Mortgage Products | Fannie Mae (2024)

FAQs

What does it mean if my mortgage was sold to Fannie Mae? ›

Fannie Mae buys loans from lenders, replenishing the lenders' funds so they can provide new mortgages for more homebuyers. Your mortgage servicer — the company that you send your monthly payments to — and your loan terms remain the same when we purchase your loan.

Fannie Mae recommends obtaining at least two credit scores for each borrower. Select a single score for each borrower. When two credit scores are obtained, choose the lower score.

The Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), better known as Fannie Mae, is a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) founded in 1938 by Congress during the Great Depression.

Credit: HomeReady allows for nontraditional credit. Credit scores as low as 620 are permitted. This limit is revised annually. For manual underwriting, there is a minimum credit score of 660 for one-unit properties and a credit score minimum of 680 for two- to four- unit properties.

It provides liquidity to the mortgage market by buying loans conforming to certain standards from banks and other loan originators, thus enabling lenders to make new loans with the proceeds from the sale. Fannie Mae then issues securities backed by pools of these mortgages that it sells to capital markets.

A Fannie Mae HomePath property is real estate obtained by foreclosure or a deed in lieu of foreclosure. Buyers can purchase a HomePath property with a 3% down payment and receive a closing cost credit up to 3% of the purchase price if they use the HomeReady loan program.

Maximum DTI Ratios

For manually underwritten loans, Fannie Mae's maximum total DTI ratio is 36% of the borrower's stable monthly income. The maximum can be exceeded up to 45% if the borrower meets the credit score and reserve requirements reflected in the Eligibility Matrix.

The most commonly used FICO Score in the mortgage-lending industry is the FICO Score 5. According to FICO, the majority of lenders pull credit histories from all three major credit reporting agencies as they evaluate mortgage applications. Mortgage lenders may also use FICO Score 2 or FICO Score 4 in their decisions.

What Is Fannie Mae? Fannie Mae (the Federal National Mortgage Association or FNMA) is a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) established in 1938 to expand the liquidity of home mortgages by creating a secondary mortgage market. Fannie Mae always ranks in the top 25 U.S. corporations by total revenue.

What loans are backed by Fannie Mae? ›

Fannie Mae Conforming Loan Limits

These mortgage loans, known as conforming mortgages, are guaranteed by Fannie Mae. This means they'll make investors whole if the borrower goes into default. Fannie Mae packages these loans into mortgage-backed securities (MBS) before selling them on the open bond market to investors.

In general, Fannie Mae tends to buy loans from larger commercial banks and lenders. Freddie Mac usually buys loans from smaller banks or credit unions. This is the primary difference between the two. Fannie Mae has also been around about 30 years longer than Freddie Mac.

The required credit score to buy a $300K house typically ranges from 580 to 720 or higher, depending on the type of loan. For an FHA loan, the minimum credit score is usually around 580.

Your credit score has less bearing on your ability to get a mortgage than you might think. The minimum FICO score for a conventional loan is 620. The best rate comes with a score of 740 or higher. There is no particular advantage to having a score of 800, although it is, of course, laudable.

Lower mortgage rates than many mortgages. No mortgage insurance. Expect to need a minimum credit score of 620+

Many mortgages are owned by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Both offer a mortgage look up tool on their website. You can look up your mortgage servicer by searching the Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS) website.

By selling it, they no longer have to keep your debt on their books, and they can offer loans to other prospective homeowners. While you are focused on your individual mortgage, your loan is part of a much larger web of other debts.

While homeowners cannot prevent their mortgage from being sold, they have rights under RESPA to receive information about the transfer.

Fannie Mae is happy to buy mortgages from lenders — but not every mortgage. For Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be able to re-sell loans, they need to be considered safe investments. That means each mortgage must meet certain requirements or “guidelines.” Fannie Mae guidelines run more than 1,200 pages.