FHA Credit and Your FHA Loan
Take the Steps to Review Your Credit
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 Your 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 Your 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 Loan Articles and Mortgage News
March 15, 2017 - Credit issues worry some FHA loan applicants. Not knowing how the lender will interpret some kinds of negative credit information causes a lot of anxiety for new borrowers. However, having a collection account on your record may not be an automatic barrier to getting an FHA mortgage.
February 10, 2017 - The Federal Housing Administration is lowering mortgage insurance premiums on FHA mortgage loans in 2017. When you purchase a home with an FHA mortgage, part of your mortgage payment includes a required annual mortgage insurance premium (MIP).
December 8, 2016 - Your FHA loan options in 2017 include new purchase loans, reverse mortgages, cash-out FHA refinance loans, and much more. Borrowers should take some time to review their last 12 months of credit and loan repayment history in preparation for the new loan.
October 31, 2016 - What does a borrower needs to know when preparing to apply for an FHA mortgage? There is a list of items to pay attention to that does include FICO scores; you may find that lenders are looking for FICO scores averaging between 620 and 640.
September 26, 2016 - Many borrowers want to know if the income coming from 401K accounts can be used as part of the debt to income calculation. What does the FHA loan rule book say about using a 401K to qualify? Are there cases where 401K income can be used in eligibility calculations?
