FHA requirements

FHA requirements

Minimum credit score is 500 to buy a house or refinance.

New policy requires a minimum credit score of 500 to buy a house or refinance. Borrowers with a credit score above 500 are eligible for a home loan.

New borrowers will now be required to have a minimum credit score of 580 to qualify for the 3.5% down payment program. New borrowers with less than a 580 credit score will be required to put at least 10% down payment.

Borrowers with a score above 580 can refinance up to a 97.5% loan-to-value on a rate and term refinance. And up to 85% cash out refinance with a credit score above 580.

The HUD has taken the following steps:

• Update the combination of credit score and down payments for new borrowers
• New borrowers will now be required to have a minimum credit score of 580 to qualify for HUD's 3.5% down payment program
• New borrowers with less than a 580 credit score will be required to put down at least 10%

No Credit History

Three lines of credit are necessary to apply for a HUD loan. However, in the event a borrower does not have sufficient credit on their credit report HUD will allow substitute forms. HUD allows minimum trade lines if you have credit scores.

Late Payments

During an underwriter analysis of borrower credit, the overall pattern of credit behavior is being reviewed rather than isolated cases of slow payments. If a good payment pattern has been maintained, regardless of a specific period of financial difficulty preceded it, the borrower may escape disqualification.

Collection accounts

FHA does not require collection accounts to be paid off as a condition of mortgage approval. However, FHA does recognize that collection efforts by the creditor for unpaid collections could affect the borrower’s ability to repay the mortgage.

• If evidence of a payment arrangement is not available, the lender must calculate the monthly payment using 5% of the outstanding balance of each collection, and include the monthly payment in the borrower’s debt-to-income ratio.

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