FHA Mortgage Program Information

Isaac Weiser is an FHA Specialist.

Unlike your local bank or other lenders, I specialize in FHA loans. I work with them every day, all day, and will do everything I can to get you into your dream home.  Purchasing a home is a big deal, and you will likely have questions. As an FHA Specialists, I will take you through the entire process step by step, from getting prequalified to closing on your loan. I will make sure to answer each question and explain every detail so you understand the ins and outs and never feel lost.  Please feel free to contact me at any time if you have any questions.

What is an FHA Mortgage Loan?

An FHA loan is backed by the Federal Housing Administration, which means if a borrower defaults on the loan, the FHA guarantees it will pay the lender. As a result, lenders will issue larger loan amounts and give you lower rates.   

Can anyone get an FHA Loan?

Practically everyone can get an FHA loan. Typically, it does not matter how much or how little you make. What does matter is how much you wish to borrow. There are limits to how much you can borrow, and these depend on your county or state.

What are the benefits of an FHA Loan?

• Low down payment: It can be as low as 3.5% of the purchase price.

• Looser credit standards: You do need decent credit, but you do not need perfect credit.

• Low closing costs: Most can be included in the loan!

• Easier to qualify for than a conventional loan.

How does an FHA Loan work?

An FHA loan is a home loan backed by the Federal Housing Administration. This means that the FHA promises to pay the lender if a borrower defaults on their FHA loan.   In order to fund this guarantee, the FHA requires that you pay mortgage insurance. Usually if a borrower is putting less than 20% down, he or she will be required to pay mortgage insurance.   The minimum down payment required for an FHA loan is 3.5% (as of 2009), and most borrowers choose to put less money down.  The borrower pays the mortgage insurance every month at a low rate of .5% of the loan amount. The FHA also requires an upfront mortgage insurance premium (MIP), which is 1.5% of the loan amount. This fee is paid at closing and can be financed into the loan.

Does my income matter?

Generally, people of all income levels may qualify for an FHA mortgage loan. However, your debt -to -income ratio is an integral part of qualification. These rules are established in order to ensure you are not taking on a bigger load than you can handle. In other words, they want to make sure that you can afford your monthly mortgage payment.

Calculations: I will divide your FHA mortgage by your gross monthly income to get the first ratio. This ratio should not exceed29%.  The second ratio is your FHA mortgage payment and other liabilities, such as car payments, credit card payments and any other monthly obligations you have that are present on your credit report, which are added up and divided by your gross monthly income. This ratio should not exceed 41%. There are some exceptions to this rule. For example, if you are able to make a down payment of more than 3.5% of the purchase price, then a ratio higher than 29/41% might be accepted.

Where does my job stability factor in?

It is important to the FHA that you show you can maintain consistent employment. Typically, to qualify for an FHA loan you have to have two years of consistent work in the same field or with the same employer, or maintain a steady income.  If you recently started a new job, you may still qualify. You either need past experience in that field, or the job should be in the same field as your previous job.

How does credit come into play?

Although you do not need perfect credit, you do need A decent credit history. By looking at several areas of your past credit, the lender can determine whether you are able to make timely mortgage payments.  First, the FHA likes to see two lines of crediton your credit report. Examples of credit report items are a credit card issued through MasterCard or Visa or a credit card for a department store such as JCPenny or Younkers.  If you do not have any credit lines established, FHA will allow substitute payments such as car insurance, utility, telephone or cell phone, previous rental or mortgage, etc.

The second area is late payments. The underwriter will look at the overall pattern of your credit payments, instead of focusing on specific late payments. So if you had a period of financial difficulty, you should be fine as long as you have maintained a good pattern since then.   If you have debt in collections, whether medical or non-medical, you may still be eligible for an FHA loan. Medical accounts in collections do not have to be paid in full in order to get an FHA loan.  Non-medical debts may be overlooked if you show substantial documentation explaining the reasons for the debts.

In order to get an FHA loan, you cannot have any delinquent federal debts, such as a student loan or tax lien. In order to be eligible, you must make sufficient arrangements to pay off the debts and submit the plan in writing.  Whether you have anyjudgments, collections or federal debts will also factor into approval.  A judgment, which is a court ordered lien against a home you may own, must be paid in full before you close on your home.

Just ask!

Please be sure to ask me any questions you might have concerning your credit. Even if you think that the status of your credit will keep you from qualifying for an FHA loan, please do not let this prevent you from applying. I will try to get you qualified in every way I can. In many of the situations described above, these issues can be overlooked with a letter of satisfactory explanation and good credit history.

Where do I go from here?

Are you ready to get started? Contact me, Isaac Weiser, an FHA Specialists to help you begin. I will go through each step with you and make sure you understand everything that comes your way.  I will determine whether you are a good candidate for an FHA loan and how much you can afford — all in a simple phone call!  Once you’re prequalified, you will know what price range to look in and can start searching for your home. I suggest getting a real estate agent who is familiar with the area and will do most of the searching for you and will be there to help you until you close on your new house.  I know how excited you must be to purchase a home, and I promise to do everything I can to make this experience what it should be — enjoyable! I look forward to being a part of such an important time in your life.

I can be reached at  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  or at 347-559-5626.