Since your property must be considered your primary residence, vacation homes and secondary homes do not qualify for the reverse mortgage loan. In addition, homes on income-producing land, such as a farm, are not eligible. A reverse mortgage loan must be the primary lien on your home to qualify.
The short answer is yes, a buyer or seller can back out of a home sale. Usually, the buyer has more ways to back out of a deal, as it's rare and more difficult for a seller to change their mind. When a house is for sale, buyers are the ones who present offers to sellers - and their offers usually include contingencies.
Upon the death of the borrower and Eligible Non-Borrowing Spouse, the loan becomes due and payable. Your heirs have 30 days from receiving the due and payable notice from the lender to buy the home, sell the home, or turn the home over to the lender to satisfy the debt.S
With the non-recourse aspect of reverse mortgages, the borrowers or their estate do not have to pay back more than the value of the home, even if the loan balance is higher. In these circumstances, the borrower (or estate) can grant a deed in lieu and walk away from the obligation of selling the home.
Borrowers can only have one existing reverse mortgage at a time. However, borrowers who have paid off a reverse mortgage can get another reverse mortgage. And borrowers with an existing reverse mortgage can refinance the reverse mortgage to another one.
To have a reverse mortgage on a property, it must be your principal residence, meaning that you live there for most of the year. Your reverse mortgage will mature if you're away from the property for more than six months for a nonmedical reason or more than 12 consecutive months in a medical facility.
Cons of a reverse mortgage Reverse mortgages have costs that include lender fees (origination fees are capped at $6,000 and depend on the amount of your loan), FHA insurance charges and closing costs. These costs can be added to the loan balance, however, that means the borrower would have more debt and less equity.
The amount of money you can receive from a reverse mortgage generally ranges from 40-60% of your home's appraised value. The older you are, the more you can receive, as loan amounts are based primarily on your life expectancy and current interest rates.
Reverse mortgages have costs that include lender fees (origination fees are capped at $6,000 and depend on the amount of your loan), FHA insurance charges and closing costs. These costs can be added to the loan balance, however, that means the borrower would have more debt and less equity.
When you take out a reverse mortgage loan, the title to your home remains with you. Most reverse mortgages are Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECMs). The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), a part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), insures HECMs.
A reverse mortgage can provide income to seniors based on the equity in their homes. Reverse mortgage contracts can have hidden costs such as fees and interest can eat up your home equity. Unless you are careful, you can risk losing your home or have it passed on to the lender when you die instead of to your heirs.
If you already have a reverse mortgage on your home at the time you create your living trust, you can transfer it into your trust using the real estate powers granted to you as trustee of your trust.