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Compared to other popular forms of financing, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) streamlines the mortgage application process. The catch: Lenient borrowing requirements means extra FHA closing costs.
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Compared to other popular forms of financing, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) streamlines the mortgage application process. The catch: Lenient borrowing requirements means extra FHA closing costs.
Find out more about your closing costs before applying for an FHA loan.
What are FHA closing costs?
You must pay closing costs in order to obtain an FHA loan. Many of the same fees associated with other home loan types, such as credit report fees, underwriting expenses, and home appraisal fees, will be your responsibility.
The mortgage insurance costs, however, are higher with FHA loans as they are tailored to borrowers with much lower credit scores than other programs. In fact, due to the high cost of FHA mortgage insurance, FHA loans are more likely to be categorized as “higher-priced mortgage loans” (HPMLs).
List of current FHA closing costs
The upfront mortgage insurance premium, the annual mortgage insurance premium, and the FHA appraisal are the three closing costs that are specific to FHA loans.
FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium
The upfront mortgage insurance premium (UFMIP) for FHA loans is a one-time, lump-sum fee that is typically added to your loan amount at closing. The standard cost is 1. 75% of your loan amount, so if you take out a $300,000 FHA loan, the UFMIP fee would be $5,250 ($300,000 x 0). 0175 = $5,250).
With the following exceptions, the UFMIP premium remains the same percentage regardless of the size of your loan or your down payment:
FHA annual mortgage insurance premium
The annual mortgage insurance premium, or MIP for short, is a regular fee that ranges in price from 0 to 45% to 1. 5% is multiplied by 12 to determine the monthly mortgage payment. The sum you’ll pay is determined by your down payment and term of repayment. A lower monthly MIP charge will typically result from a larger down payment and/or a shorter term. If you don’t put down at least 10% of the purchase price at closing, you’ll be required to pay this type of FHA mortgage insurance for the duration of your loan.
The FHA MIP chart below illustrates the various MIP costs depending on your loan amount and loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, which assesses how much you owe in relation to the value of your home. The majority of FHA borrowers select a 30-year fixed-rate term. Your LTV ratio is 90%, for instance, if you borrow $90,000 to buy a home worth $100,000 (90,000/100,000 = 0). 90).
FHA MIP chart: Loan terms longer than 15 years
| Loan amount | LTV ratio | MIP cost |
| Less than or equal to $625,500 | ≤ 90% | 0.80% |
| > 90%, but ≤ 95% | 0.80% | |
| > 95% | 0.85% | |
| More than $625,500 | ≤ 90% | 1.00% |
| > 90%, but ≤ 95% | 1.00% | |
| > 95% | 1.05% |
To verify the value and condition of your home for the majority of FHA loans, an FHA appraisal must be completed by an appraiser who has been approved by the FHA. Depending on the size and location of the home, an FHA appraisal may cost you between $300 and $500. FHA appraisers must confirm that the property complies with FHA health and safety requirements before determining its market value based on recent home sales in the area.
The FHA amendatory clause gives you the option to cancel the deal and get your upfront money back if you decide you don’t want to proceed with the purchase of the home if your appraisal comes in lower than the agreed-upon price.
Standard loan closing costs
Origination fee. When a lender issues a loan, it’s called an “origination. The cost might go toward processing, reviewing, and funding your mortgage.
Credit report. The cost of obtaining a copy of your credit reports and scores
Flood certification fee. a charge to determine whether the property is in a federal flood zone and whether flood insurance is necessary.
Flood monitoring fee. Depending on how much damage a flood has caused, there may be an additional charge for checking a property’s flood status.
Tax monitoring. a charge for establishing a monitoring service to check on your timely tax payments
Lender’s title insurance. In order to protect themselves from any title issues, such as tax liens or judgments, the lender requires you to pay for a title insurance policy. Additionally, you might want to purchase an owner’s policy for added security.
Discount points. To obtain a lower interest rate, this up-front payment is assessed as a percentage of your loan balance.
Escrow account fee. The lender sets up an account to pay those expenses if you request that your homeowners insurance, monthly mortgage insurance premium, and property taxes be deducted from your monthly mortgage payment.
Prepaid fees. Prepaid fees are costs you pay before they’re due. Prepaying the first year’s homeowners insurance premiums is one example of this.
Transfer taxes. All but 13 states in the U. S. If ownership is transferred from one owner to another, charge transfer taxes. State laws may establish restrictions on who must pay them, though you may occasionally be exempt from them. However, they may account for a significant portion of your overall closing costs for a mortgage.
How much will I pay for FHA closing costs?
Depending on your loan amount, you’ll typically pay closing costs of between 2% and 6% of your loan amount. FHA interest rates typically are lower than those for conventional mortgages, despite the fact that FHA mortgage insurance costs are higher on FHA loans than on conventional loans. However, the annual percentage rate (APR) may make them more expensive than a conventional loan once the UFMIP and MIP costs are added.
Your FHA closing costs will be constrained by one factor: the local FHA loan limits. The maximum 2022 FHA loan limit for a single-family home in most areas of the nation is $420,680, compared to $647,200 for a conventional loan. This indicates that $4,206 is the maximum origination fee you will pay. FHA loans cost 80, while conventional loans cost $6,472.
CoreLogic’s ClosingCorp 2021 report on purchase and refinance closing costs includes the following highlights:
How to lower FHA closing costs
Despite the fact that you cannot avoid FHA closing costs, there are ways to lower your out-of-pocket costs.
Ask for a gift. You may receive funding to help with your FHA closing costs from a family member, friend, employer, charity, or regional government agency. A gift letter must be signed and documentation of the gift funds must be provided.
Apply for closing cost assistance. Your local banks and housing finance organizations might provide FHA closing cost assistance. Before applying, be sure to read the fine print as there might be income caps and other limitations.
Ask the seller to pay them. The seller may contribute up to 6% of your FHA closing costs, and you may use the credit to pay the UFMIP.
Roll the costs into your loan. On a purchase loan, there are two ways to finance FHA closing costs: either raise your interest rate and request that the lender cover the costs, or raise your loan amount to cover them. On a standard FHA refinance loan, you can only increase your loan amount in order to roll in closing costs. Your only choice for an FHA streamline refinance is to accept a higher interest rate in exchange for the lender covering your closing costs with a lender credit. This option is also known as a no-closing-cost loan.
Your FHA-approved lender is required to send you an FHA loan estimate three business days after you submit a loan application so you can review the terms and closing costs. To compare with the closing disclosure you will receive three days prior to closing, keep a copy of this document.
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FAQ
How can I lower my FHA closing costs?
- Increase Your Credit Score. …
- Look For Multiple Lenders. …
- Ask Help From Your Lender. …
- Double Check For Random Fees. …
- Look Around For Title Insurance. …
- Roll Your Closing Cost Into Your FHA Loan.
Can I roll closing costs into a FHA refinance?
On a standard FHA refinance loan, you can only increase your loan amount in order to roll in closing costs. Your only choice for an FHA streamline refinance is to accept a higher interest rate in exchange for the lender covering your closing costs with a lender credit. This option is also known as a no-closing-cost loan.
Can closing costs be folded into loan?
Rolling upfront closing costs into your loan balance is one way to avoid them. When you refinance an existing mortgage, this is permitted, but not when you purchase a new house. Alternately, you could agree to a higher interest rate in exchange for the lender paying your closing costs. Both home buyers and refinancers can choose this option.
Can you roll a down payment into a FHA mortgage?
Some closing costs may be rolled into the loan under FHA guidelines. They are clear that the down payment amount of 3. The 5% down payment needed to close the loan cannot be financed; it must be paid for out of pocket.