Articles Tagged With: Pre-approval

September 28, 2018

FHA Home Loan Approval Questions Part Two

There are many questions borrowers have about home loan approval and how the lender decides which loans to approve. Knowing more about this process can help you better prepare for it; here are some of the most commonly asked questions about FHA home loan approval. Why Does My FHA Loan Application Get Denied With One Lender But Approved By Another? FHA home loan rules include minimum standards for FICO scores, credit history, and other factors. But these minimums are not the only guidelines that affect home loan approval. Your FHA mortgage loan is also subject to lender standards which will vary from lender to lender but also may be different than FHA loan minimums. FICO scores, employment history, and other factors may vary from the FHA minimums, which is permitted | more...

September 27, 2018

Will I Be Approved For An FHA Mortgage Loan?

By Bruce Reichstein

We get many reader questions asking about scenarios they are worried might cause trouble when it’s time to apply for an FHA mortgage. Here are some of the most common questions related to situations that may or may not be an issue when applying for an FHA home loan or FHA refinance loan. I have a FICO score of 500. Can I Qualify For An FHA Mortgage? Technically the answer is yes, if you go by FHA loan standards alone. However, lender standards for FICO scores and loan approval will also apply and the lender’s FICO score requirements are likely to be higher than the FHA loan minimums. Those with FICO scores between 500 and 579 are technically eligible for an FHA loan but they are required to pay 10% | more...

September 25, 2018

Five Steps To An FHA Home Loan

By Bruce Reichstein

Buying a new home is a process. Do you need an FHA mortgage to purchase the home you’ve been looking for? There are five things you can start doing now without financially obligating yourself to purchase; these steps will definitely help you get ready for your new home. #5: Determine How Much Loan You Can Afford Before You Apply For Your FHA Mortgage Figuring out how much home loan you can afford isn’t just about how much you can afford NOW, but also down the road in light of future pay raises, upward mobility at work, changes in salary or bonuses, etc. The debt to income ratio you have at the moment may be lower six months into the future-it’s a very good idea to look ahead when planning for | more...

September 19, 2018

How Do Student Loans Affect My FHA Mortgage?

By Bruce Reichstein

How do student loans affect your FHA mortgage? Is it harder to get FHA loan approval if you have student loan debt? What if the debt is not currently due or being paid in monthly installments? FHA loan rules in HUD 4000.1 (the FHA loan handbook) address these issues. Student loan debt is in a category of its’ own thanks to rule changes a few years ago taking student loans into account during the review for credit worthiness. Student loans once upon a time were in a category called “deferred obligations” because it was possible to have a student loan debt and not be required to pay at that moment; the amount of the deferred obligation was taken into account in a certain way by the lender. But after the | more...

September 12, 2018

Five FHA Home Loan Questions To Ask Your Lender

By Bruce Reichstein

There are some important questions to ask a prospective lender when you are shopping around for a home loan. Make the most informed choice you can about selecting your lender, and remember that it pays to shop around for an FHA mortgage! #5: Will You Provide Me With An FHA Loan Estimate? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB.gov) advises borrowers that lenders are required to provide a loan estimate within three days of application. CFPB says the estimate should include the following: estimated interest rate monthly payment taxes and insurance total closing costs for the loan The estimate should also include how the interest rate and payments may change where applicable. Lenders should be willing to provide this estimate. #4: Are The Terms Of This FHA Loan Subject To Change? | more...

August 23, 2018

Why Do People Choose FHA Mortgages Instead Of USDA Home Loans?

By Joe Wallace

Why do some borrowers choose FHA home loans instead of the no-money-down USDA home loan? There are several reasons why an FHA mortgage might be the better choice depending on circumstances. USDA Mortgages Versus FHA Home Loans: Down Payment Requirements USDA loans do offer an advantage to eligible borrowers with a zero down payment requirement. USDA loan rules state that in some cases, borrowers who have assets higher than the USDA limit “…may be required to use a portion of those assets”. FHA home loans require a minimum down payment of 3.5% of the adjusted value of the home. The down payment requirement may be higher if there are other factors to consider including a non-occupying co-borrower (depending on circumstances), FICO scores that are lower than the limit for maximum | more...

August 7, 2018

Is An FHA Home Loan Right For You?

By Bruce Reichstein

Is an FHA home loan right for you? An FHA mortgage or refinance loan may be right for borrowers who have plans for the home that meet FHA loan rules, and who meet the FHA and lender credit qualifications required for loan approval. Some potential FHA borrowers or refinance loan applicants might assume by reading the above that FICO score requirements and other credit qualification issues are hard to meet. But FHA mortgage loans and refinance loans have more forgiving FHA requirements than conventional mortgages. Your lender may have standards higher than the FHA loan minimums, but in general these are still more lenient in many cases than conventional mortgages. Are you right for an FHA mortgage? There is a little checklist of questions that can help you figure out | more...

August 1, 2018

FHA Home Loan Options You Should Know About

By Joe Wallace

Do you know all your FHA home loan options? There are important choices to make that can affect your monthly payments, the amount of down payment money you bring to the transaction, and even whether your home loan is a fixed rate mortgage or an adjustable rate loan. FHA Home Loan Options: Down Payment Assistance The FHA loan program itself does not offer down payment assistance, but permits contributions of gift funds and down payment help that meets FHA loan rules. Third parties such as government agencies or charitable organizations may be able to help with your down payment if you meet the program’s requirements. Gift funds can come from a relative or other third party but all funds for down payment must be carefully documented and verified by the | more...

June 20, 2018

FHA Home Loan Mistakes To Avoid Before You Close The Deal

By Joe Wallace

If you’ve found the home you want to buy with an FHA mortgage and it looks like you are going to definitely close the deal, don’t be fooled; there are still mistakes to avoid before you sign the papers and accept the keys. One important blunder that should be avoided at all costs? Changing your financial status before loan closing-as in applying for new lines of credit, missing payments, or other issues that can have your loan officer thinking twice about approving the loan and allowing it to close. If your debt-to-income ratio isn’t ideal to start with, the addition of new credit will definitely affect your potential to close. FHA loan rules, lender standards, and other requirements all may factor into the decision on how to handles such contingencies. | more...

June 18, 2018

FHA Loans: What Does It Mean To Be A First-Time Home Buyer?

By Joe Wallace

What does it mean to be a first-time home buyer when applying for an FHA home loan? Many borrowers want to know if there is an advantage to applying for an FHA mortgage if they have never borrower money for a home before. What is the reality? The FHA loan program itself does not give advantages to the first-time home buyer, nor does it penalize someone who has owned a home before. All financially qualified applicants are able to get an FHA loan even if they have purchased a home before. That does NOT mean first-time home buyers won’t get offered incentives from a participating FHA lender, but those incentives are offered by the lender and not via the FHA home loan program itself. Borrowers who are first-time home buyers | more...