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.
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.
FHA Loan Requirements
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FHA Loan Articles and Mortgage News
July 11, 2024 - Appraisals and home inspections are two separate but very important processes. For the purpose of this article, we focus on the mandatory FHA appraisal process the lender uses to establish the fair market value of the home.
July 9, 2024 - The FHA Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) loan program is an option for qualifying borrowers 62 or older. These loans require no monthly payment and feature a cash out option for the borrower.
July 8, 2024 - The FHA loan FICO score requirement is easy to understand. If your FICO scores fall between 500 and 579, FHA loan rules say you must pay 10% down, assuming lender standards allow loan approval for those scores.
July 6, 2024 - The FHA single-family home loan program includes both a fixed-interest rate option and an adjustable-rate home loan (ARM). In a housing market where mortgage rates are higher than they have been in many years, the adjustable-rate FHA loan is an option many consider.
July 3, 2024 - Borrowers sometimes assume things about home loan programs that aren’t true. For example, the USDA home loan option requires that the homes purchased with such loans must be in a rural area. But the USDA’s definition of rural is often quite different than you might think.
