WASHINGTON - US consumer borrowing increased more than forecast in April as Americans racked up personal loans for everything from vacations to automobiles to education. Total consumer credit rose $8.9 billion for the month to $2.56 trillion, the ... As stated earlier, FHA mortgage is a way for homebuyers to obtain financing for their homes. All purchases require buyers to make a certain set percentage of the total purchase price, called the down payment. What the FHA mortgage insurance does therefore is to allow a homebuyer to make a modest down payment and obtain a mortgage for the balance of the purchase price.