To be eligible for an FHA loan, you must have a valid social security number and have lawful residency in the United States and be of a legal age to sign on a mortgage in your state. Lenders will verify income, assets, liabilities, and credit history for all parties on the loan. With an FHA loan, you cannot take an ownership interest in a property without qualifying for the loan.

FHA's mortgage programs do not typically have maximum income limits for qualifying, although you must have sufficient income to qualify for the mortgage payment and other debts. Income limits may be present when qualifying for down payment assistance or other secondary financing programs (including those funded by HUD) that may be used in conjunction with an FHA loan.

FHA does not have minimum credit score requirements, although past credit performance serves as the most useful guide in determining a borrower's attitude toward credit obligations and predicting a borrower's future actions. Using FHA's guidelines, lenders will make a credit determination based on the merits of each case.