Getting a mortgage for a home these days can be tough, and getting one for a second home can be even tougher.
In the wake of the mortgage market meltdown, lenders are demanding particularly large down payments from people shopping for a vacation home or an investment property, a group they deem to be especially risky.
But as the vacation season approaches, coming up with that cash may be a real challenge. Home-equity lines of credit, once a reliable source of down-payment money, are no longer readily available to homeowners. The popular low-down-payment loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration are limited to primary residences. And the private mortgage insurance required of borrowers who can’t afford a 20 percent down payment is nearly impossible to find in areas where home prices are declining.
Read More – Washington Post
