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Credit Underwriting
Assets/Funds to Close
Are cash rewards from a credit card an acceptable source of funds for the downpayment /Minimum Required Investment?
Are government entities required to provide a gift letter?
Are reserves required for borrowers with manually underwritten loans?
Can a Homeownership Set Aside Program grant be used for down payment?
Can a nonprofit or government entity who is the seller of a property provide gift funds?
Can a private individual or other organization provide a second mortgage for the buyer's down payment?
Can a real estate agent give a gift of their commission for the down payment?
Can employers contribute toward the borrower's down payment?
Can gift funds be provided from a friend or other unrelated party?
Can gift funds come from the employer?
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Automated Underwriting/Total
Do I have to run TOTAL again if the case number was canceled and a new case number was obtained?
Does TOTAL Scorecard verify my loan data?
Has the Total Scorecard User Guide been superseded by Handbook 4000.1?
How are pipeline loans previously scored by TOTAL affected when a new version of TOTAL is released?
Is FHA able to accept the Uniform Loan Application Dataset (ULAD) of the redesigned Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) as part of the TOTAL Mortgage Scorecard submission?
Must an Automated Underwriting System (AUS) vendor be certified to integrate with FHA’s TOTAL Scorecard?
Must values be passed from the AUS to TOTAL for all fields, even if there is no value to pass?
Should the loan amount submitted to TOTAL include the financeable energy package for an Energy Efficient Mortgage?
What are the TOTAL Mortgage Scorecard Tolerance Levels for Rescoring?
What data must be entered in FHA TOTAL to indicate that a loan is a Sponsored TPO origination?
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Borrower Eligibility
Are citizens of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands or Palau eligible for an FHA-insured mortgage?
Are Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients eligible for FHA-insured mortgages?
Are there age requirements for borrowers using FHA financing?
Can a borrower with a portfolio of rental properties use FHA financing if they have no other FHA loans?
Can a lender collect mortgage payments in advance?
Can a person get an FHA insured loan in the name of a business?
Can a person have more than one FHA loan?
Can a person living outside the U.S. be a Non-occupying co-Borrower?
Can I rent back the property to the seller after closing to accommodate scheduling issues?
Can I use FHA financing to acquire a Secondary Residence?
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Credit Alert (CAIVRS)
Are there any exceptions that would allow a new FHA-insured mortgage for borrowers reported in the Credit Alert Verification Reporting System (CAIVRS)?
Can a borrower with an FHA foreclosure complete a new FHA loan application before they are eligible?
Can FHA clear Credit Alert Verification Reporting System (CAIVRS) information reported by other Federal Agencies?
How do delinquent federal debts affect a borrower's eligibility for a HECM loan?
If I am listed in HUD's Credit Alert Verification Reporting System (CAIVRS), what does that mean?
When obtaining a new FHA-insured mortgage who must be screened through the Credit Alert Verification Reporting System (CAIVRS)?
Where can federal agencies and non-FHA approved lenders register to use the Credit Alert Verification Reporting System (CAIVRS)?
Why would a borrower have a CAIVRS alert if their prior FHA loan was included in a bankruptcy?
Credit History/Credit Report
Can a credit report supplement be used to verify amounts and dates of mortgage payments made during a forbearance or loan modification period?
Can a lender use foreign sources to help establish the credit, including the nontraditional credit, of a borrower?
Can I get a single credit report for unmarried co-borrowers?
Can I still obtain an FHA insured loan if my loan was denied through FHA TOTAL Scorecard?
Do I have to consider the credit and debts of a non-purchasing spouse in a community property state?
Does FHA require collections to be paid off for a borrower to be eligible for FHA financing?
For whom must the Lender obtain a credit report?
Has FHA made any policy changes in response to the changes to the reporting of civil judgments and tax liens on credit reports?
How are disputed credit accounts considered for manually underwritten loans?
How are disputed credit accounts considered when using the TOTAL Scorecard?
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Documentation Requirements
Are copies of tax returns required for a Borrower with self-employment income?
Are separate loan applications required for unmarried co-borrowers?
Can a Lender with Lender Insurance (LI) authority self-endorse a case with a severe case warning?
Did FHA publish a Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1 (SF Handbook) update on March 15, 2017?
Does FHA accept electronic employment verifications?
Does FHA allow alternative documentation if a Verification of Employment (VOE) or an electronic Third Party Verification cannot be obtained?
Does FHA allow alternative documentation if I'm unable to get a Verification of Deposit?
Does FHA require wet signatures on government entity gift letters or secondary financing documents?
Does the redesigned Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) apply to Home Equity Conversion Mortgages (HECM)?
Does the sponsored originator or the sponsoring lender complete the Interviewer section on the URLA?
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Employment and Income
Are there special guidelines for borrowers who are employed by a family owned business?
Can a Mortgage Credit Certificate be used to offset the borrowers Total Mortgage Payment (PITI)?
Can a Trust be used as income?
Can automobile allowances be used as income?
Can child support or alimony be used as income?
Can commissions be used as income?
Can disability payments be used as income?
Can Foster Care payments be used as income?
Can I use education or military service in lieu of employment?
Can income earned from part-time employment be used for qualifying?
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Liabilities
Do I have to count a debt that is almost paid off?
How are debts paid by another person considered?
How does a Mortgagee determine the monthly payment on a student loan?
How must a Mortgagee determine the monthly payment for an Installment Loan?
If a borrower has a contingent liability that is in forbearance due to COVID-19, does that liability need to be included in the borrower’s DTI?
Must a monthly obligation for a leased energy system be included in the borrower's debt-to-income (DTI)?
Must a mortgage be downgraded to a Refer and manually underwritten when there is an undisclosed mortgage debt?
Must deferred obligations be included in the borrower's liabilities?
What amount do I use for a revolving account with no payment showing on the credit report?
What debts are not considered in the qualifying ratios?
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Mortgage Calculation
Are loan amounts restricted when the purchase involves an identity of interest?
Are there any refinance restrictions for borrowers who re-occupy their former investment property?
Can a financeable Mortgage Payment Reserve be added into the rehab escrow on a Section 203k loan?
Can the cost of a solar lease be prepaid or financed through a Title II FHA-insured mortgage?
Can the cost of repairs be financed when calculating a purchase transaction?
Do the requirements for 3-4 unit properties apply to both purchase and refinance transactions?
Does FHA allow non-occupying co-borrowers on a multi-unit property?
Does FHA insure mortgages for three- or four-unit properties?
Does FHA specify the length of the mortgage term?
How are energy efficient mortgage (EEM) improvements added to a Section 203(k) loan?
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Purchase Transactions
Can a person sell a home to a family member and remain a co-borrower to help them qualify?
Does FHA offer programs that permit a Borrower to act as a General Contractor?
How does the FHA Building on Own Land program work?
How does the FHA Construction to Permanent Mortgage program work?
What are the requirements for a borrower to serve as the General Contractor to complete their own work on a 203(k) loan?
What costs can a seller or other interested party pay on behalf of the Borrower?
What was the Back to Work program?
Refinance Transactions
Are partial claim amounts calculated in the CLTV ratio for FHA Streamline Refinance transactions?
Are termite inspections required on Streamline Refinance transactions?
Are there any geographic restrictions on lenders that want to originate streamline refinance loans?
Are there subordinate financing restrictions for FHA streamline refinance transactions?
Can a "no cash out" refinance be used to buy out the equity of an ex-spouse?
Can a borrower pay off the entire PACE obligation using a HECM or an FHA refinance program?
Can I do an FHA refinance if I own the property, but am not named on the existing loan?
Can I process a streamline refinance using FHA TOTAL Scorecard?
Can I refinance a loan obtained through the Good Neighbor Next Door (GNND) program?
Can I refinance the mortgage on a property with an FHA loan if I inherited the property?
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Secondary Financing
Can a lender fund and close a second mortgage on behalf of a Government Entity?
Do subordinate liens need to be paid off when doing a no cash-out refinance?
Does FHA have combined loan-to-value restrictions for subordinate financing?
What is considered secondary financing on an FHA-insured first mortgage?
What is meant by "held by the Governmental Entity" as it relates to Secondary Financing?