With the backing of Fannie Mae, home-sharing giant Airbnb has announced a new partnership with select lenders, including Quicken Loans, Citizens Bank, and Better Mortgage, that will allow homeowners to report rental earnings as part of their income when applying to refinance a mortgage. Owners who rent rooms on Airbnb had been
facing delays, higher interest rates, and loan limitations when refinancing.
“This initiative was developed to identify new ways of recognizing home-sharing income, making it possible for homeowners to maximize their investment to better reach their financial goals,” Airbnb said in a statement. “The project is part of Fannie Mae’s work to find new, innovative ways to expand the availability of affordable mortgage credit.”
If the initial program goes well, Fannie Mae may consider extending it to all of its lenders, according to reports. Airbnb will provide hosts with a proof of income statement that they can use when refinancing an existing mortgage.
Housing studies show mixed results when it comes to the
effect of Airbnb on local markets. Some show that a greater number of Airbnb listings in a given location can lead to a slight increase in rents and home prices. Others, however, suggest Airbnb restricts long-term rent growth. Some cities, such as Baltimore and Detroit, are considering new zoning requirements to
limit Airbnb rentals in its communities.
Source: Airbnb and “Refinancing a Mortgage? You Can Now Count Airbnb Income,” Curbed.com (Feb. 9, 2018)
