FHA Loan Requirements
Whether you're a first-time homebuyer, moving to a new home, or want to refinance your existing conventional or FHA mortgage, the FHA loan program will let you purchase a home with a low down payment and flexible guidelines.
- The Facts About FHA Credit Requirements and FICO® Scores
- Do FHA Loan Requirements Apply to All Borrowers?
- Your FHA Loan Credit Qualifications
FHA Limits for 2023 Announced!
FHA loan limits were established to define how much you can borrow for a HUD-backed mortgage. Each state has different limits, so be sure to look up your state to understand what is available for your FHA home loan.
For 2023, the FHA floor was set at $472,030 for single-family home loans. This minimum lending amount covers most U.S. counties. The FHA ceiling represents the maximum loan amount and is illustrated in the table below.
| FHA Limits (low cost areas) | |||
| Single | Duplex | Tri-plex | Four-plex |
|---|---|---|---|
| $472,030 | $604,400 | $730,525 | $907,900 |
Also for 2023, the FHA ceiling was set at $1,089,300 for single-family home loans. This represents the highest amount that a borrower can get through the FHA loan program. It applies to high cost areas in the United States and is illustrated in the table below.
| FHA Limits (high cost areas) | |||
| Single | Duplex | Tri-plex | Four-plex |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,089,300 | $1,394,775 | $1,685,850 | $2,095,200 |
Down Payment Grants for FHA Loans
Paying the upfront costs of buying a new home can be challenging. To help overcome this hurdle, many local and state agencies offer down payment assistance in the form of grants or second mortgages.
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
September 18, 2023 - First-time homebuyers and experienced homebuyers who have never applied for an FHA mortgage may wonder whether they can use an FHA mortgage in certain situations. We examine some of the allowed and disallowed uses for an FHA mortgage in this article.
September 17, 2023 - Credit scores and what it takes to be approved for a mortgage are among the most frequently asked-about topics related to FHA home loans. What does Experian recommend a borrower do to better qualify for an FHA mortgage or any other type of home loan?
September 16, 2023 - Some think the question of buying a home in 2023 is absurd. They look at the high interest rates we see at press time compared to the rates available a year or two ago and wonder why anyone would purchase a home under current conditions.
September 15, 2023 - How much money should a first-time home buyer save for a down payment? It depends on the type of home loan you want, whether you want to avoid mortgage insurance, and whether your FICO scores are high enough to qualify for the lowest down payment.
September 12, 2023 - CBS News MoneyWatch published an article in the last days of August 2023 noting that mortgage rates are hovering in the 7% range, with no real end in sight to the higher interest rates reported at press time. This article lists some of the top ways you can get a lower mortgage rate.
September 10, 2023 - If you’re new to buying real estate, there can be a healthy learning curve. Fortunately, some issues are easy to address for the newcomer, but others can be more complicated. One example of a seemingly more complex topic? Appraisals.
September 6, 2023 - FHA home loans have plenty of differences from conventional loans, including down payment requirements and the amount of that down payment. FHA loans come with bare-minimum down payment amount of 3.5% of the contract sales price of the home with the right credit scores.
September 5, 2023 - How much do you know about the features of an FHA loan compared to its conventional equivalents? In the context of this article, we’re talking about money differences that could make you choose one loan over the other depending on your financial needs and goals.
September 4, 2023 - An important option to consider when looking to build a new home in Missouri is utilizing the FHA / VA One-Time Close construction loan. Zillow® reports the typical home value reached $239,406 as of the date of this article.
September 3, 2023 - Interest rates on home loans are high in 2023. In the earliest days of September, home loan interest rates were listed between 6.6% and 7.6%. This is a marked increase from the heady days of 2020, when on 16 September 2020, home loan interest rates were listed below the 3% line.
Homebuyer Terminology
If you’re getting ready to shop around for mortgage options, it’s a good idea to brush up on some of the technical terms in our Mortgage Glossary. You’re going to be hearing a lot of them!
