[...] Loan Programs Credit Scores Posted in April 25th, 2008 by in Uncategorized FHA Loan Programs Credit Scores I am finding that many FHA lenders are imposing a 580 minimum credit score mandate with FHA home [...]

I have noticed a trend with ficos for FHA. It seems that investors like Countrywide and Chase want 580 ficos for correspondent FHA loans. Taylor Bean and Whitiker are also at 580 for “refer eligible loans.”

Most of these lenders will allow “Approve Eligible loans with fico scores under 580. Hopefully the trend will revert back to no ficos with FHA mortgage loans, but the credit crunch of 2008 may delay that. Does anyone else know any lenders who still allow manually underwritten loans for credit scores under 580?

Trends are clearly moving towards fico minimums with fha loans, but hopefully 580 is where they will stop. I noticed that many of the jumbo fha loans require a 620 credit score which really disappointed me because I have many clients that hover around a 600 credit score because of the medical collections. These clients have never been late on a mortgage payments and they have good income and solid job history.