• Only inexpensive homes are allowed? Not true!
• You need a lot of money for a down payment? Not true!
• You need perfect credit? Not true!
• Your credit score has to be at least 650? Not true!
• If you ever declared bankruptcy or had a foreclosure, you're out of luck? Not true!

None of these things are true. To decide the price of the home you can buy we look at:

• Your income
• Your other monthly expenses
• Your credit history (this is important, but FHA's credit standards are very flexible)
• Your overall pattern rather than the individual problems you may have had

Your lender will be responsible for determining if you qualify for an FHA loan, but the information below will help you understand the process.

There's one thing you must be prepared for, your lender will need a lot of information from you. Don't let the lender's requests upset you. They're just doing their job, and it will all pay off. Once you're in your new home, it will all be worth it! They must know:

• How much you earn
• Where you've worked
• Whether you're single, married or divorced
• If you've had credit problems in the past, they'll need to know why

While only a lender can actually qualify you for a loan, if you follow the steps outlined here, you should get a pretty good idea of whether you might be approved. You might even become pre-qualified for an FHA loan right here!

FHA Loan Basics -

Here are a few key facts about FHA loans:

Maximum loan amount: By law, FHA cannot insure loans that exceed certain amounts based on the metropolitan area or county in which you live. The highest maximum FHA mortgage right now is $362,790. The lowest maximum amount is $200,160. To see what the limit is in the place where you want to live, go to the FHA Maximum Mortgage Limits. This site lists U.S. territories as states.

Maximum financing: Depending on the state where the property is located, the maximum FHA financing will be 96.50% of the appraised value of the home or its selling price, whichever is lower.

Cash required: FHA requires that the homebuyer invest at least 3.50% of the sales price in cash for the down payment and closing costs. If the sales price is $100,000 for example, the homebuyer must invest at least $3,500. However, the homebuyer can use gifts from family, funds from local, state or government agencies, or other sources for the down payment. Non-FHA loans may not allow this.

Okay. Let's get started.

Eligibility for an FHA Mortgage -

The first step is meeting FHA's basic eligibility requirements. These involve some very general requirements that are pretty easy for most people to meet. The second part is meeting the qualification requirements. This is where your income, your credit history and your savings are evaluated. It's a little more complicated than basic eligibility, but don't worry. Millions of people qualify for mortgages every year, and you can too!

Generally, to be eligible for an FHA loan, you must:

• Have a valid Social Security Number (SSN)
• Be a legal resident of the United States
• Be of legal age to sign a mortgage in your state. There is no maximum age limit for a borrower.

Even if you are a U.S. citizen, you must still have a valid Social Security Number (SSN). An individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) is not an acceptable substitute for a SSN.

U.S. citizenship is not required for eligibility. When you indicate on your loan application that you hold something other than U.S. citizenship, the lender must determine your residency status from the documentation you provide. If you are a permanent resident alien, you must provide evidence of lawful permanent residency issued by the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS), formerly the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). If you are a non-permanent resident alien, you must show that you are eligible to work in the U.S. by producing an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) issued by BCIS.

Qualifying for an FHA Mortgage -

Your lender will decide if you qualify for a mortgage based on the "Four 4 C's of Credit":

• Credit history
• Capacity to repay
• Cash to close
• Collateral

Your credit history involves what you've borrowed in the past, and how well you've paid it back. Capacity refers to your income and your ability to handle the monthly housing payments. Cash to close refers to money for the down payment and closing costs. Collateral refers to the home you're buying.

There is one other thing that is important to remember: A lender cannot reject your loan application based on a lack of credit history or your decision not to use credit. If you do not have an established credit history, or if you do not use traditional credit, the lender must develop a credit history from utility payment records, rental payments, automobile insurance payments or other direct reports from credit providers.

Manual vs. Automated Processing -

It is standard industry practice for a lender to use Automated Underwriting Systems (AUS) to evaluate loan applications. An AUS processes key information like your credit score, your monthly income, how much you want to borrow, how much cash you've saved, and the value of the property you want to buy. Based on this information, the AUS produces a report recommending approval or denial of your loan application.

Manual underwriting involves the evaluation of your information by a person called an underwriter in the lender's office. The underwriter will apply his or her knowledge of FHA underwriting standards to your information, and make a decision to approve the loan or not.

Your lender may use either or both types of underwriting to process your loan, but there's one important thing you need to know: you can't be turned down for an FHA loan just because an AUS report doesn't recommend approval. If the AUS report doesn't recommend approval, it could mean that your loan has to be processed manually.