Foreclosure, short sale, and deed-in-lieu each have their own seasoning clock — and some paths are faster than you'd think. Here's exactly how long you need to wait, by program.
From the completed sale date, with re-established credit.
Possible if you were current on payments and relocating for a job.
From completion, plus a CAIVRS federal-debt check.
Shorter waits, with a reduced max LTV if recent.
You went through a foreclosure and want to know exactly when you're eligible again.
You avoided a full foreclosure but still have a seasoning clock to work through.
FHA's 0-day waiver may apply if you were current on payments and are moving for a new job.
Foreclosure, short sale, and deed-in-lieu each carry their own FHA seasoning clock — with a rare 0-day waiver.
| Event | FHA wait time |
|---|---|
| Foreclosure | 3 years from the completed sale date, with clean re-established credit since |
| Short sale / deed-in-lieu | 3 years from the transfer of title date — can be waived to 0 days if you were current on all payments at the time of sale and are relocating for a new job |
Non-QM programs are built specifically to shorten these waits — often with a down-payment tradeoff.
| Event | Typical Non-QM rule |
|---|---|
| Foreclosure / short sale / deed-in-lieu | 12–24 months from the date title transferred out of your name; recent events (under 24 months) trigger lower max LTV and higher reserve requirements |
| "Fresh Start" programs | Seasoning as short as 1 day out, but require 30%+ down and significantly higher rates |
VA requires a straightforward 2-year wait, plus a federal-debt check most other programs skip.
| Event | VA rule |
|---|---|
| Foreclosure / deed-in-lieu / short sale | 2 years (24 months) minimum from the completion date |
| CAIVRS check | Underwriters must confirm no federal default or delinquent government debt; if a prior VA loan was foreclosed on, remaining entitlement may be restricted unless the loss is fully repaid |
Conventional's foreclosure seasoning is the longest of the four — 7 years, versus FHA and VA's 2-3 year windows.
| Event | Conventional wait time |
|---|---|
| Short sale / deed-in-lieu | 4 years from the date of sale/transfer |
| Foreclosure | 7 years from the official foreclosure sale date — re-establishing pristine credit during this window matters most |
USDA's foreclosure clock can start from an insurance-claim payment date, not just the sale date.
| Event | USDA rule |
|---|---|
| Foreclosure / short sale / deed-in-lieu | 3-year minimum wait from the date the foreclosure sale was finalized — or from the date a government insurance claim was paid if the prior loan was FHA, VA, or USDA |
SONYMA's 3-year foreclosure wait has no waiver — applying early triggers a hard downgrade.
| Event | SONYMA rule |
|---|---|
| Foreclosure / short sale / deed-in-lieu | 3 years minimum from the date title legally transferred out of your name |
| Applying before 3 years | Triggers a manual downgrade with much stricter credit and reserve overlays |
Jumbo's 7-year foreclosure wait is by far the longest of any program covered here.
| Event | Jumbo rule |
|---|---|
| Foreclosure | 7-year seasoning period required on most prime Jumbo programs — no automated leniency |
| Non-QM alternative | A recent foreclosure that disqualifies standard Jumbo can often still work on a NAF Portfolio (Non-QM) product |
Land loans allow zero foreclosures in the trailing 3 years — the strictest rule of any program here.
| Event | Land Loan rule |
|---|---|
| Foreclosure | Absolutely no foreclosures allowed on any property in the 3 years preceding application |
| Short sale / deed-in-lieu / loan modification | Ineligible within the last 3 years, unless you've since established at least 2 years of clean, re-established credit |
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