Credit Unions for Mortgages? Yes

As you may have heard, some credit unions are getting into the mortgage lending game.  This is good for borrowers as credit unions are not-for-profit.  Have I tried out one of these credit unions as a lender on a property? No, and I am a little nervous that it may take longer to get the loan to go through than it usually does.  But back to the highlights:
- Credit union interest rates are a little bit cheaper than conventional lender interest rates.
- CUs are big on adjustable rate mortgages, although they have fixed-rate loans available, too.  ARMs haven't been popular in recent years, and most people prefer fixed-rate mortgages.  But in a time of rising values, I think there is no reason to fear ARMs -- once a property has equity, a borrower can refinance into a fixed-rate loan.
- Current CU lending guidelines say a buyer needs 10% down for an ARM, or 20% down for a fixed-rate loan.  The borrower's credit score needs to be pretty high, too.
- CUs will make loans on properties that other lenders won't touch.  For example, they will make loans on condos where the condo building's owner occupancy is low.
Note for 7/18/13: a Twitter contact says 5% down, 5/5 ARMs are coming soon to credit unions.

Speaking of condos with low owner occupancy, please check out my listing at 5227 Denny #101 in North Hollywood. It will be open this Sunday from 2 to 5.