Home improvement loan

Property Improvement Loan Insurance (Title I)

Type of Assistance:
The Title I program insures loans to finance the light or moderate rehabilitation of properties, as well as the construction of nonresidential buildings on the property. This program may be used to insure such loans for up to 20 years on either single- or multifamily properties. The maximum loan amount is $25,000 for improving a single-family home or for improving or building a nonresidential structure.

For improving a multifamily structure, the maximum loan amount is $12,000 per family unit, not to exceed a total of $60,000 for the structure. These are fixed-rate loans, for which lenders charge interest at market rates. The interest rates are not subsidized by HUD, although some communities participate in local housing rehabilitation programs that provide reduced-rate property improvement loans through Title I lenders.

FHA insures private lenders against the risk of default for up to 90 percent of any single loan. The annual premium for this insurance is $1 per $100 of the amount advanced; although this fee may be charged to the borrower separately, it is sometimes covered by a higher interest charge.