The Federal Housing Administration is abbreviated as FHA. The FHA was created by congress in 1934 to make it easier for homebuyers to get a mortgage. They do this by insuring mortgages for single family and multifamily homes. The FHA mortgage insurance gives lenders protection against loss if a FHA homeowner defaults on their loan. The actual loan is made by a private lender, the FHA only insures it. Loans must meet the FHA requirements to qualify for this insurance. FHA and HUD have insured more than 34 million homes since 1934. They are the largest insurer of mortgages in the world. The maximum loan amount for a single family FHA home varies by county, and is typically $200,000 to $250,000.
To qualify for a FHA loan the applicant should have at least 2 years of steady employment, ideally in the same field. Income should be steady or increasing. Mortgage payments should be 30% or less of the applicant’s income. Total finance payments including the new home, auto payments, credit cards and other monthly accounts should not exceed 41%. You may only have one federally insured loan open at a time. If you have had a bankruptcy it must be at least 2 years ago with good credit established after the bankruptcy. If you have had a foreclosure it must have been at least three years ago. . Applicants that are delinquent on a federal debt, such as a student loan are not eligible for a FHA loan. Other credit guidelines apply
Benefits of a FHA loan include a low down payment, generally 3% but sometimes less. The interest rate is often lower than other types of loans. It is not necessary to have a perfect credit rating to qualify. First time homebuyers can often qualify.
The FHA loan is not the best type of loan for every customer. Non FHA lenders have programs designed to compete for this market. Instead of asking for a FHA loan, I suggest asking your mortgage broker for a comparison for different types of loans. The interest rate on a FHA loan is negotiable. You may be able to save by comparing the rate with different lenders.
Author: Glenn Lamb
