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Updated about 9 years ago on . Most recent reply
![Corey Bruyere's profile image](https://bpimg.biggerpockets.com/no_overlay/uploads/social_user/user_avatar/243997/1621435784-avatar-coreybruyere.jpg?twic=v1/output=image/crop=1000x1000@0x0/cover=128x128&v=2)
Low money down mortgage options
I'm looking into other possible low money down loan programs and wanted to gather some investor insight before going any further with lenders. I'm a first time buyer planning on buying a 2-4 unit multi to house hack with low money down. I have good to excellent credit right now so I believe that gives me more leverage when choosing a loan. From the reading I've done each loan carries it's own bad baggage(high MIP, strict qualifications, higher down payment, etc).
I was wondering if any other investors have had any experience with any other low money down loans(government backed or conventional). I'm a pretty good saver and believe I could save up to 5% in the near future but I live in Southern California so that can be a steep price, hence the urge to take the low money down route.
I was looking into the Fannie Mae HomeReady loan and got this info from a lender
"The biggest differences between Home Ready and FHA on a 2-4 unit home purchase are as follows:
Home Ready
- Requires Income Limits: i.e. LA county 80% of AMI ($67,900) = 54K annual income
- 2-3 unit requires 15% down on a Fix; 25% down on an ARM
- Non-Occupant Borrower is permitted
FHA
- Income limits are NOT used to qualify
- Minimum 3.5% down available on 2-4 unit
- Brwr Occupancy required"
I read that Home Ready only requires 3% down but I guess that changes with multi family?
tl;dr : I need help finding a good, low down payment loan program for someone with good credit and low to average income who plans on buying multi-family(to both live in and rent) in an expensive market.
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![Russell Brazil's profile image](https://bpimg.biggerpockets.com/no_overlay/uploads/social_user/user_avatar/120988/1621417798-avatar-russelltee.jpg?twic=v1/output=image/crop=303x303@52x0/cover=128x128&v=2)
FHA might be your only option then. I was going to recommend looking into HomeReady, but I didnt realize the down payment rose with it being a multi unit property. The downside with FHA is it now pas permanent PMI attached to the loan. So you could conceivably use FHA, then refinance once you hit 20% in equity....although we are likely to be in a rising interest rate environment in the future.
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