Before you get an FHA mortgage for a new or existing home, your loan and closing checklists will help you prepare properly for the loan process. Take the time to discuss the items on these checklists with your realtor and loan officer.

FHA.com: Home Purchase and Refinance Loans

FHA Loan Programs for 2024

The most recognized 3.5% down payment mortgage in the country. Affordable payments w/good credit.

Are You Watching Your Credit Score?




- Improving Your Credit Score Has Never Been More Important -

FHA.com is a privately owned website, is not a government agency, and does not make loans.
FHA Home Loans

Choose a Loan Type

FHA.com is a privately owned website, is not a government agency, and does not make loans.

FHA Requirements

A Good Loan Checklist Creates a Smooth Application

FHA Loan Checklist

Before you start the FHA loan process, be prepared to provide some information to your loan officer. Have it ready now to save time later.

  • Address to your place of residence (past two years)
  • Social Security numbers
  • Names and location of your employers (past two years)
  • Gross monthly salary at your current job(s)
  • Pertinent information for all checking and savings accounts
  • Pertinent information for all open loans
  • Complete information for other real estate you own
  • Approximate value of all personal property
  • Certificate of Eligibility and DD-214 (for veterans only)
  • Current check stubs and your W-2 forms (past two years)
  • Personal tax returns (past two years), current income statement and business balance sheet for self-employed individuals

In addition, you will need to pay for a credit report and appraisal of the property.

As the buyer and borrower, you will have items on your checklist that are required by your lender, the seller, and even the title company.

The closing checklist covers all the fees to be paid, the information to be provided, and the disclosures to be signed before the title is conveyed to you. Having this checklist ready helps you stay on track as a buyer, and ensures that your closing goes the way you expect.

  • IDENTIFICATION
    All parties at the closing should have valid ID.
  • POLICY OF TITLE INSURANCE
    You must pay for title insurance that guarantees the property is free of previous claims or liens.
  • INSURANCE
    Before you can close on the property, you need to secure homeowner’s insurance, which insures the property in the case of damage.
  • CLOSING FUNDS
    You must bring all funds agreed upon, in the form of a cashier’s check or via electronic wire.

Take the time to discuss the items on your checklist with your realtor, to make sure there is nothing you’re forgetting, and to have the peace of mind that after the closing settlement you’ll be able to move into your new home.

FHA Loan Requirements

SEE YOUR CREDIT SCORES   From All 3 Bureaus  

Do you know what's on your credit report?

Learn what your score means.


FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News

What to Remember About Home Loan Approval

May 5, 2024 - If you want to buy a home or build one on your own lot with an FHA mortgage, there are distinct phases in your journey toward home ownership. One phase is the initial planning and saving you need in order to prepare for closing costs, the down payment, and other expenses.

Rehab and Construction Loan Advice on Setting Budgets

May 3, 2024 - Are you considering refinancing your home with an FHA 203(k)? No matter what kind of construction or renovation project you have in mind, there are some guidelines each of these have in common that you should know about before getting started.

FHA Home Loan Early Payoff Options

May 1, 2024 - Do you want to pay off a 15-year or 30-year FHA mortgage ahead of schedule? One of the perks of an FHA mortgage for a single-family home is that FHA loan guidelines do not permit the lender to charge you a penalty just for paying the mortgage off ahead of schedule.

Buyer Risks When Waiting for Mortgage Rates to Drop

April 29, 2024 - U.S. News and World Report published an article in April 2024 that included data from a U.S. News survey of American mortgage trends this year. In that survey, nearly 70% of house hunters who responded say they are waiting for home loan interest rates to fall before buying a house this year.

Better to Buy a Home with Cash or an FHA Mortgage?

April 28, 2024 - Buying in cash does not necessarily mean you will get a big discount on the house. It’s all the same to the seller, who gets their money, either way. In more competitive housing markets, the cash offer is more appealing to some because it may work faster than dealing with a lender.