Both the Conforming and FHA loan limits will increase again in 2024. Unlike the past couple of years, the increase is much more modest.
A quick recap – loan limits are determined by average housing prices. During the housing crash and subsequent years (roughly a decade), the max conforming loan limit remained at $417,000. It took until 2017 for it to increase by a “whopping” 2%. Fast forward to the past few years where we witnessed a double digit percentage increase year over year due to the rapid increase in the value of homes.
For 2024, the new maximum conventional loan limit will be $766,550, which is just over a 5% increase from 2023. Even though the industry expected a loan limit increase, everyone knew the increase wouldn’t match the substantial jumps from the past few years due to the deceleration in the appreciation of home values.
With 2024 just around the corner, we can begin using the new conventional limits today. This is great news for home buyers as having a larger conventional loan limit helps when navigating the housing market. With the minimum down payment being 3%, a purchase price of $790,000 could be bought with less than $24,000 down!
We are not done as loan limits are also rising for FHA loans! FHA loans are seeing an even bigger increase this year. FHA loan limits are calculated county-by-county across the country. For metro Atlanta, the max FHA loan amount will increase from $592,050 to $649,750 for a single family purchase.
How I wish they could just round up to the nearest thousand!
Meaning, a home a little over $670,000 can be purchased by someone with a credit score as low as 620 and just 3.5% down (only $23,450 on a $670,000 purchase price with 3.5% down). FHA is a little different as these higher loan amounts cannot be used until the new year.
If you are looking to purchase in the state of Georgia, contact me today. I can get you prequalified and ready to make an offer on your new home in minutes!
As expected, FHA announced their increased loan limits for the coming year. Unlike conventional loans, the increase is not as dramatic.
Remember, FHA maximum loan amounts depend on the area where a home is being purchased. The maximum allowed amount in New York City would not be the same as rural Alabama. For metro Atlanta counties, the new limit will be $412,850 (up about 3% from 2020).
It is nice the FHA loan limit went up for the coming year, but we didn’t see the same increase conventional loans got… FHA loans basically got a standard cost of living adjustment. Still some is better than nothing.
While home buyers can begin using the raised limits now, I think we can all say 2021 can’t get here fast enough!
For the fifth consecutive year, the conforming loan limit is rising! I know what you may be thinking… wasn’t there a post similar to this in 2019, and the year before that… and the year… You get the idea, and you would be correct.
Historically, conforming loan limits rise every year, but it isn’t always true. From 2007 to 2016, the conventional loan limit remained steady at $417,000. With the housing crash and slow recovery, FHFA held the maximum amount steady for a decade. We experienced a modest increase in 2017 followed by more substantial increases for the next few years.
2017 max limit was $424,100 (up from $417,000 for only about a 2% increase)
2018 max limit was $453,100 (about a 7% increase)
2019 max limit was $484,350 (another increase of about 7%)
2020 max limit was $510,400 (just over a 5% increase)
the new 2021 maximum conventional loan limit will be $548,250, which is just shy of a 8% increase from 2020. As tough as this year has been, we’ll take all the good news we can get!
With 2021 just around the corner, we can begin using the new limits today.
This is great news for home buyers. Home prices increased substantially in 2020. Having a larger conventional loan limit helps when navigating the housing market.
As always, with the conforming loan limit increase, we can also expect the maximum FHA loan limit to increase as well. Once FHA makes their formal announcement, The Mortgage Blog will update you on it too!
Ready to get a jump on the spring market for 2021? The spring market is already starting! If you are looking to purchase in the state of Georgia, contact me today. I can get you prequalified and ready to make an offer on your new home in minutes!
Why stop there?!? We will keep it going for a conventional loan programs with small down payments. I’ll touch base on the new guideline compared to the previous requirements.
NEW: When making less than a 5% down payment on a conventional loan, if all borrower’s on the loan are first time home buyers, one of the borrowers must complete a homeownership education course.
Previously there was no education requirement for those putting less than 5% down to purchase a home. Note if one of the buyers has previously owned a home, then there is no education requirement regardless of the down payment amount.
For those keeping score at home, a “first time home buyer” is defined as anyone who has never owned a home OR has not owned a home in the past three years. If the last home you owned was more than three years ago, then you are now a first time home buyer.
NEW: Home Ready loans no longer require the homeownership education course if one of the occupying buyers has previously owned a home (again, means has owned a home in the past 3 years).
Prior to the change, one borrower had to complete the education course even if they had previously owned a home.
NEW: The homeowner education course is free if the borrower’s use this link – https://educate.frameworkhomeownership.org . Note if using another accepted education course, there may be a non-refundable fee of $75.
Prior to this change, the cost of the course was $75 to everyone regardless of where the course was completed.
New years… new changes… a lot to keep up with… your head spinning? Don’t worry! It is my job to keep up with the changes.
The Spring Market is upon us. If you are ready to get out and purchase a home in 2020, contact me today. If the property is in Georgia, I can get you ready to make an offer in just a few minutes. You can be well on your way to owning a new home faster than you’d ever expect!
In early December, I mentioned the maximum loan amount for conventional loans will increase from $484,350 to $510,400 in 2020. FHA followed suit and increase their maximum loan amounts.
One thing to remember about the maximum FHA loan amount is the amount varies from county to county. The max loan is based on the average home values in each market. The loan amount range across the US goes from $331,760 to $765,600.
To find your area, you can use the search tool created by HUD. Be sure to change the Limit Year from “CY2019” to “CY2020” in order to see the new maximum amounts.
For the Atlanta metro area, the new maximum FHA loan amount will be $401,350. This is about a 5% increase over the current limit of $379,500. With these increases, a buyer can now purchase a home in metro Atlanta:
$415,000 purchase price with 3.5% down using an FHA loan.
As we celebrate the new year, it is also time to celebrate more buying power in the housing market!
Are you thinking about buying a home in 2020? Want to get a head start? I’m already working with clients who are ready to purchase home. The spring market has started! If you are buying a home in the state of Georgia, contact me today. You can be ready to make an offer on a home in no time at all.
For the fourth consecutive year, the conforming loan limit is rising for 2020!
Historically, this is the normal trend of conforming loan limits as the maximum conventional loan amount increased almost every year from 1980 to 2006. Then 2007 arrived…
From 2007 to 2016, the conventional loan limit remained steady at $417,000. With the housing crash and slow recovery, FHFA held the maximum amount steady for a decade. We experienced a modest increase in 2017 followed by more substantial increases for the next few years.
2017 max limit was $424,100 (up from $417,000 for only about a 2% increase)
2018 max limit was $453,100 (about a 7% increase)
2019 max limit was $484,350 (another increase of about 7%)
the new 2020 maximum conventional loan limit will be $510,400, which is just over a 5% increase from this year.
Since one only needs a 3% down payment to qualify for a conventional loan, this means buyers can purchase a $526,000 home with only a $16,000 down payment! With 2020 just around the corner, we can begin using the new limits.
With the conforming loan limit increase, we can also expect the maximum FHA loan limit to increase as well (currently at $379,500 for metro Atlanta). Once FHA makes their formal announcement, The Mortgage Blog will update you on it too!
Ready to get a jump on the spring market for 2020? The spring market is already starting! If you are looking to purchase in the state of Georgia, contact me today. I can get you prequalified and ready to make an offer on your new home in minutes!
Just as conforming loan limits rose again this year, the maximum loan amount for FHA loans got a bit higher too.
Remember the maximum loan amount for FHA loans vary from county to county; meaning, the max loan amount is determined by the county in which the property resides.
The new FHA loan limit for 2019 is $379,500 for the metro Atlanta area.
The non-metro max loan amount also increased to $314,827.
Georgia also has some counties with max amounts between those ranges (for example, Clarke county is $341,550).
For those who want to see their specific county, use this lookup tool provided by HUD. Just choose your state and county then press “send” to get the exact amount.
The new limit for metro Atlanta counties means a buyer could purchase a $393,000 home and make just a 3.5% down payment. Buyers can look to purchase a home for more than $393,000, but they will need to make a larger down payment. For example, a person could buy a $400,000 home using an FHA loan. Since the max loan is capped at $379,500, the down payment will need to be about 5% instead of the minimum 3.5%.
I know what you may be thinking… why put 5% down and use an FHA loan? Wouldn’t a conventional loan be better? True. Maybe. Remember for those with credit scores under 680 who make a 5% down payment, the private mortgage insurance for a conventional loan is higher than the monthly mortgage insurance for an FHA. Also, the mortgage rate is higher for the conventional loan versus the FHA loan.
This is why it is imperative to speak with a licensed mortgage lender about the differences in loan programs instead of assuming an FHA loan is only for first time home buyers OR never consider an FHA loan if you can make a 5% down payment. The specific details of each client’s situation could make one program more attractive than the other even if it goes against what most people would consider normal.
Looking to purchase a home in the state of Georgia? Unsure of the loan program that is right for you? Contact me today. I can get you prequalified for a home loan in a few minutes, and we’ll discuss the pros and cons of each loan program to ensure the best fit for your situation.
For the third year in a row, conforming loan limits are increasing.
In 2017, the limit increased from $417,000 to $424,100.
In 2018, the limit increased to $453,100.
In 2019, the new conforming loan limit will be $484,350.
Over three years, the max limit has increased by roughly 16%. This is quite a change as the limit stayed at 417,000 from 2006-2016. One thing though, I gotta say, what is the deal with no rounding up or down?!? I think it would be a lot easier to just say $453,000 or $484,000. Is the extra $350 going to make that big of a difference? Oh well…
Why the increase? Conforming loan limits are set by the Housing and Economic Recovery Act passed in 2008. This set the baseline loan limit of $417,000, and stated this baseline cannot increase until home prices return to pre-housing decline levels. With home prices still on the rise across the country, it is fitting the limit increased. Now a home buyer can purchase a $500,000 with roughly a 3% down payment. This opens up more homes for buyers who have stable jobs/strong income, but may be lacking in assets for a larger down payment. Congratulations!
We can also expect FHA mortgage limits to rise too. Currently for metro Atlanta, the limit is $359,950 (again, round up. Is $50 going to make that big of a difference :-). If we see a similar increase in 2019 as we did in 2018, expect the new FHA loan limit in metro Atlanta to be roughly $385,000. Expect a new blog post once FHA makes the official announcement.
Higher loan limits are great for consumers as housing prices continue to rise due to demand and low inventory levels. Looking to buy a new home in the new year? Is that home in Georgia? If yes, contact me today. I can get you prequalified in a matter of minutes and on your way to making an offer in no time!
After some discussion on raising limits last year (that didn’t happen), mortgage loan limits are increasing for the first time in over a decade. Starting January 1, 2017, the loan limits for single family residences are increasing to:
Conventional Loan: $424,100 (up from $417,000, which is roughly a 2% increase)
FHA Loan: $358,800 (up from $342,700, which is roughly a 5% increase)
VA Loan: will match conventional loan limits just as these loans have been doing for years
Borrowers can now purchase a $438,000 with as little as 3% down. That is up about $9,000 from the old limits. FHA loans can now be as high as $372,000 (up from about $355,000). The increase on FHA loans is great for first time home buyers purchasing in the metro Atlanta area.
Remember, these limits start on January 1st. So if you need a little more room to keep a conventional loan, or make a higher FHA purchase, the loan process will need to start in early January.
Looking to buy a home in the Spring? Needing to get prequalified and start the process? If you are buying in Georgia, contact me today to get the process going!
At the beginning of 2013, I wrote a blog post mentioning how the government wants to pull back (not out) of the mortgage industry in terms of the number of loans they insure. One way they hope to accomplish this (as mentioned in the post earlier this year) is to increase the mortgage insurance premiums on FHA loans. See the link above for the full post.
Another sign the government is attempting to scale back is the recent announcement that FHA maximum loan amounts will be reduced. Expect to see the counties with the highest FHA loan limits of $729,750 to reduce by roughly 14% to $625,500. The reduction in other areas/counties of the country has yet to be determined. FHA also announced that areas where the housing market has not recovered as much will not see a reduction in the maximum loan amount.
This is actually a good sign for the housing market and mortgage industry overall. The government stepped in and expanded the availability of FHA loans during the housing crisis. Now that housing prices across the country are recovering and loan guidelines have loosened a bit for conventional loans, FHA insured loans are not as critical to the housing market.
With those two things in mind, the goals of FHA right now are to:
reduce the number of loans they insure
replenish their reserves that were depleted due to all of the foreclosures
concentrate on borrowers that are still underserved
How does this news impact those looking to buy a home? First, realize that a LOT has changed in terms of FHA loans, minimum down payments for conventional loans, minimum credit score requirements for both FHA and conventional loans, etc. In short, if you haven’t spoken with a licensed mortgage originator about the changes, an FHA loan may not even be the best avenue to explore anymore.
Second, expect a rush of buyers into the market this coming year. In the metro Atlanta area, there was a housing shortage for almost all of 2013. Now is the time to plan and get prequalified to get a jump start on the housing market for 2014. If you are buying in the state of Georgia, contact me today to get the prequalification process underway.
Clay Jeffreys is a Mortgage Consultant with Dunwoody Mortgage Services and a writer for “the Mortgage Blog.” If you would like to be a guest writer for "the Mortgage Blog" please contact Clay for details.
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