Is an FHA Streamline Refinance a good idea in 2022?

Is a Streamline Refinance a good idea?

The FHA Streamline Refinance is a simplified way for FHA borrowers to get lower rates and smaller monthly payments.

To qualify for an FHA Streamline loan, you need to be able to reduce your interest rate. But that’s a win-win: if you can lower your rate and qualify for the loan, it’s usually worth it because you’ll save money month-to-month and hopefully in the long run, too.

Check today’s FHA rates to find out whether an FHA Streamline Refinance is worth it for you.

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FHA Streamline Refinance pros and cons

The FHA Streamline Refinance is often faster and a little cheaper than other refi programs. But there are drawbacks to consider as well:

Pros	Cons
Credit check not required by FHA*	No way to get cash out
Home appraisal not required	Requires mortgage insurance (MIP) even if you have 20% equity
No maximum loan-to-value ratio	Can’t finance closing costs (except upfront MIP)
Income verification not required*

*A credit-qualifying Streamline Refinance will require a credit check and income verification. Some lenders will require a credit check even for a non-credit qualifying loan. Check with your mortgage lender about its policies.

FHA Streamline Refinance: Key takeaways

If you’re trying to decide whether an FHA Streamline Refinance loan is worth it, there are a few key things to keep in mind:

• The FHA Streamline can refinance only existing FHA loans — not USDA, VA, or conventional mortgages
• You can skip often traditional underwriting steps, like the credit check and income verification
• The FHA Streamline doesn’t require a home appraisal. This can save time and money
• You can’t cash out home equity
• The new loan will require the FHA’s mortgage insurance premium (MIP)
• You can refinance only primary residences — not vacation homes or investment properties

Provided you meet the basic requirements for an FHA Streamline, this loan is a popular way to refinance into a lower rate and monthly payment with less hassle than a traditional refi.

FHA Streamline Refinance program overview

Maybe you found the FHA Streamline Refinance on your own, and you’re wondering if it’s a good idea. Or maybe you were contacted by a lender offering ultra-low refinance rates and big monthly savings.

In this case, you may wonder if the FHA Streamline program is a scam.

While it might sound too good to be true, the FHA Streamline Refinance is a perfectly legit refinance loan backed by the Federal Housing Administration. It can offer a simplified, low–doc application process and below-market rates.

But you have to be a qualified homeowner with a current FHA home loan to use this program. Also, you’ll want to check all your options before using an FHA Streamline because there’s a chance another refinance program might help you save more.

Here’s how you can evaluate the FHA Streamline program to figure out if it’s the right refinance loan for you.

FHA Streamline Refinance eligibility

An FHA Streamline is one of the easiest refinance programs to qualify for, with minimum documentation and no home appraisal required.

If you have a current FHA loan, and you’ve been making full and timely mortgage payments, you probably qualify for an FHA Streamline Refinance.

FHA Streamline Refinance loan requirements

Current eligibility guidelines for the Streamline program include:

• Your current mortgage must be an FHA loan
• You must have a history of on-time payments, with no late payments in the last three months
• You must wait at least 210 days after buying the home or refinancing to use the FHA Streamline
• There needs to be a clear monetary benefit for the new loan — called a
  “Net Tangible Benefit” — to be eligible

These requirements mostly apply to your existing mortgage.

FHA Streamline Refinance borrower requirements

When it comes to borrower requirements, FHA is pretty lenient.

• Income verification and employment verification are not required when you use the non-credit qualifying option
• There is no minimum credit score requirement (though some lenders pull your credit report anyway)
• A home appraisal is not required. Instead, lenders can use the home value from your original loan to measure your loan-to-value ratio (LTV)

In short, the FHA Streamline is one of the most generous refinance options available.

Because there are so few documents required, an FHA Streamline loan may close faster than a traditional refinance. You’re also likely to save money on closing costs because you won’t have to pay for a new home appraisal.

What counts as a ‘Net Tangible Benefit?’

The FHA will not allow a Streamline Refinance unless it produces a Net Tangible Benefit. This is to protect borrowers against unscrupulous loan offers.

Such benefits can include a rate drop of at least 0.5%, a switch from adjustable– to fixed–rate financing, or a shorter loan term.

However, FHA guidelines can be complicated. For example, if you switch from an adjustable-rate mortgage to a fixed–rate loan, a higher mortgage rate is allowed.

For details and specifics, speak with loan officers and compare FHA Streamline refinance offerings.

When is the FHA Streamline a good idea?

When an FHA Streamline Refinance can significantly lower your interest rate and monthly payment, it’s probably a good idea.

But of course, refinancing is never quite that easy. There are many different ways you can look at the cost versus benefit of a mortgage refinance.

Here are a few questions to help you evaluate your existing FHA mortgage, your potential new loan, and your savings opportunities via the FHA Streamline or another refinance option.

1. How much money will you save?
2. Does a lower rate justify the expense?
3. Is there another reason to refi?
4. Will you still save money, even when paying MIP?
5. When was your original FHA loan opened?

1. How much money can I save?

How much you’ll save depends on your current interest rate and your new one. Your new rate will vary depending on the market and the lender you decide to work with.

When mortgage rates are low, refinancing can lead to significant savings. So it can be at least worthwhile to see what interest rate might be available in your situation.

To get the best deal possible, make sure to shop around with a few different mortgage lenders. Rates can vary a lot from one company to the next, so you won’t always get a lower rate from your current lender (or the one that sent you a flyer or email offering big savings). Further, you may find that you save more money with programs that aren’t streamlined.

The only way to know which lender has the best FHA Streamline Refinance rates is to apply with at least three and pick your lowest offer.

2. Does a lower rate make refinancing worthwhile?

Going from a higher interest rate to a lower one doesn’t always make refinancing worthwhile.

You want to see how many months it will take before loan savings “break even” with your upfront closing costs. If you’ll stay in the home past the break-even point, you’ll start seeing real savings.

After the break-even point, your savings will continue to grow over the life of the loan.

You should also watch out for lenders that define “savings“ as the difference between your new mortgage payment and your old one.

Look out for lenders that define “savings“ as the difference between your new payment and your old one. It’s possible to lower your monthly payment but increase your long–term cost.

It’s not that easy to measure your savings. Refinancing starts your mortgage loan over, so it’s possible to lower your monthly mortgage payments but actually increase your overall cost. This can happen because you’re spreading the loan balance and interest payments over a new 30-year term.

3. Refinancing for reasons other than a lower rate

In addition, there might be other reasons to refinance besides a lower rate and monthly payment.

For example, refinancing from an adjustable-rate mortgage to a fixed-rate mortgage still satisfies the FHA’s Net Tangible Benefit rule.

So if your current FHA loan is an ARM and you want to secure fixed-rate financing to avoid future rate hikes, that may be possible via the FHA Streamline Refinance.

4. What happens to FHA mortgage insurance premiums?

Remember, FHA is not a lender. It’s an insurance plan, and FHA insurance helps you save money because it lowers the lender’s risk.

But to access the benefits of FHA financing, borrowers need to pay for mortgage insurance premiums (MIP).

The FHA charges two kinds of mortgage insurance, both of which apply to FHA Streamline Refinance loans:

• Upfront mortgage insurance premium (upfront MIP) is equal to 1.75% of the loan amount
• Annual mortgage insurance premium (annual MIP) equal to 0.85% of the loan amount, broken into monthly installments

Refinancing via the FHA Streamline program will not cancel your mortgage insurance. But it may help you lower your MIP rate.

Homeowners who got an FHA loan between 2010 and 2015 may still be paying an annual MIP rate of 1.35%. In these cases, refinancing to a lower interest rate and lower MIP rate of 0.85% could yield significant monthly savings.

There are even cheaper rates when an FHA Streamline Refinance is used to replace an FHA loan originated on or before June 1, 2009.

Homeowners with older FHA loans should look into refinancing with a conventional loan to get rid of MIP.

With older loans the upfront MIP is 0.01% ($10 for a $100,000 loan balance) while the annual fee is 0.55%. That sounds like a big saving, but in practice, borrowers with older FHA loans may prefer different refinancing options.

That’s because home prices across the country have risen substantially since 2009. Many borrowers with older FHA loans already have at least 20% equity and could refinance without any mortgage insurance, but not with an FHA loan.

If you have at least 20% home equity, refinancing from an FHA home loan to a conventional loan could eliminate your mortgage insurance altogether and help you save more in the long run.

5. Was your original FHA loan opened before June 3, 2013?

Prior to June 3, 2013, the FHA had an insurance cancellation policy that allowed borrowers to end MIP coverage in as little as five years. This could only happen if the loan balance had fallen to 78% of the original debt.

Now, the story is different.

• If you borrow with a down payment of at least 10%, FHA MIP can be canceled in 11 years
• If you borrow with less than 10% down — as most FHA home buyers do — the annual MIP remains in place for the life of the loan

For those with a pre-2013 FHA loan, refinancing into a new FHA loan could saddle you with mortgage insurance that never goes away.

Instead of jumping into an FHA Streamline Refinance, look at all your options.

If you have at least 20% equity and a 620 credit score, you might be able to refinance directly into a conventional loan with no private mortgage insurance (PMI).

If you have strong credit but haven’t quite reached 20% equity, you might still want to refinance into a conventional loan. PMI can be canceled once you do reach 20% equity — unlike FHA mortgage insurance, which can only be removed by refinancing.

What are the drawbacks of an FHA Streamline Refinance?

There are several requirements that can make an FHA Streamline Refinance unattractive:

1. Closing costs
2. Mortgage insurance premiums
3. No cash out
4. On-time payment history required

1. You must pay closing costs on an FHA Streamline loan

Unlike some other refinance options, FHA does not allow you to roll closing costs into your mortgage loan balance.

Aside from the upfront mortgage insurance fee, which can be included in the loan, all other closing costs must be paid on your closing date. This means no-cost refinancing is not an option.

2. Mortgage insurance is required

As explained above, using the FHA Streamline Refinance loan will not eliminate your mortgage insurance premiums.

For this reason, credit-qualifying homeowners with at least 20% equity will likely prefer a conventional refinance loan. With enough equity, it’s possible to refinance from FHA to conventional and avoid mortgage insurance altogether on the new loan.

Just note, underwriting guidelines are stricter for conventional loans. You’ll need a credit score of at least 620, and debt-to-income ratios are not as flexible as with FHA.

3. No cash out allowed

With the FHA Streamline Refinance program, you can refinance your existing FHA loan balance but no cash-out refinancing is allowed.

If you want cash and have at least 20% equity, look into the FHA cash-out refinance program. Like other cash-out refinancing programs, the FHA’s version allows you to use funds to achieve any of your personal finance goals — purchasing a new investment property or even paying down high-interest credit card debt.

The attraction of non-FHA programs is that with 20% equity you won’t need the FHA’s mortgage insurance, a big money-saver.

4. Your loan can’t be delinquent

FHA requires an on-time payment history to qualify for this refinance program.

• The three most recent mortgage payments must have been paid in full and on time
• At least 210 days must have passed since your current loan’s origination date
• You must have made at least six payments on your existing loan

Why does the FHA offer Streamline refinancing?

A low–hassle refinance program with competitive mortgage rates might sound too good to be true. But actually, it’s in the Federal Housing Administration and HUD’s best interest to offer a Streamline Refinance loan.

The FHA can readily favor low rates because it’s an insurance plan and not a lender. The agency has no incentive to keep borrowers in high-rate loans because it doesn’t profit from the interest paid on FHA loans.

To the FHA, lower rates mean smaller monthly mortgage payments. Smaller payments are easier for borrowers to handle. This means fewer claims against its mortgage insurance program.

By helping homeowners refinance into more affordable home loans, FHA is really protecting itself from having to pay private lenders for loans that have defaulted.

The same is true for the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Streamline Refinance for VA loans.

Today’s FHA refinance rates

When interest rates are low, refinancing you home loan can lead to significant savings. That includes rates for FHA Streamline Refinancing.

Even though the FHA Streamline doesn’t involve minimum credit score requirements, your rates will still vary from one lender to the next. So it pays to shop around for the best deal.

Compare FHA Streamline rates from a minimum of three lenders to make sure you’re getting the lowest rate and monthly payment on your new loan.