US Gov’t. To Back Condo Loans for First-Time Buyers
The Federal Housing Administration will announce a move today to help first-time buyers get loans for condominiums by lowering the down payment requirement to 3.5%, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The move by the Trump administration will also lower the required credit score normally needed for a loan. These FHA-backed loans are intended to help people continue to buy and get into the housing market. The move will expose the government to a higher probability of default if the market continues to slow and prices fall.
The FHA has been loosening financial-crisis-era rules and now insures a million home loans made by banks and other private lenders. Most of these FHA-backed loans are already for single-family homes and first-time buyers.
Condos are a more affordable option for many first-time buyers in certain cities like Austin, Denver, and Seattle where single-family homes are increasingly harder to purchase.
This is a very risky time for the government to help people take out more loans, but Ben Carson, who oversees the FHA, says, “This is set to really expand home-ownership.”
