President Obama this week signed into law a stop gap spending measure, which, among other things, reinstates temporary higher limits for loans insured by FHA. The minibus bill, which combines several appropriations bill, passed the house on a vote of 298-121. The Senate approved previously approved it 70-30. The measure raises the FHA’s maximum loan limit back up to $729,750 after it had fallen to the permanent statutory level of $625,500 on Oct. 1, and extends it through the end of 2013. The new limit is effective immediately. After being extended three times – in 2008, 2009 and 2010 – the higher loan limits finally expired on Oct. 1 this year and were ...