FHA Loan Tips for Improving Credit
Track Your Credit Score and Stay on Top of Problems
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.
Whether you're looking for a loan to mortgage a new house or to refinance a house you already own, it makes the most sense open up all your options with an optimal credit rating. The FHA recommends having a satisfactory payment history of at least one year before applying for a loan.
Credit Tips for Your FHA Loan
Here are some tips to help you on your way:
- Take a Close Look at Your Credit Reports
You don't know what could be hurting your credit score unless you actually check. Get your credit reports from the three national credit bureaus--Experian, Equifax and TransUnion--at no cost and comb them over for anything suspicious or questionable. - Dispute Inaccuracies
If you find errors on your credit report, notify the reporting bureau in writing so you have a record. Provide any additional records or evidence you have to support your dispute. - Find Professional Help
The FHA recommends applicants with credit problems get help from a Consumer Credit Counseling program. A credit counselor can help you get back on track. - Bankruptcy / Foreclosure
If you've suffered from a bankruptcy or foreclosure in the past few years, you might still be able to qualify for an FHA loan. Develop a satisfactory payment history, re-establish good credit and meet the other FHA requirements.
While your credit history is just one of the many factors that make up your eligibility for an FHA loan, it is no doubt one of the most important. Having a higher score not only helps you qualify, you can also benefit from the low 3.5 percent down payment on mortgage loans available to applicants with a FICO score over 580. FHA approved lenders don't take your credit history lightly, and neither should you.
Credit Scores for FHA Loans
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FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
August 6, 2020 - The FHA and HUD have announced an extension to certain coronavirus measures initiated to allow lenders to approve FHA home loans among other guidelines altered by a multi subject mortgagee letter issued by HUD in the last week of July 2020.
July 27, 2020 - Are you ready to buy a home using an FHA home loan? At the time of this writing, coronavirus is still a major problem in the United States and there are revised procedures for appraisals and other measures to avoid spreading the disease while continuing to do business in the housing market.
July 24, 2020 - The importance of credit monitoring can’t be understated; the more you know about your credit report, how it changes and when can make a great deal of difference when you are ready to commit to a home loan.
July 21, 2020 - Consumers are warned repeatedly to monitor their credit for signs of identity theft, erroneous information, etc. Some future home owners already do this, but the concept is new to others. Why is credit monitoring a crucial part of your preparation before applying for an FHA mortgage?
July 14, 2020 - The FHA One-Time Close construction loan, like its VA construction loan counterpart, is a loan backed by the government that allows the borrower to apply for a single mortgage loan to cover both the costs of construction of a home from the ground up and the purchase of the home.
