When you hear the term “closing costs”, it generally refers to a group of fees that must be paid during the settlement process. It’s true that you can get a lower down payment on an FHA loan, but you will still have to pay closing fees. Closing costs for Federal Housing Administration loans will apply, including some that conventional loans don’t often require. FHA loan closing costs can include such things as lender origination fees, attorney fees, appraisal and inspection fees and more. Read More
What is an FHA Loan?
An FHA loan is a mortgage program thats’s perfect for today’s first-time home buyers. During the last decade, tightened housing regulations and poor wage growth have left many people feeling like owning a home is beyond their reach. More than ten million Americans can still hold on to their homeownership dreams thanks to flexible FHA loan requirements, which have helped over 40 million people achieve homeownership since 1934. Read More
To decide if you qualify for a conventional mortgage, various aspects of your financial history will be looked at. How does that happen? Fannie Mae provides a powerful application called “Desktop Underwriter” that helps conventional loan lenders quickly evaluate mortgage applicants. “DU” software instantly analyzes the borrower’s finances, assets, employment history, and credit profile. Freddie Mac also provides a similar program called “Loan Prospector“.
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Mortgage insurance (MI) is a protection that guards lenders in case of applicant default. Not all home loans require mortgage insurance though. As a rule of thumb, it’s usually required for mortgages with a down payment of 20 percent or less. FHA MI is required for all FHA loan programs including purchase loans, refinance loans and streamline refinance loans. FHA sets the guidelines for it’s insurance programs, and that’s what lenders use to determine if applicants are eligible for a loan. These requirements are usually less demanding than other, non-insured mortgage programs. Read More
The USDA stands for United States Department of Agriculture. That’s the federal agency that provides USDA Rural Development programs for the purpose of encouraging economic development in rural areas. Rural Development programs also help the people living in qualifying rural areas afford better housing. Read More
