Down payment requirements on Houston mortgages might look very different in a few years if a new proposal by President Obama is adopted. The proposal to increase down payments to 10% on federally-guaranteed mortgages is part of a far-reaching effort to reform government mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which were bailed out by the government in 2008. Today, conventional mortgage loans in Houston that are backed by the government require a minimum down payment of 5% for well-heeled borrowers. The strategy is to turn more of this sector of the housing market over to private lenders whom today commonly require 20% or more down.
A direct correlation between has been discovered between the amount of down payment and the risk of foreclosure. An analysis of foreclosures in 2008 by McDash Analytics showed that 16% of foreclosures came from homeowners who paid down payments of less than 3%. Another 35% were the result of negative equity which, most likely, is a function of both low down payment and a decrease in home prices.
In 1998, the percentage of borrowers who obtained a loan with no money down was less than 4%. Conversely, eight years later at the height of the housing bubble, more than 20% of loans were made with no borrower investment. Today, almost 27% of homeowners nationally have negative equity, though the numbers in Houston are lower.
In looking at the impact of these potential changes on the home markets in Houston, many have pointed to Canada as a model for what the U.S. mortgage market should look like. In Canada, a far higher percentage of mortgages are retained by the lender on their balance sheets which has led to higher and more consistent underwriting standards. In addition, between 50% and 60% of mortgages initiated have terms of 25 years or less, whereas in the U.S. the benchmark 30-year mortgage makes up the vast majority of financing on newly purchased properties. Furthermore, 20% down payments are common in Canada as are adjustable rate mortgages, though these variable rate mortgages are far more palatable than the exotic products offered here during the height of the housing bubble. Interestingly, in Canada, mortgage interest is not deductible and it is far easier for lenders to foreclose. Overall, the housing market to the north has remained healthy with foreclosures remaining well below 1% while in the United States, that rate has risen to more than triple that number.
Conservative home equity laws and a relatively healthy economy have spared the Houston mortgage and housing market from the chaos that has plagued states such as California, Florida, Nevada, and Michigan; however, the proposed changes to mortgage financing will undoubtedly affect 90% of all mortgages originated in Texas because they are being sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The delicate recovery of the Houston mortgage and housing sector will be delayed by what amounts to a further tightening of the credit markets.
Houston homebuyers are advised to take advantage of near record low mortgage rates, affordable home prices, and the availability of low down payment financing now before this environment is not quite as friendly.







People in the Houston, Texas area looking to purchase a home today will likely find that the financing environment is far different than it was a few years ago at the apex of the housing boom. Through the use of sub-prime and Alt-A loan programs, combo loans and seller-funded grant programs, it was somewhat easy to secure a home loan with little to no down payment. Many homeowners who purchased in those days are finding out how times have changed as they try to refinance a home with little, no, or even negative equity. In today’s economic environment, lenders are looking for more “skin in the game”, but there are still are some programs available that will allow a buyer to obtain a mortgage with little, or even no money down. The following is a brief description of some of those programs:



