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Fifth Third Ups FICO Requirement on FHA Loans

May / 19 / 08 - 12:19pm › Morgan
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Fifth Third, the mid-western super-regional bank implemented new FICO requirements for FHA loans originated via its wholesale channel. The new minimum FICO for all FHA loans is now 580. Previously the bank had used “common sense” underwriting with no actual minimum FICO required (although the effective FICO for “make sense” deals was 520).

Other banks have rolled in similar higher-FICO guidelines on their FHA deals of late going from a “common sense” overall file risk assessment to more stringent FICO-driven guidelines.

Interesting that as Fannie and Freddie make “feel good” changes to reduce LTV restrictions in declining markets the funnel is being squeezed from another angle with tougher FICO requirements on FHA deals.

Here’s the (PDF) straight-forward notice from 5/3. (hat tip Chris for the 411)

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MDH 1 år dage siden 1 point
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I think what continues to be overlooked by the MSM is just how much liability lenders have now for these loans, including FHA. The Reps and Warrants are much higher now than they were even three months ago. As a lender (or M/I company) I would not want to stick my neck out on these higher LTV loans in declining markets

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jlewis44 1 år dage siden 1 point
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Morgan,
While I have no direct substantiation on this, I have it on good authority that HUD is VERY unhappy with lenders making their own guidelines including FICO requirements and LTV restrictions (I'm not sure about anyone else but Wells has been hitting "Jumbo" FHA's with a 5% declining market reduction and a 660 minimum score).

HUD's take is that you will underwrite to the 4155 without adding restrictions or you risk losing your DE status. We'll see how this plays out as lenders try to tighten while the government tries to increase liquidity.

It makes sense that lenders want to minimize downside risk but HUD is saying that the risk is theirs with FHA insurance and that decision is not the lenders to make.

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morganb 1 år dage siden 1 point
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Thanks JL - that is great insight. It is interesting the tension
between the lenders, MI companies (on Fannie/Freddie stuff) and the
government. I'll see if I can dig a bit on that and surface that
issue. Thanks for sharing.

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jlewis44 1 år dage siden 1 point
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The message that you sent to me (joshlewis@socal.rr.com) has not yet been delivered:

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Tiffany Taylor 11 måneder dage siden 1 point
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If I'm not mistaken...didn't FHA loans have a clause in their guidelines about charging higher rates and fees for low FICO scores?

But to be quite honest, I really think that their needs to be a minimum Fico score on these deals. They are basically 97%-100% financing ( with DPA "down payment assistance programs") for consumers who have clearly demonstrated that they don't value their credit scores and have no problem making late payment etc... Perhaps we should make these loans for consumers with 660 Fico scores + or I would ever feel better if the combined loan to value wasn't at 95-100% in declining markets!
It just feels like another accident waiting to happen, can you say ("major subprime loan")
If us tax payers are going to have to carry Fannie and Freddie on our backs, there is just no room for FHA...

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