Which Home Loan Should I Choose – FHA Vs Conventional Mortgage Loan
Posted in Articles on 06/30/2010 02:45 pm by Guest AuthorYou will be ready to apply for a mortgage. You hear phrases like FHA and conventional. You wonder what’s best FHA vs conventional loan. How can you decide?
To make an informed choice you must know the plus and minus of both these loan programs:
FHA Mortgages
This is a loan program where the US government insures the note to the bank. There are some unique advantages to the FHA loan, including:
- lower down paymentrequirements
- flexible down payment alternatives like gifts
- more lenient credit prerequisites
- the financed mortgage insurance premium translates as less overall out of pocket
- shorter waiting periods after bankruptcy and foreclosure
For many home buyers the FHA mortgages are usually easier to qualify for than conventional loans. A potential disadvantage to the FHA loan is that there is a substantial up front mortgage insurance premium. The FHA loan product is typically a bit more expensive within the first three to four years and is cheaper after that time.
Conventional Loans
Another type of loan is a conventional loan or conforming home loan. They’re the regular mortgages outlined by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In today’s market, there are a few advantages:
- may not call for mortgage insurance
-
typically have larger loan limits
-
interest rates will often be reduced
For home buyers with 20% down, it often will make sense to use the conventional loan. For home buyers with lower than 20% down, you really need to work with an FHA vs. Conventional calculator.
Because the PMI on conventional loans is more credit-sensitive compared to FHA loan, it really is worth examining the details.
For example, at a 680 FICO and a 5% down payment, the conventional loan will cost less at closing, although the FHA loan is less costly overall after about 2 years. More than 5 years, the FHA loan is almost $6,000 less expensive to have. Additionally, the loan payment on a $200,000 mortgage would be almost $175 less expensive per month with FHA vs. Conventional.
For a 720 FICO and 10% down payment, the amounts change. The conventional loan is less costly from day 1 and remains less expensive than the FHA loan for the rest of the term.
FHA vs. Conventional Comparisons
Conclusion
If you are putting less down or have less than perfect credit, the odds are that the FHA loan will be a better option. As you approach a 700 FICO or a 10-20% down payment, the conventional loans will become less expensive.
It is your home and likely your biggest monthly payment. In just a minute or two, you should be able to run an FHA vs Conventional comparison using our calculator to identify the best option for your set of circumstances.