Sunday, February 1, 2009

FHA Mortgage Loans

By Frank Taylor

If you fall into the category of a first time home buyer, an FHA mortgage loan is probably the best type of loan to seek after. The Federal Housing Administration, known by the acronym FHA, was created in 1934 by the United States Congress. The purpose of the FHA is to help borrowers get loans by helping to reduce the risk to lenders in issuing those loans.

The Federal Housing Administration doesn't actually issue the loan. Instead, they work with lenders to insure the loans which helps absorb the risk of lending to borrowers, especially first time home purchasers. If you are a first time home buyer, you might have great credit, but you don't have equity built up in a previous home that could transfer to a down payment on your new home. Without equity, it is riskier for banks to lend you money.

Since the government is absorbing a lot of the risk for the loan, banks aren't as concerned with losing money on them so they are more likely to issue the loan with a lower interest rate.

FHA loans also offer mortgages with lower interest rates. Lower interest rates also means lower monthly mortgage amounts. This makes buying a home more affordable for people. In many cases, if people qualify for an FHA loan, their mortgage rate won't be a whole lot more than what they are probably already paying in rent. Putting money towards a home instead of renting is almost always a wise financial move.

FHA mortgage loans also help people get into homes because they don't require a big down payment on the home to qualify. Depending on the market, banks will require sometimes as much as twenty percent down on a home as a minimum to be able to qualify for a mortgage. With an FHA loan, that down payment expectation is as little as three to five percent. This is a huge financial relief for those who have been trying for years to save up enough to get into a home.

One of the biggest mistakes you can make before purchasing a home is making some other kind of big purchase on credit. Your interest rate will reflect your credit score. If you make a large purchase, you increase your debt-to-income ratio. This will lower your credit score, sometimes dramatically.

FHA mortgage loans are absolutely the best mortgage option for first time home purchasers. If you hope to buy your first home soon, do all you can to prepare to qualify for the loan. It is a financially sound mortgage that is the least expensive long term option.

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