Now that the longest government shutdown is over , it’s back to business for the housing market, but don’t expect services to get back to normal overnight. Homebuyers and homeowners who are hoping to secure certain types of mortgages will still need to practice patience.

For those applying for a government-backed mortgage, it’s important to note that federal housing programs did not cease completely during the shutdown, but many agencies were slow to process applications.

Among the government loans affected were Federal Housing Administration (FHA) , Veterans Affairs (VA) , and USDA loans.

The government shutdown started on Oct. 1, and key housing and mortgage programs were operating at limited capacity—some working with reduced staffing or paused altogether. This left buyers

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