FHA

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) was established in 1934 to improve housing standards and conditions and to provide an adequate home financing system through insurance of mortgages. Families that would otherwise be excluded from the housing market were finally able to buy the homes of their dreams under this program.

An FHA loan allows you to buy a house with as little as 3.5% down, instead of the higher percentages required to secure many conventional loans. Taking advantage of the FHA loan program is a great way for first time buyers, or anyone with a shortage of down payment funds, to buy a home.

The FHA does not make home loans--it insures them. If a home buyer defaults, the lender is paid from the insurance fund. This is a perfect mortgage solution for those starting out or those having a tough time qualifying for conventional loans.

An FHA insured loan is a US Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance backed mortgage loan which is provided by a FHA-approved lender. FHA insured loans are a type of federal assistance and have historically allowed lower income Americans to borrow money for the purchase of a home that they would not otherwise be able to afford. To obtain mortgage insurance from the Federal Housing Administration, an upfront mortgage insurance premium (UFMIP) equal to 1.75 percent of the base loan amount at closing is required, and is normally financed into the total loan amount by the lender and paid to FHA on the borrower's behalf. There is also a monthly mortgage insurance premium (MIP) which varies based on the amortization term and loan-to-value ratio.

The FHA does not make loans. Rather, it insures loans made by private lenders, like 7th Level Mortgage. The first step in obtaining an FHA loan is to contact several lenders and/or mortgage brokers such as 7th Level Mortgage and ask them if they are FHA-Approved by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to originate FHA loans. As each lender sets its own rates and terms, comparison shopping is important in this market.

Second, the lender or broker ie. 7th Level Mortgage, assesses the prospective home buyer for risk. The analysis of one's debt-to-income ratio enables the buyer to know what type of home can be afforded based on monthly income and expenses and is one risk metric considered by the lender. Other factors, e.g. payment history on other debts, are considered and used to make decisions regarding eligibility and terms for a loan. FHA loans for buyers who don't meet a minimum 620 FICO score may be subject to higher mortgage rates.

Although FHA establishes minimum FHA qualifying criteria for this type of loan, each lender that offers FHA financing may have stricter criteria or overlays. Not all lenders offer the same approval criteria so it is important to make sure you are dealing with a lender like 7th Level Mortgage, LLC. We do NOT restrict FHA credit criteria nor do we impose any overlays.

For example, FHA will allow a borrower to qualify with a 55% total debt to income ratio. Most lenders have tightened their guidelines and will not approve borrowers with more than a 50% debt to income ratio. At 7th Level Mortgage, LLC, we follow FHA guidelines and give homeowners every opportunity to qualify with no restrictions or overlays to the program.