Thinking of buying your first home or an additional property? Before you start looking up Greensboro mortgage companies, it’s important to have a general understanding of the different types of specialty home loans you may qualify for. This could be the difference between getting approved for a loan and missing out on the house of your dreams!
Here at Mortgages By Jill, we’re dedicated to providing education along with high-quality mortgage lending services. Below, you’ll find some information on a few different specialty home loans.
If you aren’t able to qualify for a conventional home mortgage, you may find that a specialty program can help you secure a loan. Specialty home loans are available to certain professions, such as doctors, veterans, firefighters and other first responders, and more. They can also apply to unique situations, such as being a first-time homebuyer or wanting to add energy-efficient features to a home.
Medical professionals often carry significant student loans or other debt that can affect their ability to qualify for a mortgage. Luckily, there are physician loan programs designed especially for them. These types of loans typically come with a very low down payment, with no private mortgage insurance required.
You don’t necessarily need an “MD” by your name to qualify for this type of loan, either — dentists, pharmacists, veterinarians, physician assistants, and a range of other medical professionals may qualify.
This type of mortgage is backed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you’ve served or are serving in the military, you automatically qualify for a VA loan. That means veterans, reservists, active-duty personnel, and even family members can qualify. Typically, VA loans don’t require a minimum credit score or down payment.
An FHA loan is offered through the Federal Housing Administration and is designed to help homebuyers who have limited funds for down payments. This program is available to people of all income levels and allows for a co-applicant to improve your chance of qualifying for a loan. You will still need a credit score of at least 500, however.
FHA mortgages can require a down payment as low as 3.5 percent, but the downside to these is that you’ll have to pay the mortgage insurance premium — which can be thousands of dollars.
It may come as a surprise, but an estimated 97 percent of U.S. citizens can qualify for a USDA home loan. These loans are offered through the United States Department of Agriculture as part of the Rural Development Guaranteed Housing Loan Program. As you might guess, the program is designed to encourage more people to move to non-urban areas.
If your income is low to average for your area, this program is a great option — namely because you can secure up to 100 percent financing! That means no scrambling to cover a large down payment. Other benefits include some of the lowest interest rates on the market, low monthly fees, competitive interest rates and loan terms, and flexible credit guidelines. There is no minimum credit score, although you’ll have to qualify through manual underwriting if you have a score below 640.
When it comes to both conventional and specialty home loans, you can place your trust in Jill Burgess. Jill has been helping aspiring homebuyers successfully apply for loans for over 30 years. In that time, she has personally funded over $2 billion in mortgage loans. If you’re dreaming of buying a home, give Mortgages By Jill a call at 336-740-9068, or reach out through our online contact form. We look forward to helping you secure a home loan that fits your needs.
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