness about this loan product and to help consumers receive higher-quality service.
We are not paid for endorsing or recommending the lenders or loan originators and do not otherwise benefit from doing so. Consumers should shop for mortgage services and compare their options before agreeing to proceed.
Please note that investor guidelines for the FHA and VA One-Time Close Construction Program only allow for single-family dwellings (1 unit) – and NOT for multi-family units (no duplexes, triplexes or fourplexes).
In addition, the following homes/building styles are not allowed under these programs: Kit Homes, Barndominiums, Log Cabin Homes, Shipping Container Homes, Stilt Homes, Solar (only) or Wind Powered (only) Homes.
Contact Us: Send Us Your Request – Spam Safe
Please send your email request to [email protected] which authorizes OneTimeClose.com to share your personal information with one mortgage lender licensed in your area to contact you.
1. Send your first and last name, e-mail address, and contact telephone number.
2. Tell us the city and state of the proposed property.
3. Tell us your and/or the Co-borrower’s credit profile: Excellent – (680+), Good - (640-679), Fair – (620-639), or Poor- (Below 620). 620 is the minimum qualifying credit score for this product.
4. Are you or your spouse (Co-borrower) eligible veterans? If either of you is an eligible veteran, down payments as low as $0 may be available up to the maximum amount your debt-to-income ratio per VA will allow – there are no maximum loan amounts as per VA guidelines.
Most VA lenders will go up to $1,500,000 and review higher loan amounts on a case-by-case basis. If not, the FHA down payment is 3.5% up to the maximum FHA lending limit for your county.
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March 21, 2024Some construction loan terms are important to know before you commit to a One-Time Close loan. What do you need to know about this industry jargon. Some single-close loan terms are similar to others and can be initially confusing, especially when industry pros use some terms interchangeably.
March 18, 2024The banks that operate conventional construction loan programs have a variety of rules and requirements depending on who you use. Still, one thing among all these lenders is common--for conventional loans, it's the rules of the bank that apply in addition to state/federal regulations. These lenders do not have an overseeing federal agency that regulates the specifics of their construction loan programs outside of typical banking law.
March 8, 2024If you want to build a home from the ground up on your own lot using an FHA One-Time Close construction loan, you need to know some things before you start. According to Census Bureau data, the construction time for a single-family house is approximately seven months. This does not consider delays due to supply chain issues, weather or natural disasters, or cost overruns, but it’s a good benchmark to start with.
