R.H. from Wisconsin writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
I am president of a condo association. Currently we have 11 existing buildings that are occupied (2 units per building). There still are 7 more buildings that will be built in the coming years. We basically have 58% of the project built and completed. I understand that you need a certain per cent of buildings completed before you can qualify for Reverse Mortgage as an association. What is that percentage?
Mister Condo replies:
R.H., there are a number of factors that go into determining if a Reverse Mortgage can be granted to a condominium unit owner. Since many reverse mortgages are also FHA backed, the entire association must be FHA approved before any one FHA backed reverse mortgage can be granted. That can be tricky enough when the project is completely built but it is even trickier when the association is still under construction as yours is. Have you sought FHA approval for your condominium association yet? There are pros and cons in doing so but my guess is that you will need to do so if you are getting requests for reverse mortgage eligibility. Rather than go it on your own, may I suggest you work with an industry professional to walk you through the process? Otherwise, I think you will spend an inordinate amount of time on the project and still may not get the approval you need. In your state, there is a local chapter of the Community Associations Institute (CAI). I found an interesting press release on FHA at their website you might want to read – https://www.cai-wi.org/news/cai-government-affairs/ The article deals with the shifting requirements for condominium associations. In other words, today’s answer may be different tomorrow.
If you are seeking a local resource to help, may I suggest you get in touch with them the Wisconsin Chapter of CAI and ask about companies that specialize in FHA approvals for associations like yours? That way you can get a local expert opinion on the feasibility for your association. Good luck!