Section 60. Eligible dwellings

A. In order to qualify as an eligible dwelling for which an authority loan may be made, the residence must:

1. Be located in the Commonwealth;

2. Be a one-family detached residence, a townhouse or one unit of an authority approved condominium;

3. Satisfy the acquisition cost requirements set forth below; and

4. Be owned or to be owned by the applicant in the form of fee simple interest.

The authority may decline to finance more than 25% of the units in any one condominium project, planned unit development (PUD) or subdivision if the executive director determines that financing additional units would be detrimental to the authority's financial interests after taking into consideration the then current and expected demand and supply of housing in the applicable geographic region.

B. The acquisition cost of an eligible dwelling may not exceed certain limits established by the U.S. Department of the Treasury in effect at the time of the application. Note: In all cases for new loans such federal limits equal or exceed the authority's sales price limits shown in 13VAC10-40-80. Therefore, for new loans the residence is an eligible dwelling if the acquisition cost is not greater than the authority's sales price limit. In the event that the acquisition cost exceeds the authority's sales price limit, the originating agent must contact the authority to determine if the residence is an eligible dwelling.

1. To determine if the acquisition cost is at or below the federal limits for assumptions, the originating agent or, if applicable, the servicing agent must in all cases contact the authority (see 13VAC10-40-140).

2. Acquisition cost means the cost of acquiring the eligible dwelling from the seller as a completed residence.

a. Acquisition cost includes:

(1) All amounts paid, either in cash or in kind, by the eligible borrower (or a related party or for the benefit of an eligible borrower) to the seller (or a related party or for the benefit of the seller) as consideration for the eligible dwelling. Such amounts include amounts paid for items constituting fixtures under state law, but not for items of personal property not constituting fixtures under state law. (See Exhibit R for examples of fixtures and items of personal property.)

(2) The reasonable costs of completing or rehabilitating the residence (whether or not the cost of completing construction or rehabilitation is to be financed with the mortgage loan) if the eligible dwelling is incomplete or is to be rehabilitated. As an example of reasonable completion cost, costs of completing the eligible dwelling so as to permit occupancy under local law would be included in the acquisition cost. A residence which includes unfinished areas (i.e. an area designed or intended to be completed or refurbished and used as living space, such as the lower level of a tri-level residence or the upstairs of a Cape Cod) shall be deemed incomplete, and the costs of finishing such areas must be included in the acquisition cost.

(3) The cost of land on which the eligible dwelling is located and which has been owned by an eligible borrower for a period no longer than two years prior to the construction of the structure comprising the eligible dwelling.

b. Acquisition cost does not include:

(1) Usual and reasonable settlement or financing costs. Such excluded settlement costs include title and transfer costs, title insurance, survey fees and other similar costs. Such excluded financing costs include credit reference fees, legal fees, appraisal expenses, points which are paid by an eligible borrower, or other costs of financing the residence. Such amounts must not exceed the usual and reasonable costs which otherwise would be paid. Where the buyer pays more than a pro rata share of property taxes, for example, the excess is to be treated as part of the acquisition cost.

(2) The imputed value of services performed by an eligible borrower or members of his family (brothers and sisters, spouse, ancestors and lineal descendants) in constructing or completing the residence.

3. The originating agent is required to obtain from each eligible borrower a completed affidavit of borrower which shall include a calculation of the acquisition cost of the eligible dwelling in accordance with this subsection B. The originating agent shall assist each eligible borrower in the correct calculation of such acquisition cost. The affidavit of seller shall also certify as to the acquisition cost of the eligible dwelling.

4. The originating agent shall for each new loan determine whether the acquisition cost of the eligible dwelling exceeds the authority's applicable sales price limit shown in 13VAC10-40-80. If the acquisition cost exceeds such limit, the originating agent must contact the authority to determine if the residence is an eligible dwelling for a new loan. (For an assumption, the originating agent or, if applicable, the servicing agent must contact the authority for this determination in all cases, see 13VAC10-40-140). Also, as part of its review, the originating agent must review the affidavit of borrower submitted by each mortgage loan applicant and must make a determination that the acquisition cost of the eligible dwelling has been calculated in accordance with this subsection B. In addition, the originating agent must compare the information contained in the affidavit of borrower with the information contained in the affidavit of seller and other sources and documents such as the contract of sale for consistency of representation as to acquisition cost.

5. The authority reserves the right to obtain an independent appraisal in order to establish fair market value and to determine whether a dwelling is eligible for the mortgage loan requested.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR400-02-0003 § 2.2.2, eff. July 16, 1985; amended, Volume 02, Issue 03, eff. October 15, 1985; Volume 02, Issue 10, eff. January 21, 1986; Volume 02, Issue 18, eff. May 20, 1986; Volume 03, Issue 03, eff. December 10, 1986; Volume 03, Issue 23, eff. August 10, 1987; Volume 04, Issue 14, eff. March 16, 1988; Volume 05, Issue 03, eff. October 19, 1988; Volume 05, Issue 12, eff. March 1, 1989; Volume 05, Issue 21, eff. July 1, 1989; Volume 06, Issue 10, eff. January 16, 1990; Volume 07, Issue 10, eff. January 16, 1991; Volume 07, Issue 23, eff. July 18, 1991; Volume 08, Issue 06, eff. December 1, 1991; Volume 08, Issue 17, eff. April 23, 1992; Volume 09, Issue 20, eff. July 1, 1993; Volume 10, Issue 15, eff. March 16, 1994; Volume 10, Issue 21, eff. June 21, 1994; Volume 11, Issue 19, eff. June 1, 1995; Volume 19, Issue 25, eff. August 1, 2003; Volume 24, Issue 07, eff. November 13, 2007.

Statutory Authority

§ 36-55.30:3 of the Code of Virginia.