Articles Tagged With: Credit History

February 26, 2018

FHA Loans, Credit Reports, And Loan Approval

What do you need to know about FHA loans, credit reports, and loan approval? To begin, your credit reports have a big part to play in the lender’s decision to approve your mortgage application. What do you need to know about this approval process and what the lender is looking for? Home Loans Require More Than Good Credit Scores FHA loans, like any other major line of credit, require the lender to determine that the applicant is a good risk for the loan. Your FICO scores may be well within the range the lender needs to approve your loan with maximum financing (that score may vary depending on the lender) but what ELSE does your credit report say? For example, are you carrying the maximum or close to the maximum | more...

February 22, 2018

FHA Loan Credit Requirements And Your Credit Scores

By Joe Wallace

FHA loan credit requirements state that the lender must pull your credit information and credit scores to review a borrower’s credit worthiness. But if you are applying for an FHA loan you likely have three credit scores the lender must contend with. Borrowers often want to know how the lender views these three scores-they can be different from one another depending on circumstances-and which of multiple credit scores is actually used to process your home loan. The rules for FHA credit score requirements are found in HUD 4000.1, the FHA loan handbook. Credit scores must come directly from the three credit reporting agencies and cannot be submitted or transmitted to the borrower or another third party then submitted to the lender. Your credit scores must come from the source. FHA | more...

February 21, 2018

FHA Mortgage Loans: Credit History Counts

By Joe Wallace

When it comes to FHA mortgage loans, or any major line of credit, your credit history counts. Some might focus on the FICO score, but the numbers you get off your credit report are not the only credit qualifications needed to successfully apply for an FHA mortgage. Credit Report Data: The Big Three Many people use the phrase “Big Three” to refer to the three credit reporting agencies themselves; Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. But here, we’re referring to the Big Three on your credit report itself. Your credit score, credit history, and the amount of credit you carry. The Big Three credit factors all count towards your potential loan approval or denial. Why? The lender is required to establish that you are a good credit risk for the loan. Your | more...

FHA Home Loan Credit Score Requirements: FICO Scores And More

January 10, 2018

FHA Home Loan Credit Checklist

By Joe Wallace

There’s more than one kind of checklist that can help you in the FHA home loan process. There’s an overall mortgage checklist that helps people prepare for closing, but what about in the planning stages when you’re trying to review your credit to insure you are as credit-worthy as possible? Making a checklist specifically to review and prepare your credit is a very good idea, and you can get started with the following steps below. Making an FHA Home Loan Credit Checklist There are three very important areas to keep in mind when making a credit checklist; past credit performance, future credit activity, and the possibility of identity theft and/or outdated information on your credit report. Don’t overlook any of these areas, and be sure to develop a strategy for | more...

December 21, 2017

What Credit Score Do I Need To Get A Home Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

What credit score do I need to get a home loan? That is a question many FHA loan applicants ask, and the answer involves both FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 (the FHA loan handbook) and lender requirements. What You Should Know About FHA Loan Standards FHA loan rules for credit and FICO scores are minimum requirements, but your participating FHA lender may have additional requirements. Always remember that FHA loan rules provide the baseline requirements, but the lender may have higher FICO score and credit history standards. What we’re discussing here are the FHA rules, lender requirements will vary. The FHA “Minimum Decision Credit Score” (MDCS) HUD 4000.1 defines the FHA MDCS as follows: “The Minimum Decision Credit Score (MDCS) refers to the credit score reported on the Borrower’s | more...

What You Should Know About FHA Home Loan Credit Checks As A First-Time Home Buyer

December 11, 2017

FHA Home Loans In 2018

By Joe Wallace

Any potential borrower examining options for FHA home loans in 2018 should keep in mind some very important factors that may affect your choices for a new loan. Do you know what they are? FHA Mortgage Loan Limits Have Increased for 2018 The average housing market (not a high-cost or low-cost area) will feature an FHA loan limit of $453,100 for a single-unit property. That is up from 2017’s limit for the same areas of $424,100. That increase might not make a huge difference to some, but the additional borrowing power may be helpful to others. The higher FHA loan limit applies to all FHA mortgages with case numbers assigned between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2018. Check Your Credit Scores As Early As Possible There were many headlines | more...

October 12, 2017

Am I Eligible For An FHA Loan Even Though I Have Had Credit Problems?

By Bruce Reichstein

Am I eligible for an FHA loan even though I have had credit problems? Borrowers often worry their credit scores or credit history aren’t good enough to qualify for an FHA mortgage loan, but what is the reality? What do FHA loan rules say about credit and your ability to borrow? FHA Loans For Borrowers After Bankruptcy FHA home loans are possible for those who have a bankruptcy on their credit history, but there is a mandatory waiting period and the duration of that wait depends on the nature of your filing. The mandatory waiting period begins when the bankruptcy is discharged, NOT when it is initially filed. FHA Loans For Borrowers After Foreclosure, Deed-In-Lieu Of Foreclosre, Or Short Sale Borrowers with foreclosure or short sale activity on their credit | more...

October 12, 2017

Can I Get An FHA Mortgage After A Short Sale?

By Joe Wallace

Can I get an FHA loan after a short sale? Many have asked this question, unsure of the FHA loan rules for transactions in the wake of a negative credit event such as a foreclosure, bankruptcy, or short sale. To begin, we should address the basic definition of a short sale and what that means for a potential FHA borrower. What Is A Short Sale? A short sale involves a transaction where a property is sold to avoid foreclosure, often at a loss. It is referred to professionally as a “pre-foreclosure sale”. FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 specifically define the short sale transaction as follows: “Pre-Foreclosure Sales, also known as Short Sales, refer to the sales of real estate that generate proceeds that are less than the amount owed | more...

October 2, 2017

What Are The FHA Loan Credit Score Rules?

By Joe Wallace

What are the FHA loan credit score rules? Do you know the difference between FHA loan standards and lender standards? First time home buyers should know what the rules are long before starting the search for a new home. FHA Loan Credit Score Standards FHA home loans require a FICO score minimum of 580 or better to qualify for the lowest down payment of 3.5%. FICO scores are not the only criteria for approving or denying the home loan, so if you know your FICO score but aren’t sure about the rest of the financial qualifications for FHA loan approval, you’ll definitely want to keep reading. Lender Credit Score Standards Lender FICO score standards can be (and often are) higher than FHA loan minimum requirements. That means that even though | more...

September 12, 2017

FHA Loan General Credit Requirements

By Bruce Reichstein

Do you know what the general credit requirements are for FHA mortgage loans? Outside of FHA loan FICO minimums (580 or above for maximum financing according to HUD 4000.1, though lender standards may apply beyond this) and employment history, there are a set of standards listed in the FHA loan handbook. Those standards include instructions to the lender on how credit is to be analyzed and how credit data may be collected. Those standards include the requirement that a participating FHA lender must “analyze the Borrower’s credit history, liabilities, and debts to determine creditworthiness.” In the pursuit of this, the lender must get credit reports from “an independent consumer reporting agency”. The lender “must obtain a credit report for each Borrower who will be obligated on the mortgage Note. The | more...