To be eligible for an FHA loan, borrowers must meet the following lending guidelines: FICO score of 500 to 579 with 10 percent down or a FICO score of 580 or higher with 3.5 percent down. Verifiable employment history for the last two years,
An FHA loan is a government-backed mortgage insured by the Federal Housing Administration, or FHA for short. Popular with first-time homebuyers, FHA home loans require lower minimum credit scores and down payments than many conventional loans. Although the government insures the loans, they are offered by FHA-approved mortgage lenders. FHA loans come in fixed-rate terms of 15 and 30 years.