Articles Tagged With: FHA Loan Calculators

April 12, 2023

Preparing For Your FHA Home Loan Application

Do you want to buy a house with an FHA mortgage loan? Don’t forget some important steps to take long before you fill out an application (see below.) Some borrowers don’t realize the planning stage for a home loan can be lengthy; you’ll need to save money for expenses above and beyond your down payment. And you’ll also need to work on your credit before applying for the mortgage. Borrowers should not consider applying for a home loan until they know three basic things-their FICO scores, how much down payment might be required on the home, and how much loan the borrower can afford. FICO Scores: A Great Place To Start The FICO score issue is the first one to tackle. Your lender won’t be able to work with you | more...

July 23, 2021

How Early Should You Use A Mortgage Calculator?

By Joe Wallace

The short answer? The moment you think you want to commit to being a home owner, you should consider using an online mortgage calculator. A mortgage calculator can help you plan and save for your mortgage. The use of a mortgage calculator is something most real estate blogs and home loan websites encourage you to use. The most basic, entry-level finance blog advice includes “use a mortgage calculator”. But there are some things to keep in mind about using a mortgage calculator–you want to use one that includes more than just the principal and interest for your loan. If you use one that limits the input to just those two things, you won’t really get an estimate of your monthly mortgage payment. Why? Because you will need to factor in | more...

July 7, 2021

Do You Need An FHA Loan Calculator?

By Bruce Reichstein

The short answer is, “YES”, you DO need an FHA loan calculator. But which one to use? There are multiple types of home loan calculators–they all have important functions. But many seeking FHA loans won’t need to use all of them or even most of them. You might just need a little extra information for planning and saving purposes. The FHA Loan Calculator The FHA home loan calculator uses the numbers you provide about your income, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance, property taxes, the term of your loan, and other information to help you arrive at an estimate of the monthly payments you could be making (principal and interest rate combined) and the maximum loan amount you might qualify for on a 15-year or 30-year loan (estimates only and not a | more...

January 22, 2019

Online Mortgage Calculators For First-Time Home Buyers

By Joe Wallace

Why should a first-time home buyer use an online mortgage calculator in the planning stages of a new home loan? There are several reasons, but one of the most important is also one of the things a new house hunter may need to learn as early as possible; the monthly mortgage payment you make as a new home owner is not just about the principal and interest payment on the loan. Three Important Things To Know About Your Monthly Mortgage Payment Buying a home with a mortgage loan-ANY mortgage loan-will include a variety of things that make up the total amount of your mortgage payment due each month. An FHA condo loan, an FHA rehabilitation loan, or even an FHA One-Time Close construction loan will have their monthly payments calculated | more...

October 11, 2017

How Can I Get Ready For An FHA Loan Application?

By Joe Wallace

How can I get ready for an FHA loan application? The process includes some advice you’ve likely heard before (check your credit, make sure you have on-time payments, and avoid new credit applications before you apply for a home loan) but there are other steps to take in the earliest stages of your house hunting journey that can be very helpful. Home Economics Do you know how much it will cost to live in and maintain your home? Utility bills for a house are likely to be higher than for a small apartment. It’s important to start learning what typical utility rates, commuting costs, and other expenses related to owning your home instead of renting. You’ll also want to investigate how much it may cost down the road to repair | more...

June 12, 2017

How To Apply For An FHA Loan

By Joe Wallace

Do you know how to apply for an FHA loan? Getting an FHA mortgage is much like any other type of home loan when it comes to taking the same amount of time to prepare, examine and improve your credit rating, reduce your debt-to-income ratio, and other issues that can help with loan approval. Good preparation is the key to any home loan, even those that have more forgiving credit requirements such as FHA mortgages. Your lender will need to see proof that you are a good credit risk, have a stable and reliable form of income, and have an acceptable amount of debt compared to the amount of income you get each month. So how do you apply for an FHA loan? It is strongly advise that borrowers give | more...

March 3, 2017

Are You Ready For An FHA Mortgage Application?

By Joe Wallace

If you are thinking about filling out an FHA mortgage application, there are a few questions to ask yourself before you do-if you’re ready to apply for an FHA loan, you’ll have the answers ready. How Much Down Payment Money Do You Have? In the planning stages of buying a new home, one of the most important things you can do early is determine how much home you can realistically afford. Using a mortgage calculator can help you estimate how much you need. Since FHA home loans typically require a minimum 3.5% down based on the adjusted price of the home, you can get an estimate of how much will need to be saved up to make that down payment. Know how much you’ll need-at least a rough estimate-early in | more...

Can I get an FHA home loan if I owe back taxes?

February 22, 2017

Credit Score Questions

By Joe Wallace

Credit score issues are some of the most popular topics in our comments section-many want to know if their FICO scores are high enough to qualify for an FHA mortgage. One reader asked recently, “(Can) i can buy a (home using) FHA or HUD at a credit score from 500 to 579? With 10% down? How much is 10%?” This reader is referring to a recent blog post about FHA FICO score requirements which included the following: “FHA loan rules state that borrowers with credit scores at 580 or higher are eligible for maximum financing for FHA home loans, which requires a 3.5% down payment from the borrower. For those with credit scores between 579 and 500, 10% down is required.” The short answer to the reader question is that | more...

July 7, 2016

FHA Loan Terms

By Joe Wallace

Understanding Your Loan Term from FHA.com on Vimeo. How long is an FHA mortgage? The answer to that question depends on a variety of factors including the initial choice of fixed or adjustable rate mortgage, whether you plan to pay off the loan early or not, whether you plan to refinance, etc. The typical length of a fixed rate, new purchase FHA mortgage can be 15 or 30 years. If you are refinancing, other variables may apply. Choosing a loan term depends on the individual borrower’s specific needs and goals. You may wish to apply for a 15-year mortgage if you are interested in saving money over the lifetime of the loan; borrowers who choose 15-year mortgages will make higher monthly payments than those who choose 30-year loans, but the | more...

June 13, 2016

For Consumers In Need Of Help Preparing For An FHA Mortgage

By Joe Wallace

Many borrowers feel intimidated by the home buying process. Are you unsure about credit score issues, pre-purchase budget issues, down payment requirements, or appraisal rules? It’s easy to understand why; buying a home is a major investment and it’s definitely a step worth taking the time to research and save up for properly. Why does it take a year or better to get prepared for the home loan application? What are the basic credit score requirements for an FHA mortgage? Can I refinance my home at some point with a cash-out loan? These are all important questions. There are other commonly asked questions, too. Many involve dollar amounts for down payments, appraisal fees, or other loan expenses. We get asked these questions frequently in the comments section, but unfortunately there’s | more...