Kentucky First Time Home Buyer Approval Requirement for a Mortgage Loan
Here's a more comprehensive breakdown of what it takes to get approved for a mortgage loan in Kentucky as a first-time homebuyer:
* Credit Score: While the minimum score for most conventional loans in Kentucky is 580, aiming for a higher score can significantly improve your interest rates. FHA loans allow for scores as low as 500, but keep in mind that you'll typically pay mortgage insurance (MI) with a lower credit score and need at least 10% down payment
* Down Payment: The size of your down payment impacts your loan options, interest rates, and monthly payments. While 20% is the traditional benchmark for conventional loans, FHA loans require just 3.5%. Kentucky has excellent down payment assistance programs to help eligible buyers bridge the gap.
* Debt-to-Income Ratio (DTI): Maintaining a healthy DTI ratio (ideally below 45%) demonstrates your ability to manage debt and reassures lenders of your financial stability. They're are two ratios: Front-end ratio and backend ratio.