How Many FHA Loans Can I Have At Once?

Want to buy a home and thinking about getting an FHA loan? FHA loans are a great way to make homeownership happen, especially if you're a first-time buyer or don't have perfect credit. But you might wonder, "Can I get more than one FHA loan?"

The short answer is that it's tricky.  FHA loans are about helping you buy a place to live in – your main home base. Because of this, and a few other things, getting multiple FHA loans isn't easy.

Living There Matters: The Occupancy Rule

The biggest hurdle is that you usually have to live in the home you buy with an FHA loan. It's gotta be your primary residence. There are a few exceptions, like if you're moving for work and can't sell your old place, but generally, you can't use FHA loans for vacation homes or investment properties.

More Than Just Where You Live

Even if you could have multiple "main" homes, there are other things that make getting multiple FHA loans tough:
 

• Debt-to-Income Ratio: Lenders want to ensure you can afford your loan payments. They look at how much debt you have compared to your earnings. Every time you add a mortgage, it is harder to qualify for another loan.
• Credit Score: Your credit score is like your financial report card.  Managing multiple mortgages can be a juggling act, and your credit score can take a hit if you miss payments.
• Lender Rules: Each lender has its own rules about how many FHA loans they'll give to one person, even if the FHA doesn't have a strict limit.
• Money Matters: Lenders want to see that you're financially stable.  Multiple mortgages mean you need more cash to cover all those payments, taxes, and potential repairs.

When You Might Get More Than One FHA Loan

There are a few situations where having more than one FHA loan might be possible. As we mentioned before, if you have to move and can't sell your old place, you might be able to get a new FHA loan for your new home.  Also, if you're going through a divorce or separation, each person might be able to get their own FHA loan.

All such scenarios are handled on a case-by-case basis, and you may need to submit additional documentation to have such a loan considered.

While the FHA doesn't flat-out say you can't have more than one loan, it's usually not that simple.  

Most of the time, FHA loans are for your main home, and many rules and factors make it hard to get more than one. If you don't have special circumstances like a career change or an adjustment in the size of your family, more than one FHA mortgage may not be possible.