Attention Brevard County home buyers - are you looking for a minimum down payment mortgage? Look no further than FHA! Did you know in 2015 FHA mortgages still only require only 3.5% down payment here in Florida? First let’s look at the background of the Government backed FHA loan program. it’s important to understand that FHA doesn’t actually lend home buyers money, they only insure the loans against lenders loss. FHA home loans are given to borrowers though Florida FHA approved lenders who actually “lend the money” to home borrowers that has FHA insurance for the loans. Lenders are excited to loan money under FHA guidelines because FHA insures that if the loans default, then the lender gets repaid out of the FHA mortgage insurance fund. The FHA loan program was initially developed in the 1930s as a way to help the housing market get going and since the beginning, the program has helped millions of families get into a home that would have otherwise not qualified for traditional financing.
Benefits of FHA Loans, FHA Loan Details
FHA loans have risen in popularity in recent years because lenders have increased requirements for other loans. When compared to other types of loans, FHA loans are generally easier to qualify for due to flexible guidelines and lower down payment requirements. FHA loans only require 3.5% down payment from the home buyer. FHA loans also have a lower credit score requirement than conventional loans. Although most lenders generally require a 640 credit score. Perfect for Bay county residents that are looking to purchase a home but have limited cash saved up.
Getting Qualified or Pre Approved For An FHA Loan
The first step to qualifying for an FHA loan is to work with a loan officer at an FHA approved lender. General guidelines or loan requirements that the loan officer will discuss with you for FHA loans include:
- Documenting an employment history over the last two years. FHA guidelines consider the last two years of employment and look at a steady pay history or employment with the same employer.
- Valid social security number and be a resident of the US. There are exceptions for resident aliens, but these exceptions will vary by lender.
- FHA loans require a minimum down payment of 3.5% when buying a home – but the down payment may be a gift under certain conditions from family, etc.
- The property will need to be inspected by an FHA appraiser and an FHA approved appraisal must be done. The appraised value must be at least the sales price of the home.
- The total monthly mortgage payment generally should not exceed 35% of your gross monthly income. Your total debt should not be more than 43% of your gross monthly income. Some flexibility with this number depending on credit score, etc.
Mortgage Insurance For FHA Loans: FHA UFMIP
All FHA loans are required to have mortgage insurance – both in up-front mortgage insurance (UFMIP) as well as monthly mortgage insurance.
Up-front mortgage insurance premium (UFMIP or MIP) is an insurance premium that is collected at time of closing and is paid directly to FHA. It is financed into the loan and is 1.00% of the loan amount, regardless of their credit score.
So as an example for a $200,000 loan you would pay 1.00% of the total loan amount or $2,000. This is generally “rolled into or added” the loan balance. However, home buyers can pay this out of pocket.
Annual MIP / Monthly MIP (known as PMI) Monthly mortgage insurance premium is actually an annual premium but is collected monthly. This amount of insurance premium depends on the loan-to-value ratio and length of loan. For a standard 3.5% down payment, the monthly PMI is 1.35%. As an example for a loan to value that is 96.5%, a $100,000 loan multiplied by 1.35% is $1,350 in annual premium that will be paid at the rate of $112.50 per month. This is added to your monthly payment each month like taxes and home insurance.
Serving all Brevard County - Cape Canaveral (Port Canaveral), Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Grant, Indialantic, Indian Harbor Beach, Malabar, Melbourne, Melbourne Beach, Melbourne Village, Merritt Island, Micco, Palm Bay, Palm Shores, Port St. John, Rockledge, Satellite Beach, Suntree, Titusville
Questions about FHA loans in Florida? Please visit www.FhaMortgageSource.com or call 904-302-6060 7 days a week.
Comments (0)Subscribe to CommentsComment