Conventional loans are loans that are not insured or guaranteed by a government agency (see FHA and VA for information on government loans). They can be conforming or non-conforming loans. Most of the conventional loans that have been made in the last several years have three basic attributes in common:

They have been for long terms

They have been loans with fixed interest rates

They have been fully amortized

Conforming Loans:
Conforming loans can be resold in the secondary market due to the fact that they meet nationally accepted underwriting criteria established by national secondary market investors, primarily Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FHLMC). This criteria includes down payment amounts, maximum loan amounts, property specifications, borrower income requirements and credit guidelines. Due to the importance of being able to liquidate real estate investments (loans) in the event of a financial problem, the trend for lenders is to obtain loans that meet secondary market standards.

Non-Conforming Loans:
Non-conforming loans are loans that do not conform to the guidelines set forth by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. Non-conforming loans consist of Jumbo loans (exceeding the conforming loan limit), inadequate credit history or derogatory credit, not enough income, home equity or home improvement loans, credit lines, and second mortgages to name a few.

Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
A loan with a down payment of less than 20% usually requires Private Mortgage Insurance. Your loan officer will be glad to give you all the information on PMI and how to finance without paying PMI.