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.
FHA loans require a lower minimum down payment and a lower credit score than many conventional loans. FHA loans are designed for low- to moderate-income borrowers who otherwise might not qualify for a conventional loan. These benefits make them popular with first-time homebuyers.
Cons: Why a conventional mortgage may not be right for you
The eligibility requirements for conventional loans are more stringent than government-backed loans. Conforming loans are sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac soon after being created to help keep mortgages affordable for homebuyers.
To put it simply, FHA loans are generally easier to qualify for, and they allow for lower credit scores. Conventional loans, meanwhile, may not require mortgage insurance with a large enough down payment. Choosing the best loan option for you depends on your personal financial situation.
Conventional Loans
A conventional loan is a mortgage that's not insured by a government agency. Most conventional loans are backed by mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae says that conventional loans typically require a minimum credit score of 620. But lenders can raise their own requirements.
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.
Sellers' Own Perceptions
Sellers often prefer conventional buyers because of their own financial views. Because a conventional loan typically requires higher credit and more money down, sellers often deem these reasons as a lower risk to default and traits of a trustworthy buyer.
Conventional loan down payment requirements
The minimum down payment required for a conventional mortgage is 3%, but borrowers with lower credit scores or higher debt-to-income ratios may be required to put down more.
The more money you put down, the better. Your monthly mortgage payment will be lower because you're financing less of the home's purchase price, and you can possibly get a lower mortgage rate.
Getting rid of PMI is fairly straightforward: Once you accrue 20 percent equity in your home, either by making payments to reach that level or by increasing your home's value, you can request to have PMI removed.
Conventional mortgages typically have a fixed rate of interest, which means that the interest rate does not change throughout the life of the loan. Conventional mortgages or loans are not guaranteed by the federal government and as a result, typically have stricter lending requirements by banks and creditors.
The mortgage approval process can take anywhere from 30 days to several months, depending on the status of the market and your personal circumstances.
An FHA loan has lower down payment requirements and is easier to qualify for than a conventional loan. FHA loans are excellent for first-time homebuyers because, in addition to lower up-front loan costs and less stringent credit requirements, you can make a down payment as low as 3.5%.
A conventional loan requires a credit score of at least 620, but it's ideal to have a score of 740 or above, which could allow you to make a lower down payment, get a more attractive interest rate and save on private mortgage insurance.
Typical Closing Times: By Loan Type
It takes approximately 47 days to close on a conventional mortgage loan in accordance with Fannie Mae's qualified lending standards. Conventional refinances are faster and take around 35 days to close on average.
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.
Borrowers who take out FHA loans will likely face higher costs upfront and with every payment, and it could signal that they aren't ready for a mortgage. You'll also have to pay mortgage insurance, and FHA loans are less flexible than conventional loans.
Options for putting down less than 20 percent
Here are some common options: A conventional loan with private mortgage insurance (PMI). “Conventional” just means that the loan is not part of a specific government program. Typically, conventional loans require PMI when you put down less than 20 percent.
Conventional loans account for a large portion of purchases and refinances, and are available through different types of mortgage lenders, including banks, credit unions and online lenders. Government-insured loans, by comparison, are backed by a government institution. These include FHA loans, VA loans and USDA loans.
If you have a 15-year loan, the halfway point is 7.5 years. The servicer must cancel the PMI then — depending on whether you've been current on your payments — even if your mortgage balance hasn't yet reached 78 percent of the home's original value. This is known as final termination.
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.
For conventional loans, mortgage insurance is temporary. It's only required until your home equity percent reaches 20% of your home's market value. In time, because your monthly mortgage payment includes principal repayment, you're likely to gain that home equity and petition your lender to cancel PMI.
Traditional mortgage programs will not allow a borrower to finance an amount that's above a home's sales price.