Sellers often believe, too, that buyers who need a lower down payment might not be able to afford any home repairs. Sellers worry that FHA buyers because of their lack of cash might be more willing to walk away from an offer if the home inspection turns up any problems. For FHA buyers, these are both cause for concern.
There's no law that can compel a seller to accept FHA financing, though sellers artificially limit their buyer pool by doing so. Buyers, though, can help their cause by agreeing to an "as is" appraisal, for one. They might also consider asking for less in seller contributions to help with closing costs.
Helps With Buyer Costs
FHA loans attract buyers who might not have the cash savings for the closing costs out of pocket. FHA loans let the seller pick up as much as 6 percent of the value of the home to pay the buyer's closing costs, making it easier for the buyer to afford the house.
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.
"Conventional loans have higher minimum requirements than FHA and require a larger down payment," Yates said. "Sellers prefer a buyer with conventional financing over FHA financing because they feel the buyer is in a better financial position."
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.
FHA loans allow sellers to cover closing costs up to six percent of your purchase price. That can mean lender fees, property taxes, homeowners insurance, escrow fees, and title insurance. Naturally, this kind of help from sellers is not really free.
Checklist of FHA appraisal requirements
Must have safe and reasonable property access. Must not contain loose wiring and exposed electrical systems. Must be free from damaged underground storage tanks and soil contaminants. Must have a working, permanent heating system that can heat the property adequately.
Having an FHA home appraisal come in below the purchase price is a fairly common scenario. (Of course, that probably doesn't make you feel any better.) You basically have three options. The seller can reduce the sale price to match the appraised value.
Higher DTI (debt to income ratio) is accepted with FHA loans creating a larger pool of buyers with debt problems that can't qualify with conventional. With an FHA loan the buyer can ask the seller to cover up to 6% of the sales price towards the buyers closing costs. What does this mean and why is this important?
FHA loan requirements are more flexible than many other programs. Home buyers need only a 580 credit score and 3.5% down payment to be eligible for an FHA home loan. Other requirements apply, too; for instance, you need a steady history of income and employment.
If a borrower has insufficient funds to cover the down payment and/or closing costs, the FHA loan might fall through. Lenders usually discover this kind of issue on the front end, when the borrower first applies for a loan.
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 loan allows for lower credit scores and can be easier to qualify for than a Conventional loan. However, Conventional loans may not require mortgage insurance with a large enough down payment. The benefit of FHA vs Conventional down to the individual needs of the borrower.
When you apply for this type of mortgage, the underwriter will make sure that your application meets both the lender's standards as well as the standards set forth by the FHA. FHA loans take an average of 55 days to close. For home purchases, the average is 54 days. For refinances, it's 59 days.
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.
Appraisal is lower than the offer: If the home appraises for less than the agreed-upon sale price, the lender won't approve the loan. In this situation, buyers and sellers need to come to a mutually beneficial solution that will hold the deal together — more on that later.
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.
FHA New Purchase Home Loans
You can't get cash back at closing time on an FHA mortgage loan except in the form of a refund. Refunds are possible for items that were paid in cash up front but later financed into the loan amount. But bona fide cash back isn't allowed with an FHA mortgage loan used to purchase property.
The closing costs on FHA loans are the fees charged by the mortgage lender and the various other players involved in the loan process, and typically total between 2 percent and 6 percent of the home's sale price. These fees also include an upfront mortgage insurance premium and prepaid items.
Closing costs are paid according to the terms of the purchase contract made between the buyer and seller. Usually the buyer pays for most of the closing costs, but there are instances when the seller may have to pay some fees at closing too.
Another common question is: How long does the FHA home appraisal process take? In most cases, the appraisal can be completed within a matter of days. But this will depend on the appraiser's workload, efficiency, and other factors. The property visit itself usually only takes a few hours.
How long after appraisal does it take to close? It typically takes two weeks after appraisal to close a mortgage. But this isn't a promise. Your mortgage underwriting process could take longer if you have a low credit score or are self-employed and need to submit tax transcripts to document your income.
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.