Conventional Home Loans
Conventional home loans offer competitive interest rates, flexible down payment options, and affordable financing solutions for qualified homebuyers. Whether you’re purchasing your first home, upgrading, or refinancing, Musketeer Mortgage can help you find the right conventional loan program for your goals.
What Is a Conventional Loan?
“Conventional loans” are mortgages that meet “conforming guidelines” and are not guaranteed or insured by a government agency. In other words, the investor is assuming all the risk, so to meet conforming guidelines, you typically need a higher credit score and a lower debt to income ratio (DTI) than FHA, USDA and VA loans.
How much do I need for a down payment?
Conventional loans typically require at least a 5% down payment (not 20%). However, some options are available with only 3% down. In 2016, new conventional programs were introduced with a lower down payment. These were designed to compete with FHA, which only requires 3.5% down. There are specific guidelines for these 3% down programs with the major qualifying factor being the median income in your county—so you can’t make too much money relative to others in the area you are looking to buy. I can check if you’re qualified for a lower down payment loan option if you are interested.
One way lenders evaluate risk.
Something important to remember when you are applying for a mortgage is that the down payment represents your actual initial ownership in the home. It represents your “skin in the game” should anything happen and you default on your loan. So if you put down 3%, the bank really owns 97% of your home when you close. From this perspective, it’s clear why the bank requires extra protection. If payments aren’t made, the bank is on the hook for most of the loan.
How do banks offset this risk?
To mitigate this risk, the bank is going to require you to carry Mortgage Insurance (MI) for anything greater than an 80% loan to value (LTV). The good news with a conventional loan is that the mortgage insurance is not nearly as high as most people think, plus it will go away once you reach the 80% LTV. If you put 20% down, there is no mortgage insurance.
Here is a video that explains mortgage insurance and why it is actually a good thing:
Why Mortgage Insurance is A Good Thing
YouTube Video for Conventional Loans
Conventional vs. FHA vs. VA Loans — Which One Is Right for You?
| Feature | Conventional | FHA | VA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum Down Payment | 3% | 3.5% | 0% |
| Mortgage Insurance | Required if < 20% | Always required | Not required |
| Credit Flexibility | Moderate | Flexible | Flexible |
Common Questions About Conventional Loans
Why are conventional rates higher than FHA if I have an excellent credit score?
FHA and other government backed loans are insured by the federal government. As such, they require both an up front mortgage insurance premium based upon a percentage of the loan as well as monthly mortgage insurance for the life of the loan. This additional insurance allows them to offer a slightly lower rate because their overall risk is offset to some degree by the mandatory mortgage insurance.
I'm a first time home buyer; can I get a conventional loan?
Absolutely. If you have good credit, a qualifying debt to income ratio, and you have the requisite down payment, then a conventional loan is definitely available to you.
My credit score is in the 600's, can I get a conventional loan?
This depends upon where in the 600’s you are. Many lenders have a credit overlay which dictates the lowest credit score you can have and still qualify for a conventional loan. Keep in mind that the lower your credit score, the higher the interest rate you will get because there is a direct correlation between your credit score and perceived lending risk; i.e., the higher your score, the more likely you are to make your payments. There is a point of diminishing return on the interest rate the lower your credit score is at which point you may be better off with an FHA loan. You will also have higher mortgage insurance with a lower credit score on a conventional loan. A good loan officer will look at all your options and help you determine how to make your money work best for you.
Is my mortgage insurance the same if I have a 95% LTV or an 85% LTV?
No, your initial mortgage insurance premium decreases as your LTV decreases since you become less risky having more “skin in the game” with a larger down payment.
If the appraisal comes in higher, can I get a loan for the difference and use the money for some upgrades? And what if the appraisal comes in low?
An investor will lend based upon the sales price or the appraised value, whichever is lower. If you get a great deal on a house and the appraisal comes in higher than your sales price, then congratulations on your instant equity! 🙂 You can draw on this equity later with a cash-out refi, or you may be able to do a rate/term refi later to eliminate your mortgage insurance earlier. If the appraisal comes in lower than the sales price, the lender will only lend based upon that appraised value, so you and the agents will need to work that out. Either the seller lowers the sales price based upon the appraisal, you make up the difference between the sales price and the appraised value in cash at closing, or you meet the seller somewhere in the middle.
Why Choose Musketeer Mortgage for Your Conventional Loan?
- We can close your loan in less than 30 days
- We offer loan options with no origination points, helping you manage closing costs more efficiently.
- Phenomenal rates
- Unparalleled customer service
- 24/7 availability for your lending questions
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