AARP Still Vying to Reduce Reverse Mortgage Costs
In July George Bush signed the big housing bill with provisions to for two important reverse mortgage changes.
First: the national loan limits were increased from as little $200,000 all the way of up to $417,000. Second: Closing costs were reduced in the form of lower lender origination fees.
Here is how it works; the origination fee is two percent of the value of the home up to $200,000. For values above 200k and up to 417k the fee increases by 1%.
For example, on a $400,000 home we have $4,000 for the first 200k in value and an additional $2,000 for the remaining 200k in value. So, the total fee is $6,000.
A 2% across the board origination fee was the order of the day prior to the the new law.
What concerns me is why the lender is getting the proverbial finger pointed at it. I mean how low can the origination fee be before the lender goes bellie up.
Origination fees are how lenders make money. Don't forget you have to pay all your expenses prior to actually going home at the end of the month with any money in your wallet.
Additionally, these fees are not more than typical forward mortgages. They appear to be more to the layman.
How a forward mortgage ends up costing the borrower as much as a reverse mortgage is in the "service release premium". This is is a fee the bank pays the mortgage company inside the rate. They may charge 1% but there is backend money in those loans.
Reverse mortgage companies make a small percentage of their revenue from the SRP... Many times it's less than $100. That's why the origination is higher.
I have to wonder if AARP has any idea of what goes into mortgage origination and the complexities therein. Are they being real at all.
I also have to wonder if AARP is asking all the insurance companys, who use AARPs name to sell insurance (of which AARP gets a commission), to take a 50% pay cut on all insurance sold.
Oh, don't think so. Insurance commission is the number one money maker for AARP. It's a money train.
AARP is not so pure and they should to sit this one out.
First: the national loan limits were increased from as little $200,000 all the way of up to $417,000. Second: Closing costs were reduced in the form of lower lender origination fees.
Here is how it works; the origination fee is two percent of the value of the home up to $200,000. For values above 200k and up to 417k the fee increases by 1%.
For example, on a $400,000 home we have $4,000 for the first 200k in value and an additional $2,000 for the remaining 200k in value. So, the total fee is $6,000.
A 2% across the board origination fee was the order of the day prior to the the new law.
What concerns me is why the lender is getting the proverbial finger pointed at it. I mean how low can the origination fee be before the lender goes bellie up.
Origination fees are how lenders make money. Don't forget you have to pay all your expenses prior to actually going home at the end of the month with any money in your wallet.
Additionally, these fees are not more than typical forward mortgages. They appear to be more to the layman.
How a forward mortgage ends up costing the borrower as much as a reverse mortgage is in the "service release premium". This is is a fee the bank pays the mortgage company inside the rate. They may charge 1% but there is backend money in those loans.
Reverse mortgage companies make a small percentage of their revenue from the SRP... Many times it's less than $100. That's why the origination is higher.
I have to wonder if AARP has any idea of what goes into mortgage origination and the complexities therein. Are they being real at all.
I also have to wonder if AARP is asking all the insurance companys, who use AARPs name to sell insurance (of which AARP gets a commission), to take a 50% pay cut on all insurance sold.
Oh, don't think so. Insurance commission is the number one money maker for AARP. It's a money train.
AARP is not so pure and they should to sit this one out.

