Articles Published in: October 2017

Rent Or Buy? Arguments For Purchasing A Home With An FHA Mortgage

October 31, 2017

Income Requirements For An FHA Loan Part Two

In a recent blog post we discussed income requirements for an FHA loan including basic debt-to-income (DTI) ratio issues, the fact that your income must be stable and reliable, and that you can’t earn “too much” to qualify for an FHA mortgage. One question some FHA loan applicants have at this point involves how the lender arrives at things like the debt to income calculation, how job reliability is determined, etc. How Does The Lender Calculate My Debt To Income Ratio For An FHA Home Loan? Simply put, the loan application will ask. You will have places in your application which ask about your monthly obligations, and the lender will also check your credit reports to see what active accounts you have. Some borrowers may be tempted to omit certain | more...

FHA Home Loans And First Time Home Buyers

October 31, 2017

What Are The Income Requirements For An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

What are the income requirements for an FHA loan? Some aren’t sure if they earn enough to qualify for an FHA mortgage, and others are worried that they might earn “too much” to qualify, mistakenly believing that FHA loans are only for people within a certain income bracket. What’s the reality? FHA Loans Are For Anyone Who Qualifies There is no minimum income requirement for an FHA mortgage, and there is no upper limit or income “ceiling”. FHA loans are not targeted for any one income bracket. It is true that FHA loans are designed with more lenient FICO score minimums in mind, but that has nothing to do with the amount of your annual income or how you earn that income. Basic FHA Loan Income Requirements There ARE FHA | more...

Coronavirus And Home Loan Appraisals: What You Need To Know Now

October 30, 2017

FHA One-Time Close Construction Loans

By Bruce Reichstein

There is still time to consider an FHA construction loan in 2017. Those who are more interested in having a brand-new home built especially for them rather than purchasing an existing construction home with an FHA mortgage will be pleasantly surprised at the options available to them. FHA construction loans are different than other types of FHA mortgages and can be a bit more complex, but thanks to the FHA One-Time Close construction loan this process isn’t as complicated as other types of construction loans. Why? A Single Application and Closing Date For FHA One-Time Close Construction Loans The FHA One-Time Close construction loan is referred to in the FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, as a “construction-to-permanent” mortgage. Some construction loans require the borrower to qualify twice; once to pay | more...

October 27, 2017

What Are The Lender Requirements For An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

What are the lender requirements for an FHA loan? The answer to that question varies depending on the lender, but in general there are many areas the lender will examine to determine if you are able to afford an FHA home loan. FHA Lender Requirements For Employment And Income The FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, requires your chosen participating FHA lender to verify your most recent two years of employment history. Those two years do not have to be with the same employer, but the lender will be looking for patterns of reliability where income and employment are concerned. The lender wants to know that your current income is stable, reliable, and likely to continue. FHA loan rules provide for the fact that not all income is employment-based. You cannot | more...

What Credit Score Is Needed For An FHA Mortgage?

October 26, 2017

What Are The Property Requirements For An FHA Loan? Part Two

By Joe Wallace

What Are The Property Requirements For An FHA Loan? We’ve been examining that question in our last few blog posts. FHA loan rules specify that a home must meet minimum standards in order to be approved for an FHA mortgage. What are those standards? There are many, which is why a qualified FHA appraiser must review the property to make sure it is suitable for a mortgage. General Requirements FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 state that the home must be generally safe, habitable, and must have a remaining economic life for the entire duration of the mortgage. However, not all homes are in the same condition when they are sold as brand new houses and some homes are purchased under the FHA 203(k) or FHA 203(h) rehab loan programs. | more...

October 26, 2017

What Are The Property Requirements For An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

What are the property requirements for an FHA loan? There are standards listed in the FHA loan handbook, HUD 4000.1, that all buyers should know. The ability to purchase a home with an FHA mortgage is determined by your credit rating, debt to income ratio, employment, and related factors. But the ability to purchase a specific home will also include standards for the property itself; standards which must be met by the home as-is, or brought into compliance as a condition of loan approval. Basic FHA Loan Property Requirements: Location According to HUD 4000.1, the home must be located within the continental United States, its’ protectorates or territories. A home is eligible to be considered for an FHA loan if it is located in one of the following areas listed | more...

October 25, 2017

What Are The Minimum Property Standards For An FHA Loan? Part Two

By Joe Wallace

What are the minimum property standards for an FHA loan? We discussed some of the basics in a previous blog post. Now let’s examine what the FHA loan rule book, HUD 4000.1, has to say about the minimum requirements for a home to be purchased with an FHA mortgage. HUD 4000.1 instructs the lender, “The Mortgagee must underwrite the completed appraisal report to determine if the Property provides sufficient collateral for the FHA-insured Mortgage.” “The appraisal and Property must comply with the requirements in Appraiser and Property Requirements for Title II Forward and Reverse Mortgages. The appraisal must be reported in accordance with Acceptable Appraisal Reporting Forms and Protocols.” But the rules get more detailed in this area: “The Mortgagee must confirm that the Structure of the Property will be | more...

October 25, 2017

What Are The Minimum Property Standards For An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

What are the minimum property standards for an FHA loan? The short answer is that there is no short answer. FHA home loan rules in HUD 4000.1 require a home to be safe, habitable, and have a “remaining economic life” that will last through the entire term of the mortgage. FHA appraisals are designed to insure these minimum standards are met, but what ARE these standards? FHA Appraisals Are A Tool For The Lender The FHA appraisal is required by HUD 4000.1 to be performed by an independent, qualified fee appraiser who will physically review the property. The appraiser must look at a variety of areas on the property but is not required to step onto the roof, be an expert in electrical or HVAC systems, etc. This means that | more...

October 24, 2017

How Do You Qualify For An FHA Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

How do you qualify for an FHA loan? Many want to know what it takes to get approved for an FHA mortgage, and you may be surprised to find out that FHA mortgage loans have more forgiving minimum requirements than other types of home loans. Lender standards will apply above and beyond FHA minimums depending on the financial institution and other factors, but in general FHA mortgages are designed to be more affordable and more forgiving where credit qualifications are concerned. Qualifying For An FHA Mortgage To begin, only owner-occupiers are allowed to get FHA loans. You can’t buy an investment property with an FHA mortgage unless you are a non-profit or a government agency (generally speaking). If you intend to purchase property you will live in as your home | more...

October 24, 2017

How Do I Know If An FHA Loan Is Right For Me?

By Joe Wallace

How do I know if an FHA loan is right for me? If you aren’t sure, consider some of the most important features of an FHA mortgage while making up your mind about the right home loan for you. FHA Loans Have Low Down Payment Requirements FHA mortgage loans have lower down payments than many conventional or other non-government backed mortgages. The minimum down payment for an FHA mortgage is 3.5% of the adjusted value of the home, and FHA loan rules permit you to get down payment help from approved sources. Credit scores play an important part in setting the down payment amount, so you’ll need to discuss your circumstances with your loan officer if you aren’t sure whether you qualify for the lowest down payment, but in general | more...