residence; and (except as provided in the next to the last sentence "(3) Have a maturity satisfactory to the Secretary, but not to exceed, in any event, thirty-five years (or thirty years if such mortgage is not approved for insurance prior to construction) from the date of the beginning of amortization of the mortgage or three-quarters of the Secretary's estimate of the remaining economic life of the building improvements, whichever is the lesser. "(4) Contain complete amortization provisions satisfactory to the Secretary requiring periodic payments by the mortgagor not in excess of his reasonable ability to pay as determined by the Secretary. "(5) Bear interest (exclusive of premium charges for insurance, and service charges if any) at not to exceed 5 per centum per annum on the amount of the principal obligation outstanding at any time, or not to exceed such per centum per annum not in excess of 6 per centum as the Secretary finds necessary to meet the mortgage market. "(6) Provide, in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary, for the application of the mortgagor's periodic payments (exclusive of the amount allocated to interest and to the premium charge which is required for mortgage insurance as hereinafter provided) to amortization of the principal of the mortgage. "(7) Contain such terms and provisions with respect to insurance, repairs, alterations, payment of taxes, default reserves, deliquency charges, foreclosure proceedings, anticipation of maturity, additional and secondary liens, and other matters as the Secretary may in his discretion prescribe. "(8) In the case of a mortgagor who is not the occupant of the property, have a principal obligation not in excess of an amount equal to 85 per centum of the amount computed under the provisions of para 01 limitation shall not be applicable if the mortgagor and mortgagee assume responsibility in a manner satisfactory to the Secretary for the reduction of the mortgage by an amount not less than 15 per centum of the outstanding principal amount thereof in the event the mortgage property is not, prior to the due date of the eighteenth amortization payment of the mortgage, sold to a purchaser acceptable to the Secretary who is the occupant of the property and who assumes and agrees to pay the mortgage indebtedness. "(9) Be executed by a mortgagor who shall have paid on account of the property (except in a case to which the next to the last sentence of paragraph (2) applies) at least 3 percentum, or such larger amount as the Secretary may determine, of the Secretary's estimate of the cost of acquisition in cash or its equivalent: Provided, That with respect to a mortgage executed by a mortgagor who is sixty years of age or older as of the date the mortgage is endorsed for insurance or with respect to a mortgage meeting the requirements of subsection (i) of this section, or with respect to a mortgage covering a singlefamily home being purchased under the low-income housing demonstration project assisted pursuant to section 207 of the Housing Act of 1961, the mortgagor's payment required by this subsection may be paid by a corporation or person other than the mortgagor under such terms and conditions as the Secretary may prescribe. "(c) The Secretary is authorized to fix premium charges for the insurance of mortgages under the separate sections of this title but in the case of any mortgage such charge shall be not less than an amount equivalent to one-fourth of 1 per centum per annum nor more than an amount equivalent to 1 per centum per annum of the amount of the principal obligation of the mortgage outstanding at any time, without taking into account delinquent payments or prepayments: Provided, That premium charges fixed for insurance under subsection (n) is not required to be the same as the premium charges for mortgages insured under the other provisions of this section, but in no case shall premium charges under subsection (n) exceed 1 per centum per annum: Provided, That any reduced premium charge so fixed and computed may, in the discretion of the Secretary, also be made applicable in such manner as the Secretary shall prescribe to each insured mortgage outstanding under the section or sections involved at the time the reduced premium charge is fixed. Such premium charges shall be payable by the mortgagee, either in cash, or in debentures issued by the Secretary under this title at par plus accrued interest, in such manner as may be prescribed by the Secretary: Provided, That debentures presented in payment of premium charges shall represent obligations of the particular insurance fund or account to which such premium charges are to be credited: Provided further, That the Secretary may require the payment of one or more such premium charges at the time the mortgage is insured, at such discount rate as he may prescribe not in excess of the interest rate specified in the mortgage. If the Secretary finds upon the presentation of a mortgage for insurance and the tender of the initial premium charge or charges so required that the mortgage complies with the provisions of this section, such mortgage may be accepted for insurance by endorsement or otherwise as the Secretary may prescribe; but no mortgage shall be that the project with respect to which the mortgage is executed is economically sound. In the event that the principal obligation of any mortgage accepted for insurance under this title is paid in full prior to the maturity date, the Secretary is further authorized in his discretion to require the payment by the mortgagee of an adjusted premium charge in such amount as the Secretary determines to be equitable, but not in excess of the aggregate amount of the premium charges that the mortgagee would otherwise have been required to pay if the mortgage had continued to be insured until such maturity date; and in the event that the principal obligation is paid in full as herein set forth, the Secretary is authorized to refund to the mortgagee for the account of the mortgagor all, or such portion as he shall determine to be equitable, of the current unearned premium charges theretofore paid. "(d) [Repealed.] "(e) Any contract of insurance heretofore or hereafter executed by the Secretary under this title shall be conclusive evidence of the eligibility of the loan or mortgage for insurance, and the validity of any contract of insurance so executed shall be incontestable in the hands of an approved financial institution or approved mortgagee from the date of the execution of such contract, except for fraud or misrepresentation on the part of such approved financial institution or approved mortgagee. "(f) [Repealed.] "(g) [Repealed.] "(h) Nothwithstanding any other provision of this section, the Secretary is authorized to insure any mortgage which involves a principal obligation not in excess of $14,400 and not in excess of 100 per centum of the appraised value of a property upon which there is located a dwelling designed principally for a single-family residence, where the mortgagor is the owner and occupant and establishes (to the satisfaction of the Secretary) that his home which he occupied as an owner or as a tenant was destroyed or damaged to such an extent that reconstruction is required as a result of a flood, fire, hurricane, earthquake, storm, riot or civil disorder, or other catastrophe, which the President. pursuant to section 102 (2) and 301 of the Disaster Relief Act of 1974, has determined to be a major disaster. "(i) The Secretary is authorized to insure under this section, any mortgage meeting the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, except as modified by this subsection, which involves a principal obligation not in excess of 75 per centum of the limit on the principal obligation applicable to a one-family residence under subsection (b) of this section and not in excess of 97 per centum (or, in any case where the dwelling is not approved for mortgage insurance prior to the beginning of construction, unless the construction of the dwelling was completed more than one year prior to the application for mortgage insurance or the dwelling was approved for guaranty, insurance, or direct loan under chapter 37 of title 38, United States Code, prior to the beginning of construction, 90 per centum) of the appraised value of a property located in an area where the Secretary finds it is not practicable to obtain conformity with many of the requirements essential to the insurance of mortgages on housing in built-up urban for a single-family residence: Provided, That if the mortgagor is not the occupant of the property at the time of insurance, the principal obligation of the mortgage shall not exceed 85 per centum of the appraised value of the property: Provided further, That the Secretary finds that the property with respect to which the mortgage is executed is an acceptable risk, giving consideration to the need for providing adequate housing for families of low and moderate income particularly in suburban and outlying areas or small communities: Provided further, That under the foregoing provisions of this subsection the Seccretary is authorized to insure any mortgage issued with respect to a farm home on a plot of land five or more acres in size adjacent to a public highway. "(j) Loans secured by mortgages insured under this section shall not be taken into account in determining the amount of real estate loans which a national bank may make in relation to its capital and surplus or its time and savings deposits. 66 (k) To supplement the mortgage insurance provisions of this section in order to assist the conservation, improvement, and alteration of housing, the Secretary is authorized to make commitments to insure and to insure a home improvement loan (including advances during construction or improvement) under this subsection in accordance with the provisions of section 220 (h), except that (1) the structures improved shall be designed for occupancy by not more than four families and shall not be required to be located in the area of an urban renewal project, (2) the Secretary shall find that the project with respect to which the loan is executed is an acceptable risk, (3) all funds received and all disbursements made shall be credited or charged, as appropriate, to the General Insurance Fund, and (4) insurance benefits shall be paid in cash out of the General Insurance Fund or in debentures executed in the name of such Fund. For the purposes of this subsection, the Secretary shall have all the authority provided in section 220 (h). Insurance benefits paid with respect to loans insured under this subsection shall be paid in accordance with sections 220 (h) (6) and 220(h) (7), except that as applied to those loans references in section 220 (h) to 'this subsection' shall be construed to refer to this section 203 (k). If the insurance payment is made in cash, there shall be added to such payment an amount equivalent to the interest which the debentures would have earned, computed to a date to be established pursuant to regulations issued by the Secretary. "(1) [Repealed.] "(m) The Secretary is authorized to insure under this section any mortgage meeting the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, except as modified by this subsection. To be eligible, the mortgage shall involve a principal obligation not in excess of $18,000 and not in excess of 75 per centum of the appraised value of the property, as of the date the mortgage is accepted for insurance. The mortgage shall cover a dwelling for single-family occupancy which is approved for mortgage insurance prior to the beginning of construction. The dwelling need not be designed for year-round occupancy, but it shall (1) meet standards prescribed by the Secretary, and (2) be located in an area where the Secretary finds it is not practicable to obtain conformity with many of the requirements essential to the insuring of mortgages on housing in built-up urban areas. The development of the property with respect to which the mortgage is executed shall be consistent with the conservation of water and other natural resources of the area, and such property shall be an acceptable risk, giving consideration to the economic potential of the area in which the dwelling is located and the contribution that the housing will make toward improving the area. The Secretary may suspend the issuance of commitments under this subsection for the insurance of mortgages secured by properties situated in any area, whenever he determines that (i) there is a serious and unusual shortage of mortgage funds for residential construction in such area, (ii) such insurance would affect materially and adversely the availability of mortgage funds for residential construction in such area, and (iii) such suspension would not have an adverse impact upon the balanced economic development of the area. "(n) (1) The Secretary is authorized to insure under this section any mortgage meeting the requirements of subsection (b) of this section, except as modified by this subsection. To be eligible, the mortgage shall involve a dwelling unit in a cooperative housing project which is covered by a blanket mortgage insured under this Act. The mortgage amount as determined under the other provisions of subsection (b) of this section shall be reduced by an amount equal to the portion of the unpaid balance of the blanket mortgage covering the project which is attributable (as of the date the mortgage is accepted for insurance) to such unit. "(2) For the purpose of this subsection "(A) The terms 'home mortgage' and 'mortgage' includes a first lien given (in accordance with the laws of the State where the property is located and accompanied by such security and other undertakings as may be required under regulations of the Secretary) to secure a loan made to finance the purchase of stock or membership in nonprofit cooperative ownership housing corporation the permanent occupancy of the dwelling units of which is restricted to members of such corporation, where the purchase of such stock or membership will entitle the purchaser to the permanent occupancy of one such units. "(B) The terms 'appraised value of the property', 'value of the property', and 'value' include the appraised value of a dwelling unit in a cooperative housing project of the type described in subparagraph (A) where the purchase of the stock or membership involved will entitle the purchaser to the permanent occupancy of that unit; and the term 'property' includes a dwelling unit in such a cooperative project. "(C) The term 'mortgagor includes a person or persons giving a first lien (of the type described in subparagraph (A)) to secure a loan to finance the purchase of stock or membership in a cooperative housing corporation. "(o) (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or any other section of this title, the Secretary is authorized to insure, and to commit to insure, under subsection (b) of this section as modified by this subsection a mortgage which meets both the requirements of this subsection and such criteria as the Secretary by regulation may prescribe to further the purpose of this sub |