Student loans have led to widespread hesitation among millennials when it comes to buying a home, but Lennar Corp subsidiary Eagle Home Mortgage is looking to change that.
After a borrower buys a home from Lennar (which is based in Miami), Eagle will pay as much as 3% of the purchase price of that home towards the buyer’s student loans. The loans are backed by mortgage lender Fannie Mae. Eagle’s payments, which do not add to the balance of a home loan or a house’s price, max out at $13,000.
Student loan debt is currently in the trillions, and student loan defaults are currently at a high rate, according to reports from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. For private universities, defaults hover around 7%, while public universities the rate is 11.3%. For-profit universities suffer from the worst default rates, topping 15% and reaching as high as 30% in several cases.
While this program could have an easing effect on the wariness of potential buyers carrying student debt, risks remain.
For one, potential recipients of Eagle’s loan assistance program will still need enough financial stability for a down payment and mortgage loan approval on the home. For another, the program could begin distorting home values, according to experts, should the student loan payments be included in home appraisals.
Questions also remain. How does Eagle Home Mortgage figure in student loan debt in calculating debt to asset ratios? Given the enormity of student loan debt and the size of the mortgage market, expect to hear more about this service.
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