Physical Address

304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124

Do Sellers Not Like FHA Loans

When you’re looking to buy a house, there are many things you need to consider. After all, buying real estate isn’t as easy as it might seem. Answer all the questions, such as: ”do sellers not like FHA loans” to avoid any inconvenience, and don’t let the entire process last forever.

Sellers usually don’t like FHA loans, including VA loans, because they are looking to close the deal as quickly as possible. FHA loans take a bit longer to close in most cases – a minimum of 30 days, and with the Covid-19 outbreak, it can take up to 45 days.

A couple buying their first home

If you want to find out more about FHA loans, keep on reading and check what will be the best solution for you as a buyer.

Do Sellers Not Like FHA Loans?

When a buyer uses an FHA loan, this means the closing part will take longer, but there are also some things that have to be taken care of before the closing:

  • Have the gutters installed,
  • Ensure there’s no peeling paint,
  • Ensure there aren’t handrails on staircases.

If you’re new at this, you need to know that an FHA loan allows the home purchase with a 3.5% down payment. Also, an FHA appraisal remains for six months. If a home doesn’t appraise, the loan won’t be able to close. As a result, the seller will remain with the appraisal for six months, making the immediate close with another FHA buyer even harder.

On the other hand, VA loans allow buyers to get a home without much money down. After all, besides considering whether you have a deed if having a mortgage, or whether the mortgage expires, you have to know how long does mortgage application take and which loan will suit your needs the best.

Why Do Buyers Like FHA Loans?

Borrowers who have at least a 580 FICO credit score qualify for mortgage loans, but they still have to come up with 3.5% of the final price as a down payment. Even buyers with at least a 500 credit score can apply for FHA loans. However, the down payment, in that case, will be 10% of the final home price. Having all this in mind, it’s quite easy to understand why a homebuyer would like FHA loans – the lower down payments surely are one of the main reasons.

A man passes a contract and a pan to another person

Why Is FHA a Big Concern for Sellers?

Many sellers find FHA loans riskier than the others. In fact, working with these loans, lenders could discover some unexpected financial problems during the buyer’s income and debt verification. Many buyers, on the other hand, don’t know that they can reverse a reverse mortgage loan but still won’t have enough financial support to do all that’s needed.

Also, there’s a common belief that buyers who need lower down payments can’t possibly afford some needed home repairs. As a result, sellers could just give up on the offer if the house inspection reveals any problems. Additionally, even though buyers can mortgage foreclosure, the FHA loan option still leaves a lot of open questions, especially considering the fact that a mortgage tax isn’t tax deductible.

Consider Three Big Problems FHA Loans Will Bring Sellers

After learning all about mortgaging land and figuring out whether mortgage points are closing costs, you surely want to know what the big deal is about FHA loans and sellers avoiding them, right? After all, it’s a topic you shouldn’t skip since it is more relevant than ever. In fact, there are three main reasons why these loans aren’t appealing at all to the sellers. So, let’s check them out:

  • Appraisal guidelines – the sale won’t be closed if a property appraises lower and sellers don’t come down in price.
  • Safety guidelines – applying for an FHA loan means a home has to pass the health and safety inspections, such as no cracked windows, roofing, and flooring must have two years of useful life. Also, large concrete cracks have to be fixed, as well.
  • Less secure – seeing that buyers can’t afford to put in more than the requested down payments of 3.5%, for some sellers, this is a big red flag. In fact, many sellers would walk away from the offer in case the inspection fails. Also, there’s a common misconception that people with conventional loans would have fewer obstacles and close quicker.

So, Can a Seller Refuse Your Offer?

A seller has the absolute right to refuse received FHA loan offers, despite the fact you might not appreciate this response. They are free to act in a way that serves their interests – pretty much what a buyer did by choosing the FHA loan option. An FHA loan might also be turned down in favor of a conventional loan if a seller thinks they can collect more cash upfront and close more quickly.

However, there are scenarios when sellers are unable to reject an offer on the grounds of:

  • Ethnicity,
  • Race,
  • Gender.

Should You Avoid FHA Loans?

The answer surely is no! In comparison to conventional loans, FHA loans close at a rate of 73% compared to 75% for conventional loans. So no, if an FHA loan is the best option for you, there is nothing to worry about.

Choose the Best Lender Out There

After you consider all the facts FHA loans bring, you should go over the best mortgage lenders. With that in mind, here are some of the best mortgage lenders you definitely should check out.

Key featuresMinimum credit scoreMinimum down paymentLoan typesFixed-rate terms
Rocket MortgageLow down payments, working only online580 – 6200% – 3.5%FHA, VA, Conventional, JumboCustomizable (8 -30 years)
BetterNo origination fees, 100% online application, instant loan estimates6203%Conventional, Jumbo, FHA30y, 20y, 15y
Bank of America MortgageFee discounts, no PMI offering, up to $5 million loans6200% – 5%Conventional, VA, FHA, Jumbo30y, 20y, 15y

Pick the Financial Program That Works Best for You

If a borrower faces rejection for a conventional mortgage or doesn’t have enough money for a down payment on other loans, FHA loans can be of big help. However, given that the seller wants to feel confident that the deal will close, some may be a little uneasy with this form of financing for the same reasons. That’s why you need to consider all the factors before opting to proceed with an FHA loan to purchase your next home.