FHA Requirements
A Good Loan Checklist Creates a Smooth Application
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.
Don't Forget About Your Closing Checklist
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.
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FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
January 15, 2020 - If you've already started saving for your down payment, your appraisal, compliance inspections, and other costs, you’re well ahead of the game. Those who haven’t started truly planning and saving may feel a bit lost when trying to get ready for the loan.
January 12, 2020 - FHA loan rules include the ability for borrowers who intend to be owner-occupiers to buy multi-unit properties. For an FHA loan on a multi-unit home to be approved, the borrower must occupy at least one unit. FHA home loans are for primary residences only.
January 9, 2020 - FHA One-Time Close construction loans are intended to help those who want to own and occupy a home to build from the ground up on their own land. There is also a VA loan equivalent to the FHA construction loan that, starting in 2020, features no down payment.
January 7, 2020 - FHA loan guaranty limits are higher again in 2020. This comes after last year’s increase in loan limits and a fairly good year for mortgage interest rates. FHA loans have loan guaranty limits that help establish the maximum loan possible for a given market.
January 6, 2020 - One mistake about house hunting that’s easy to make is assuming that property values are similar no matter where you look. If you did house hunting upstate, your results downstate may be different. One area may be experiencing a plateau in values while another may not.
