The Government WANTS You To Buy A Home?
And to encourage that, they’ve made it a bit easier to do so. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac offer a 97% LTV program for first-time buyers — that means only a 3% down payment, and that money can come from a gift.
The 3% down program is now in competition for clients with the FHA’s 3.5% down payment program. This is actually a long-standing offer for first-time buyers, made sweeter this year by the reduction in annual mortgage insurance premiums, ultimately making homebuying less expensive. Plus, FHA loans accept credit scores as low as 580 (and possibly lower, for a higher down payment). So there are several programs for first-time homebuyers to choose from.
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