Articles Tagged With: Credit Check

December 31, 2018

Buying A Home With An FHA Mortgage In 2019

Your FHA home loan options for buying a home in 2019 are as diverse as the kinds of homes on the housing market. Do you know what your home loan options in the new year are with an FHA mortgage? FHA Forward Mortgage Options In 2019 The “forward mortgage” is the kind of loan you will use to buy your dream home with. Those forward mortgage loan options are not just for typical homes in a suburban neighborhood; did you know you can use an FHA mortgage to buy a condo unit, a mobile or manufactured home, or even a duplex or multi-unit property? The FHA condo loan option requires the condo project to be approved by the FHA; your lender can discuss the procedures for adding a condo project | more...

December 30, 2018

5 Things To Remember About FHA Loans In 2019

By Joe Wallace

What do you need to know about FHA home loans in 2019? There are several issues to keep in mind whether you are refinancing your existing FHA or non-FHA mortgage or buying a new home. Be fully prepared to explore your FHA home loan options in the new year! 5. FHA Loan Limits Are Higher For The Second Year In A Row FHA loan limits go up again for the majority of housing markets in the USA in 2019-more than 3000 counties will experience higher loan limits. A smaller number, approximately 180 counties, will see no change at all but in no case will the FHA loan limit decrease. Keep these higher loan limits in mind when you are deciding what to do about your FHA loan options in 2019. | more...

December 14, 2018

Late Payments Can Hurt Your Home Loan Chances

By Joe Wallace

When you apply for any kind of credit including an FHA home loan, the lender will check your payment history to see what kind of patterns are evident. Are you a responsible borrower? The lender wants to see indications that you are one. A Full Year Of On-Time Payments In general it’s recommended that house hunters come to the FHA loan process with 12 months of on-time payments on all financial obligations. A late or missed payment can require the lender to find reasons to justify the home loan, including making a determination that late or missed payments are not likely to happen be an ongoing problem. Borrowers sometimes make certain assumptions about their credit history that simply are not true. Some believe that if they do not report certain | more...

December 5, 2018

FHA Home Loans For Families

By Bruce Reichstein

FHA home loans for families offer advantages that go beyond the comparatively lower interest rates than for conventional loans (borrower financial qualifications will help determine the actual rate the applicant is able to get from the participating FHA lender). Those advantages are important to remember when comparing FHA loans to conventional equivalents or USDA and VA mortgage loans. What kinds of advantages? They include the ability to be considered for a second FHA mortgage later down the line if job or family requirements have the borrowers thinking they might be outgrowing their home or need to relocate to be closer to a new job. FHA Mortgage Loans Allow Financing And Seller Assistance For Certain Closing Costs Borrowers who need very low out-of-pocket expenses up front will be glad to learn | more...

November 21, 2018

FHA Home Loans And Your Holiday Debt

By Joe Wallace

Are you considering an FHA home loan in 2019? Even as shoppers nationwide are preparing for Black Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, some are being tempted by credit card offers to help pay for the gift-giving in December. But if you need a home loan in 2019, Christmas shopping season should be more carefully thought out for several reasons. It’s generally advised not to open new lines of credit in the planning stages leading up to your FHA loan application. Whether you need to refinance a home loan, get a new mortgage for your dream home, or apply for fund to repair your property using an FHA 203(k) Rehabilitation loan, you will need to maintain and pay down your existing lines of credit and avoid opening new | more...

November 6, 2018

FHA Loan Approval And Your Credit Scores

By Joe Wallace

What do you need to know about FHA loan approval and your credit scores? There are some important factors that can help you in the planning stages for your new mortgage loan. Don’t go into the mortgage application process without being armed with this information-you’ll be glad you know before you sign. FHA Minimum FICO Scores And Your FHA Lender FHA minimum FICO score requirements are not necessarily the same as your lender’s requirements. FHA Loan rules establish a minimum for credit scores (580 or higher for maximum financing) but your lender may require higher scores. An average is between 640 and 700, with scores between 640 and 680 being common requirements for the lowest down payment. FICO Score Requirements May Vary Depending On The Type Of FHA Loan Your | more...

October 29, 2018

Will I Need To Fill Out IRS Form 4506-T To Buy A Home With An FHA Loan?

By Joe Wallace

When you fill out FHA home loan paperwork to purchase a home, your lender may ask you to complete IRS Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return. What is the purpose of this form and how does it affect your FHA loan? What Is IRS Form 4506-T Request for Transcript of Tax Return? The official site of the Internal Revenue Service says that the purpose of this form is twofold. One use is so that a transcript may be ordered free of charge, and the other use is to give permission to a third party (in this case, your participating FHA lender) to receive the transcript instead. Why Does My FHA Lender Need My Tax Information? The lender is charged with verifying the borrower’s income and employment as part | more...

October 18, 2018

How To Start Buying A Home With An FHA Mortgage

By Bruce Reichstein

What are the first steps towards purchasing a home with an FHA mortgage? That depends on the stage of your loan that you find yourself in-when it’s time to plan the mortgage, the steps involve pulling your credit report and saving up for your down payment and other expenses. But what about when you are ready to start actually house hunting? A few preliminary steps can save you headaches and wasted time later. Use A Mortgage Calculator To Determine A Price Range It’s strongly recommended that house hunters first calculate an estimated price range on homes they can afford. House hunting with a specific set of prices will help rule out neighborhoods that don’t fit into your budget. But the price range determination does not stand alone-knowing how much home | more...

October 15, 2018

FHA Home Loans And Your Free Credit Report

By Joe Wallace

There is a great deal of advice about preparing for a home loan application. If you are considering an FHA mortgage, FHA refinance loan, or even a reverse mortgage, you will need to take time to prepare for your FHA loan before filling out the application paperwork. Part of that preparation involves pulling your credit report to make sure there is no identity theft, inaccurate information, etc. But how do you get copies of your credit report? All consumers are entitled to a free credit report every 12 months. This report is available from each of the three credit reporting agencies; Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. The government consumer watchdog agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), advises borrowers to apply for these credit reports via AnnualCreditReport.com. You are entitled to | more...

October 5, 2018

Five Credit Areas That Affect FHA Loan Approval

By Joe Wallace

There are many areas that can affect the lender’s decision to approve or deny an FHA home loan application. Do you know what these important issues mean and how they can affect millennial home buyers or anyone else examining their affordable housing needs? #5 FHA Home Loan Approval And Your FICO Scores Your FICO score may be well within the FHA minimums for loan approval or even maximum financing, but do you know what the participating FHA lender’s FICO score requirements might be above the FHA minimum? You may find that the FHA loan program’s minimum 580 FICO score for the lowest possible down payment is lower than the FHA lender’s requirements. Check with the lender to see what is required in this area for a better idea of what | more...