- FHA loans - VA loans -
FHA loan - Relating to the U.S. Federal Housing Administration
FHA loan is a federal assistance mortgage loan in the United States insured by the Federal Housing Administration. The loan may be issued by federally qualified lenders.
FHA loans have historically allowed lower income Americans to borrow money for the purchase of a home that they would not otherwise be able to afford. The program originated during the Great Depression of the 1930s, when the rates of foreclosures and defaults rose sharply, and the program was intended to provide lenders with sufficient insurance. Some FHA programs were subsidized by government, but the goal was to make it self-supporting, based on insurance premiums paid by borrowers.
FHA does not make loans. Rather, it insures loans made by private lenders. The first step in obtaining an FHA loan is to contact several lenders and/or mortgage brokers and ask them if they originate FHA loans. As each lender sets their own rates and terms, comparison shopping is important in this market.
Second, the potential lender 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.
VA loan - Relating to the U.S. Veterans Administration.
A VA loan is a mortgage loan in the United States guaranteed by the Veterans Administration. The loan may be issued by qualified lenders.
The VA loan was designed to offer long-term financing to American veterans or their surviving spouses (provided they do not remarry).
The VA loan allows veterans 100% financing without private mortgage insurance or 20% second mortgage. A VA funding fee of 0 to 3.3% of the loan amount is paid to the VA and is allowed to be financed. In a purchase, veterans may borrow up to 100% of the sales price or reasonable value of the home, whichever is less. In a refinance, veterans may borrow up to 90% of reasonable value, where allowed by state laws.
As of January 1st, 2006, the maximum VA loan amount with no down payment is $417,000 and can be as high as $625,500 in certain high cost areas. VA also allows the seller to pay all of the veteran's closing cost as long as the cost do not exceed 6% of the sales price of the home.
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