Home loans | U.S. Bank (2024)

FAQs

How does a bank approve you for a home loan? ›

Most lenders want your debt-to-income ratio to be 36% or less, but the ratio that works best for you is the one that you can comfortably afford. Your likelihood to repay the loan. Your payment history and credit score are indicators to lenders of your likelihood to make payments in the future. The home's value.

What credit score is needed to buy a $300K house? The required credit score to buy a $300K house typically ranges from 580 to 720 or higher, depending on the type of loan. For an FHA loan, the minimum credit score is usually around 580.

Before approving you for a mortgage, lenders review your monthly income in relation to your monthly debt, or your debt-to-income (DTI). A good rule of thumb: your mortgage payment should not be more than 28% of your monthly gross income. Similarly, your DTI should not be more than 36%.

You'll typically need a credit score of 620 to finance a home purchase. However, some lenders may offer mortgage loans to borrowers with scores as low as 500. Whether you qualify for a specific loan type also depends on personal factors like your debt-to-income ratio (DTI), loan-to-value ratio (LTV) and income.

From application to approval and closing, getting a mortgage can take anywhere from 30 days to 60 days. However, some home purchases can take longer, depending on factors unique to the purchase transaction and the home loan processing time.

Mortgage lenders want to see that you are living within your means and that you are not spending more than you can afford. They will also look at your debt-to-income ratio to determine if you are able to handle the payments on a mortgage.

As a rule of thumb, personal finance experts often recommend adhering to the 28/36 rule, which suggests spending no more than 28% of your gross household income on housing. For someone earning $70,000 a year, or about $5,800 a month, this means a housing expense of up to $1,624.

With a 5% down payment and an interest rate of 7.158% (the average at the time of writing), you will want to earn at least $6,644 per month – $79,728 per year – to buy a $300,000 house. This is based on an estimated monthly mortgage payment of $2,392.

An individual earning $60,000 a year may buy a home worth ranging from $180,000 to over $300,000. That's because your wage isn't the only factor that affects your house purchase budget. Your credit score, existing debts, mortgage rates, and a variety of other considerations must all be taken into account.

A mortgage application denial can be crushing, and can happen for various reasons, including a poor credit score, no credit history, too much existing debt or an insufficient down payment.

What percentage of FHA loans are denied? ›

Federal Housing Administration loans: 14.4% denial rate. Jumbo loans: 17.8% denial rate. Conventional conforming loans: 7.6% denial rate. Refinance loans: 24.7% denial rate.

To qualify for a conventional loan, you'll need a credit score of at least 620, though some lenders may choose to approve conventional mortgage applications only for borrowers with credit scores of 680 and up.

Your credit score has less bearing on your ability to get a mortgage than you might think. The minimum FICO score for a conventional loan is 620. The best rate comes with a score of 740 or higher.

For example, FHA technically allows FICO scores as low as 500. But most lenders won't go below 580, and some even require a score of 620 for an FHA loan. According to Fannie Mae, the majority of mortgage lenders apply mortgage overlays. The most common overlay relates to credit scores.

Many people are surprised that they don't need a perfect credit score to qualify for a mortgage, just a decent one. You can qualify for an FHA loan with a credit score as low as 580. Conventional loans can be secured with credit scores as low as 620, provided you have a large enough down payment.

Generally, these factors include borrowers' income and debt levels, credit score (if obtained), and credit history, as well as loan size, collateral value (including valuation methodology), and lien position.

The mortgage approval process is similar to a mortgage pre-approval: you'll need to provide your mortgage broker or lender with specific details about the home you're purchasing, along with your income and down payment details.