FHA Requirements
Debt-to-Income Ratio Guidelines
In order to prevent homebuyers from getting into a home they cannot afford, FHA requirements and guidelines have been set in place requiring borrowers and/or their spouse to qualify according to set debt to income ratios. These ratios are used to calculate whether or not the potential borrower is in a financial position that would allow them to meet the demands that are often included in owning a home.
The two ratios are as follows:
1) Mortgage Payment Expense to Effective Income
Add up the total mortgage payment (principal and interest, escrow deposits for taxes, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance premium, homeowners' dues, etc.). Then, take that amount and divide it by the gross monthly income. The maximum ratio to qualify is 31%.
See the following example:
2) Total Fixed Payment to Effective Income
Add up the total mortgage payment (principal and interest, escrow deposits for taxes, hazard insurance, mortgage insurance premium, homeowners' dues, etc.) and all recurring monthly revolving and installment debt (car loans, personal loans, student loans, credit cards, etc.). Then, take that amount and divide it by the gross monthly income. The maximum ratio to qualify is 43%.
See the following example:
Please note that the above indicators do not exclusively determine whether or not a candidate will qualify for an FHA loan. Other factors will be considered, including credit history and job stability.
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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.
