An FHA loan is a type of loan you can use to buy a house that is backed by a government agency called the Federal Housing Administration. The government created this program to help people who might not be able to afford a traditional mortgage or have poor credit scores. It makes it easier for people to buy a house by offering lower down payments and more flexible credit requirements.
When you want to buy a house, you usually have to put down a certain amount of money called a down payment. With an FHA loan, the down payment is much lower than with other types of loans. Instead of having to save up 20% of the purchase price, you might only need 3.5% with an FHA loan. This means you can buy a house with a smaller savings account.
Another thing that makes an FHA loan different is that they're easier to qualify for. Normally, when you apply for a loan, banks look at your credit score, income, and other financial information to decide if you're a good risk. An FHA loan has more relaxed credit requirements, which means you might be able to get one even if your credit isn't perfect.
There are a few other benefits to FHA loans that make them popular with borrowers. For one, they don't have a prepayment penalty, which means you can pay off the loan early without any extra fees. They also have limits on how much they can charge for closing costs, which can save you some money at the time of purchase.
Overall, an FHA loan is a way to make it easier for people to buy a house by reducing the amount of money needed for a down payment and providing more flexible credit requirements.