The main benefit of these loans is that they give you the ability to buy a home in need of repairs that you might not otherwise have been able to afford to buy. Plus, the down payment requirements are minimal, and often you get decent interest rates.

An FHA 203K loan is a loan backed by the federal government and given to buyers who want to buy a damaged or older home and do repairs on it. Here’s how it works: Let’s say you want to buy a home that needs a brand-new bathroom and kitchen. An FHA 203K lender would then give you the money to buy (or refinance) the house plus the money to do the necessary renovations to the kitchen and bathroom.