Are Lenders Redlining Entire Cities?
April 19th, 2008 Categories: Mortgage News, Real Estate News, San Marcos
Redlining is a term that describes the unethical if not illegal practice where lenders red line a neighborhood or community, making it very difficult for buyers to purchase in these afflicted areas.
I have recently heard from a couple of direct lenders, Countrywide Home Loans and Bank of America, that most if not all of San Diego County real estate is in the red zone.
Qualifying for current red zone status simply means that the subject property is located in a declining market area. The impact of this colorization is significant to both the San Diego real estate market as a whole and to first time home buyers in particular.
How this version of redlining works creates a no-win situation for buyers putting down less than 5 percent.
Even if a buyer has negotiated a bargain purchase price, say 10 percent under market value, the appraiser will automatically deduct another 5 percent from the contract price to determine a value. In other words, a borrower cannot get away with putting less than 5 percent down.
I spoke with Brian Brady a couple of weeks ago about this matter. I had been told by a representative from a large direct lender that San Marcos, CA was in a red zone, and would be subject to different lending standards. Brian bristled at the thought of redlining, declaring it an illegal practice unless an entire region were painted red.
Well, it seems that most, if not all of San Diego County real estate, is swimming in blood.
One of our agents is struggling with a couple seeking to buy their first home in the Shadowridge area of Vista, CA. The buyer is an automobile service manager in nearby Carlsbad and his wife is an attorney. They are conservative in lifestyle, and can afford payments on a $417,000 home. However, they are short on down payment. And with current lending guidelines and the unavoidable prospect of buying in a red zone, they can no longer qualify for the 100 percent loan Countrywide Home Loans had promised.
And what makes this particular case so interesting is that the home is a foreclosure held by Countrywide as an REO (real estate owned). Any reasonable person would think that Countrywide Home Loans would jump through hoops to get this liability off their books especially with buyers like these.
Wouldnt reasonable minds agree?
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