Are their benefits with an FHA vs Conventional Loan ?

Are their benefits with an FHA vs Conventional Loan ?

Member since 2020 · 11 posts · 5 votes

I'm looking to buy my first property as a buy and hold, with the intention of fixing it up (minor repairs needed) and either house hacking or renting out the entire place. I have a great credit score and have been pre-approved for a conventional loan with as little as 3% down (although I'd plan to put down at least 5%).

The conventional loan seems very advantageous because most sellers don't seem to want to deal with the FHA/prefer conventional or cash & can demand it in a very competitive market (Sacramento CA), the PMI would automatically go away once I'm 20% in (vs having to refinance into a new loan with FHA), etc.

With this in mind, is there any reason I should even consider an FHA. Are their benefits that I can take advantage of (assuming I plan to live there for a >= a year and rent out the other bedrooms/house hack) that I don't get with a conventional loan, or is FHA really only beneficial if you don't have good credit?

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Real Estate Agent · Boise, ID · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 888 votes
5y

@Alyssa Davis like @DJ Dawson said if you are looking at doing a SMF with low down you will have to do FHA otherwise it would just come down to cost to me and I would say conventional will work out best for you.

And if you go the SMF route you will most likely run into sellers not wanting FHA loans so back at conventional.

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  • DJ DawsonBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2015 · 394 posts · 259 votes
    5y

    @Alyssa Davis only thing is you can buy a duplex or triplex at 3.5% down w an FHA where conventional is 15% minimum.

  • Real Estate Agent · Boise, ID · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 888 votes
    5y

    @Alyssa Davis like @DJ Dawson said if you are looking at doing a SMF with low down you will have to do FHA otherwise it would just come down to cost to me and I would say conventional will work out best for you.

    And if you go the SMF route you will most likely run into sellers not wanting FHA loans so back at conventional.

  • Member since 2020 · 11 posts · 5 votes
    5y

    Thank you @DJ Dawson, that's very helpful --I didn't know multi-families required 15% down with a conventional loan. Currently I'm considering the best way to break into real-estate investing in CA 1) purchasing a single-family home with a conventional loan OR 2) trying to find a duplex in Sacramento that I could house hack, but unfortunately I can't afford 15% down on a Sac duplex at this time, so I'd need an FHA, however it seems like all sellers on the MLS are requiring cash or conventional as @Chris Davidson mentioned. 

  • DJ DawsonBusiness Member
    Real Estate Agent · Sacramento, CA · Member since 2015 · 394 posts · 259 votes
    5y

    they definitely will prefer conventional over FHA you need to have an in w the seller thats for sure, or something off market of course. a single family house hack isn't a bad idea if you are willing to do roommates, its like a mini duplex :)

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