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
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FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
March 31, 2023 - After you purchase a home with an FHA mortgage, your lender must provide you with information that can help you keep track of your mortgage. Did you know your lender is required by law, with certain exceptions, to provide you with this information?
March 30, 2023 - It’s a common question. What is the total that a participating lender can charge on an FHA loan? There is no single answer if you are looking for a specific dollar amount. Home loan costs vary depending on the housing market, state law, and other variables.
March 28, 2023 - If there are too many eager buyers for a single property, you may find yourself being pressured to go for a no-inspection purchase (always a terrible idea) or to waive other consumer rights in order to close the deal.
March 26, 2023 - Your lender questions should include whether there is an opportunity to buy down your interest rate, how much that rate might be, as well as any discount or perk offered to you for using that lender over another one. It never hurts to ask.
March 24, 2023 - An FHA appraisal, VA appraisal, or conventional mortgage appraisal all work toward the same end. No matter the nature of the loan itself, the appraisal is meant to establish the current fair market value of the home compared to others like it in the area.
March 23, 2023 - Do you want to buy a home with an FHA mortgage? No matter what kind of home loan you decide to apply for, knowing what your lender is looking for from your application will help you to better save and plan for your mortgage.
March 22, 2023 - The timing of credit applications and the amount of debt you carry in your credit accounts are things your lender will take a close look at before deciding to approve or deny your mortgage. Ideally, you want to avoid missed payments at least in the 12 months up to the loan application.
March 21, 2023 - If you are thinking of buying a home with an FHA mortgage, one of the early questions you might be asking is whether or not to buy at all. Is it cheaper to rent or buy in today’s housing markets?
The short answer is that it depends on your own housing market.
March 20, 2023 - The FHA Adjustable Rate Mortgage is an option borrowers have when mortgage loan rates are high. The FHA ARM, as it is sometimes called, starts with a lower introductory interest rate with a fixed period and an expiration date.
March 19, 2023 - In March 2023, one of the major headlines was about the failure of Silicon Valley Bank. The failure of that bank left some worried that a repeat of 2008 was just around the corner. What wasn’t so expected as a result, at least by some, was a drop in mortgage loan interest rates.
SEE YOUR CREDIT SCORES From All 3 Bureaus
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Learn what your score means.
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!
