How Collections & Charge‑Offs Affect an FHA Mortgage

1. Medical vs. Non‑Medical Collections Medical collections/charge‑offs: Ignored for FHA qualifying No 5% rule Only impact your credit score, not your DTI Non‑medical collections/charge‑offs: FHA requires lenders to count 5% of the balance as a monthly debt Applies whether the loan is DU, LP, or manual underwrite ✅ The 5% Rule (The Big Change) FHA does not require you to […]

FHA Loans Available with Credit Scores as Low as 500

Most lenders require a 620 credit score for FHA financing because they rely only on automated approval systems such as DU (Desktop Underwriter) or LP (Loan Prospector). At Barclay Butler Financial Inc., we can help borrowers with lower credit scores: 500–579 credit score → Eligible with 10% down 580+ credit score → Eligible with 3.5% down ✅ We offer Automated […]