THE
ENERGY EFFICIENT MORTGAGE
means comfort and savings. When you are buying, selling, refinancing,
or remodeling your home, you can increase your comfort and actually
save money by using the Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM).
It is easy to use, federally recognized, and can be applied to most
home mortgages. EEMs provide the borrower with special benefits
when purchasing a home that is energy efficient, or can be made
efficient through the installation of energy-saving improvements.
Home
owners with lower utility bills have more money in their pocket
each month. They can afford to allocate a larger portion of their
income to housing expenses. If you have more cash, why not buy a
better, more comfortable home? There are two options with the Energy
Efficient Mortgage.
The
TWO SIDES of the EEM COIN
Finance
Energy Improvements!
|
Cost-effective energy-saving measures may be financed as part
of the mortgage! |
|
Make
an older, less efficient home more comfortable and affordable!
|
Increase
Your Buying Power!
|
Stretch debt-to-income qualifying ratios on loans for energy-efficient
homes! |
|
Qualify
for a larger loan amount! Buy a better, more energy efficient
home! |
WHO
BENEFITS from the ENERGY EFFICIENT MORTGAGE?
Buyers:
|
Qualify
for a larger loan on a better home! |
|
Get
a more comfortable home NOW. |
|
Save
money every month from Day One. |
|
Increase
the potential resale value of your home. |
Sellers:
|
Sell your home more quickly. |
|
Make
your house affordable to more people. |
|
Attract
attention in a competitive market. |
Remodelers/Refinancers:
|
Get
all the EEM benefits without moving. |
|
Make
improvements which will actually save you money. |
|
Increase
the potential resale value of your home. |
Pay
for energy improvements easily, through your mortgage. Your lender
can increase your loan to cover energy improvement costs. Monthly
mortgage payments increase slightly, but you actually save money
because your energy bills will be lower!
HERS,
or Home Energy Rating Systems
A
HERS report is similar to a miles-per-gallon rating
on a car. HERS are programs which provide evaluations of an individual
home's energy-efficiency. A HERS report is prepared by a trained
Energy Rater. Factors such as insulation, appliance efficiencies,
window types, local climate, and utility rates are used to rate
the home and calculate energy costs.
A
HERS Report Includes:
|
Overall Rating Index of the house as it is. |
|
Recommended
cost-effective energy upgrades. |
|
Estimates
of the cost, annual savings, and useful life of upgrades. |
|
Improved
Rating Index after the installation of recommended upgrades. |
|
Estimated
annual total energy cost for the existing home before and after
upgrades. |
A
Rating Index is between 1 and 100. A lower index indicates greater
efficiency. Cost-effective upgrades are those which will save more
money through energy savings than they cost to install.
A
HERS rating usually costs between $300 and $800. This could be paid
for by the buyer, seller, lender, or real estate agent. Sometimes
the cost of the rating may be financed as part of the mortgage.
No matter how the rating is paid for, it is a very good investment
because an EEM could save you or your buyer hundreds of dollars
each year.
THIS
IS WHY the EEM WORKS
Energy-efficient
homes cost less to own than non-efficient homes, though they may
start off with higher price tags.
Older Same Home with
existing home energy improvements
Home price $ 150,000 $ 154,816
(90% mortgage, 8% interest)
Loan amount $ 135,000 $ 139,334
Monthly payment* $ 991 $ 1,023
Energy bills + $ 186 + $ 93
The true monthly
cost of home ownership $ 1,177 $ 1,116
Monthly savings - $ 61
Estimated
mortgage payments are based upon principle and interest only, and
do not include taxes and insurance. Value indicated here is for
comparison only, and will vary from home to home.
Many
homes qualify for energy upgrades. This home qualified for $4,816
in upgrades. With the EEM, lenders recognize the savings the upgrades
will bring. Borrowers may use these potential savings like extra
cash, and add the cost of upgrades into the mortgage, paying them
off easily as part of the monthly mortgage payment. Once the upgrades
are installed the potential savings turn into real savings.
The
other EEM option is for the lender to stretch debt-to-income qualifying
ratios to allow a larger loan for a house that is already energy
efficient. A debt-to-income ratio "stretch" means that a larger
percentage of the borrower's monthly income can be applied to the
monthly mortgage payment. That means the buyer has more borrowing
power based up on the same income.
WHAT
the EEM DOES for a BUYER'S BORROWING POWER
For
a standard home without energy improvements:
Buyer's
total monthly income |
$5,000 |
Maximum
allowable monthly payment 28% debt-to-income ratio |
$1,400 |
Maximum
mortgage at 90% of appraised home value |
$221,500 |
For an energy-efficient home:
Buyer's
total monthly income |
$5,000 |
Maximum
allowable monthly payment 30% debt-to-income ratio |
$1,500 |
Maximum
mortgage at 90% of appraised home value |
$237,300 |
Added
Borrowing Power Due to the Energy Efficient Mortgage: $15,800
Mortgage Rate of 7.5%-Down Payment of 10%-30 Year Term-Principal
& Interest Only-Tax & Insurance Not Factored
In other words:
This
buyer got into a home worth thousands of dollars more, just because
it was energy efficient. That could mean a home with more space,
in a better location, or in better overall condition.
Federal
Housing Administration (FHA) EEMs
The
FHA Energy Efficient Mortgage covers upgrades for new and existing
homes and is now available in all 50 states. Key features includes:
|
Loan
limits may be exceeded |
|
No
re-qualifying |
|
No
additional down payment |
|
No
new appraisal |
$4,000 or 5% of the property value (up to $8,000) may be financed
EEM's may be combined with 203(k) FHA Home Rehabilitation Loans
The
FHA 203(k) program enables a home buyer or investor to obtain a
single loan to finance both property acquisition and complete major
improvements after the time of loan closing. Can be used in conjunction
with the FHA EEM.
Veterans
Affairs (VA) EEMs
The
VA Energy Efficient Mortgage is available to qualified military
personnel, reservists and veterans in all 50 states for energy improvements
when purchasing an existing home. Key features include:
|
$3,000 of upgrades may be financed based solely on documented
costs |
|
Up
to $6,000 may be financed if upgrades are deemed cost effective |
Fannie
Mae and Freddie Mac EEMs
Fannie
Mae secondary market guidelines permit approved lenders to increase
ratios two percent on the debt-to-income requirements for Energy
Efficient Mortgages. An expanded qualifying ratio helps purchasers
who are "maxed-out" on their income ratios. Freddie Mac allows a
lender to use the projected utility savings as a "compensating factor."
CASE
STUDY:
Adding
energy improvements through the home purchase.
"The
EEM was the second best thing that ever happened to me. The first
best was actually being able to buy a home. This is our first home,
and the EEM saved us a lot of headaches because we knew what we
needed to do to the house. It's nice and comfortable now. Even my
dogs are happy. I am very impressed."
-Pat Theard
First-time
home buyers Patricia and Mynette Theard purchased their home in
California. It was built in 1940, and sold for $150,000. They got
an FHA loan for 95% of the value of the property. The lender saw
an opportunity for them to improve on their investment and recommended
an Energy Efficient Mortgage.
A
HERS Rating on the home recommended $2,300 in energy improvements
including ceiling, floor and furnace duct insulation, plus a setback
thermostat. The lender set aside an extra $2,300 for the improvements,
bringing the total loan amount from $142,500 to $144,800. The loan
closed, the Theards moved in, and the improvements were installed.
The monthly mortgage payment increased by $17, but the Theards are
saving $45 each month through lower utility bills.
Ask
your lender about an Energy Efficient Mortgage. If they are not
knowledgeable about the EEM, encourage them to learn about it, or
find another lender.
Call
the organizations listed on the back of this booklet. Find out how
they can use the EEM to your benefit when you buy, sell, refinance
or remodel your home!
WHICH
BUYERS and HOMES ARE ELIGIBLE?
All
buyers who qualify for a home loan qualify for the EEM. The EEM
is intended to give the buyer additional benefits on top of their
usual mortgage deal. The lender will use the energy-efficiency of
the house, as determined by a HERS rating, to determine what these
benefits will be.
Energy
Efficient Mortgages can be done on most homes. Availability is not
limited by location, home price or utility company. EEMs can be
done on government (FHA and VA) conventional, Portfolio and Jumbo
Loans. Your lender will help you choose which loan type is best
for you.
Get
an EEM on:
|
Older
homes qualifying for upgrades |
|
New
or old homes not requiring upgrades |
|
New
construction |
SOME
THINGS to KEEP in MIND
It
is best to have the HERS Rating done as early in the loan process
as possible. This way, the Rating can be performed while other aspects
of the loan are being processed. Closing the loan should not be
delayed. You may get a larger tax deduction with the EEM because
the interest on mortgage payments is tax deductible. This can save
you more money than paying for energy upgrades with a credit card,
bank loan, or cash, none of which are usually tax deductible.
Each
house is as unique as its owner. Benefits derived from the EEM will
vary from one house to another, and the benefits in the examples
in this book may not apply in all cases. Your lender will be your
best source of information on your own EEM benefits.
CASE
STUDY:
Adding
Energy Improvements through a Home Refinance
"It's
wonderful. We're just amazed at the difference. We've hardly used
the furnace all winter. The house is much quieter too. It makes
sense for everyone to do it."
-Caroline Chang
In
the fall of 1995, Caroline and Tommy Chang decided to refinance
their 35-year-old home to take advantage of lower interest rates.
Their lender suggested they get a HERS Rating on the home so they
could finance energy improvements through their new mortgage deal
as well.
The
lender increased the loan by $8,760 to cover the cost of energy
improvements. Their final loan amount was $176,400, which is higher
than they could have gotten with out the EEM. The loan closed and
the improvements were installed. These included double-paned windows,
wall insulation, ceiling insulation, furnace duct repairs and insulation,
and a few smaller items. These improvements, combined with their
lower mortgage interest rate, mean the Changs will be saving about
$230 per month. They will be more comfortable too!
A
house could be your biggest investment ever. Use the Energy Efficient
Mortgage and invest wisely.
To
find out how, call the organizations listed on the back cover.
Disclaimer
Statement
Pacific
Gas and Electric Company and the Department of Energy do not endorse
nor imply endorsement of any product, service, individual or company
mentioned and/or involved in this publication. Anyone undertaking
to rely on particular details contained herein shall do so at his/her
own risk and should independently use and/or verify their applicability
to a given situation.
U.S.
Department of Energy funds were not used for the printing of this
four-color brochure.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, 1996, all rights reserved.
Publication
developed by:
Pacific
Gas and Electric Company
Consumer Energy Management
123 Mission Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
1-800-933-9555
Pacific
Gas and Electric
Produced
cooperatively by
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Building Technology
State and Community Programs
1000 Independence Avenue SW
Washington, DC 20585
1-800-363-3732
Department
of Energy
Additional
assistance provided by
Alliance to Save Energy
1200 18th Street, NW
Suite 900
Washington, DC 20036
1-202-857-0666
Alliance
to Save Energy
Additional
information available from:
Consumer Information Center
Pueblo, CO 81009
1-719-948-4000 (for catalogs only)
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Information Center
Distribution
assistance provided by:
Countrywide Home Loans, Inc.
Consumer Markets Division
155 N. Lake Avenue
MSN 4-48
Pasadena, CA 91101
1-800-942-2563
Countrywide
Home Loans
Additional
information available from:
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Insured Single Family Housing
451 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20410
(202) 708-1112
(202) 708-1734 (TTY)
Department of Housing and Urban Development
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General
Notice: Permission to reproduce this publication is granted for
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of Pacific Gas and Electric Company.
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