FHA loans are not limited to first-time buyers, but they appeal to new entrants into the housing market for several reasons. “FHA loans are attractive for first-time buyers because they're easier to qualify for,” says Joe Shalaby, CEO of E Mortgage Capital in Santa Ana, Calif.
Can You Get an FHA Loan More Than Once? You can get multiple FHA loans in your lifetime. But while you don't need to be a first-time homebuyer to qualify, generally speaking, you can only have one FHA loan at a time. This prevents potential borrowers from using the loan program to buy investment properties.
In fact, bad credit is one of the most common causes of denial — for any type of mortgage loan. 2. Down payment. You will need to make a down payment of at least 3.5% of the purchase price or the appraised value of the home, whichever amount is lower. That is the minimum down payment for the FHA program.
FHA loans aren't just for first-time home buyers
FHA loans are not for first-time buyers only. First-time and repeat buyers can finance houses with FHA mortgages. The FHA loan is often marketed as a product for “first-time buyers” because of its low down payment requirements.
To be eligible for an FHA loan, borrowers must meet the following lending guidelines: Have a FICO score of 500 to 579 with 10 percent down, or a FICO score of 580 or higher with 3.5 percent down. Have verifiable employment history for the last two years.
Reasons Sellers Don't Like FHA Loans
Both reasons have to do with the strict guidelines imposed because FHA loans are government-insured loans. For one, if the home is appraised for less than the agreed-upon price, the seller must reduce the selling price to match the appraised price, or the deal will fall through.
A conventional loan is often better if you have good or excellent credit because your mortgage rate and PMI costs will go down. But an FHA loan can be perfect if your credit score is in the high-500s or low-600s. For lower-credit borrowers, FHA is often the cheaper option.
The Federal Housing Administration doesn't want borrowers taking out multiple FHA loans – and benefitting from less stringent requirements — to purchase investment properties instead of fulltime homes. While you can apply for multiple FHA loans in your lifetime, you can usually only have one at a time.
You cannot qualify as a first-time buyer twice. To be considered a first-time buyer, you'll need to have never owned a property. It doesn't matter if the property was shared ownership or you owned it jointly with someone else.
FHA loans tend to have higher closing costs than conventional loans, but because FHA loans allow the seller to pay for more of your closing costs than conventional loans, they may actually be cheaper.
Unfortunately, some home sellers see the FHA loan as a riskier loan than a conventional loan because of its requirements. The loan's more lenient financial requirements may create a negative perception of the borrower. And, on the other hand, the stringent appraisal requirements of the loan may make the seller nervous.
FHA loans take about the same amount of time to be processed as a conventional or VA loan, approximately 45 days. That includes the entire process, from the loan application to the final approval and closing.
Federal Housing Administration loans: 14.1% denial rate. Jumbo loans: 11% denial rate. Conventional conforming loans: 7.6% denial rate. Refinance loans: 13.2% denial rate.
How much deposit will you need? Deposit requirements for second-time buyer mortgages are no different to first-time buyer deals. You'll usually need a deposit of a minimum of 10% of the property's value, but there are lenders who will accept as little as 5% under the right circumstances.
As we've already ascertained, anyone who has owned a home before will not be eligible for first-time buyer status...regardless of whether you actually bought the home or not. The 'buyer' part of the term first-time buyer can be a little misleading for those who have inherited property.
If you have owned a property in the past then lenders will tends to class you as a next time buyer, however there are some that will say that you are a first-time buyer if you have not owned a house for the last three years.
Typically you cannot use an FHA loan to purchase an investment property. FHA loans are designed to finance primary residences, not second homes, rental homes, vacation residences, or investment properties of any kind.
No down payment is required for VA, USDA and doctor loan programs detailed above. What credit score do I need to buy a house with no money down? No-down-payment lenders usually set 620 as the lowest credit score to buy a house.
Typically, mortgage lenders want you to put 20 percent down on a home purchase because it lowers their lending risk. It's also a “rule” that most programs charge mortgage insurance if you put less than 20 percent down (though some loans avoid this).
FHA mortgage loans don't require PMI, but they do require an Up Front Mortgage Insurance Premium and a mortgage insurance premium (MIP) to be paid instead. Depending on the terms and conditions of your home loan, most FHA loans today will require MIP for either 11 years or the lifetime of the mortgage.
The FHA does not apply a maximum down payment which means your down payment could be 20%, 50% or whatever amount you want as long as you meet the minimum down payment requirement.
The short answer is yes. Industry data show that FHA loans do take longer to close than conventional, at least on average. But the difference between their average closing times is typically just a matter of days.
To convert an FHA loan to a conventional home loan, you will need to refinance your current mortgage. The FHA must approve the refinance, even though you are moving to a non-FHA-insured lender.
An FHA-approved appraiser ensures that the home meets the government's safety and livability standards. The rules aren't onerous, but are a bit more strict than those that apply to some other loan types. FHA appraisal requirements can seem a little intimidating since they're key to getting your FHA mortgage.