FHA Credit and Your FHA Loan

CREDIT REQUIREMENTS FOR AN FHA LOAN

FHA loans provide great assistance to many first time home buyers by offering mortgage loans with lower down payments. While this is a benefit for many people, recent changes in policy may have put the loans just out of reach for some would-be homeowners with questionable credit history.

HOW HIGHER CREDIT HELPS YOU OBTAIN AN FHA LOAN

Home buyers looking to take advantage of great FHA loan benefits should already know they need to establish the best possible credit rating. Applicants with a better credit rating increase their options for mortgage or refinance loans. In order to qualify for the low 3.5 percent FHA loan down payment, applicants will need a FICO score of at least 580. Those that don't meet that criteria will have to put a down payment of 10 percent on the mortgage they want.

TIPS FOR IMPROVING CREDIT

While FHA loans are known as a great service for people looking for help buying a house, applicants can make the process even easier if they take steps toward ensuring their credit history is in tip-top shape. The agency advises prospective home buyers to approach FHA loans with their best possible credit history to eliminate any potential risk of not qualifying.

IDENTIFY AND FIX CREDIT REPORT ERRORS

When the Federal Housing Administration announced rule changes to help strengthen finances and protect against risk, one of the biggest changes was requiring a minimum FICO score of 580 to qualify for the attractive 3.5 percent down payment on mortgage loans.

FHA NEWS and RELATED ARTICLES