Higher Credit Helps You Get a Loan
Take Steps to Keep Your Credit Rating High
Homebuyers 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.
FHA loans are designed to help homebuyers, so these government-insured loans usually come with more lenient requirements than typical mortgages or refinancing terms from traditional lenders. While the benefits don't vary much between someone with good credit and excellent credit, there is a very noticeable margin for those with bad credit and average to good credit.
Why You Need a Better Credit Score
While the 580 FICO score threshold is a major factor in how an applicant will pay for a mortgage, your credit score isn't the only thing the FHA takes into account. Payment history, bankruptcies and foreclosures are also issues that the agency looks at. While these factors may hurt your credit score, they don't necessarily eliminate you from loan eligibility.
That doesn't mean, however, that you can neglect your credit. While the FHA is lenient enough to help those with bad credit ratings, they also require recent credit history to be in good standing.
Extenuating circumstances like job loss, injury or anything else that prevented you to pay in a timely manner can, and most likely will, be taken into account. However, if you have demonstrated you purposely neglected payments or your credit rating, your chances of qualifying for an FHA loan will be reduced.
Be Safe, Not Sorry With Your Credit
Obviously, it's better to have good credit than bad credit when applying for any loan. Don't take your credit history for granted, though, because you might find an error or inaccuracy that could hurt your chances of qualifying for an FHA loan. Instead of going through the headache of disputing your application with your agency and holding up the process, be proactive and make sure your credit score and ratings are where they should be before approaching the FHA.
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FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
July 26, 2024 - The FHA 203(k) rehabilitation mortgage and its refinance equivalent are tools for buying and renovating a home or remodeling an existing property. This loan can be used to buy a fixer-upper and finance the repairs needed to make the home livable and meet local building codes.
July 25, 2024 - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a proposed new rule in July 2024 that is intended to be a permanent policy regarding the sale of delinquent FHA single-family mortgage loans.
July 23, 2024 - When shopping for a home loan, you need to gather some basic information from multiple lenders to compare the costs, fees, terms, and conditions of the home loan you seek. During this process, you can verify information with each lender you choose.
July 22, 2024 - As we age, the significance of making sound financial decisions grows. Many choose to tap into their home equity in their retirement years, and two options are important to know: FHA reverse mortgages and FHA refinancing.
July 21, 2024 - FHA refinancing is worth considering if you want a government-backed loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that can refinance you out of a conventional adjustable rate mortgage or get you cash back at closing.
