Buying a Home With Bad Credit - Why a Recent Bankruptcy Will Not Stop You From Getting Approved

Buying a home with bad credit is possible with the help of a subprime lender even if you have a recent bankruptcy or foreclosure. These mortgage lenders specialize in financing home loans for people with poor credit.

Effect Of Bankruptcies And Foreclosures On Credit

A bankruptcy or foreclosure is not the death of your credit. Yes, your credit score will be hurt and you won't be able to borrow from a traditional mortgage lender right away, but you still have options.

A bankruptcy or foreclosure signals a crisis in finances. Lenders understand this, and if there are mitigating circumstances, such as a healthcare emergency or loss of a job, they will make exceptions.

Minimize Your Bankruptcy Or Foreclosure

To minimize the effect of your bankruptcy or foreclosure, include a one-page letter in your credit report stating the reasons for the financial crisis. Lenders want to know that this was a one-time event, not a sign of financial irresponsibility.

While including the letter in your credit report, review all your accounts and be sure they are accurate. After a bankruptcy, creditors may leave open accounts, even when they should be closed. These open accounts can have a negative impact on your credit score.

Appeal To Mortgage Lenders

To appeal to mortgage lenders with a bad credit history, increase your down payment and cash reserves. A large down payment ensures that the mortgage company will receive at least a partial return on their investment if they have to foreclose. A FICO score of 580 will require at least a 5% down payment, and lower scores will require a larger down payment.

Cash reserves ensure that the borrower has enough resources to weather a temporary financial emergency. Mortgage lenders like to see at least two months worth of payments in a savings account, but a higher amount will only help your application.

Online Mortgage Brokers

Online mortgage brokers also make it easier to find financing for people with adverse credit. Through their websites, you can compare multiple finance offers from different lenders, ensuring you get the best rates and terms to buy a home.

To view our list of recommended bad credit home loan companies online, visit this page: Recommended Bad Credit Mortgage Loan Companies Online.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

In The News:

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Washington Times
How can I avoid a mortgage refinancing rip-off?
IndiaPost.com, CA - 27 minutes ago
For mortgage refinancing, that means knowing the terms of your existing mortgage and the latest mortgage rates, as well as reviewing your credit report and ...
The Truth About Mortgage Refinancing Revealed By Connecticut ... SBWire (press release)
Refinancing suddenly booms Honolulu Advertiser
Lenders Backlogged By Refinancing Rush Washington Post
MSNBC - Forbesall 25 news articles

Money High Street
Average Mortgage Rate Hits 5%, Lowest in Decades
New York Times, United States - 11 hours ago
Of course, buying a home is a more lengthy process than simply calling up a mortgage broker to refinance, and activity typically slows during the holiday ...
Long-Term Mortgage Rate Falls Again Wall Street Journal
Banks' mortgage rates fall below 5% Boston Globe
Homeowners with good credit scores are poised to capitalize on ... Baltimore Sun
Scripps News - AHNall 96 news articles

WJBF-TV
US Banks Offer Mortgages Below 5% After Fed Action
Bloomberg - 20 hours ago
The Mortgage Bankers Association’s index of applications to purchase a home or refinance a loan dropped to 1143.8 for the week ending Jan. ...
Mortgage rates fall to record low again Forbes
Freddie Mac: Benchmark mortgage rate continues to new low MarketWatch
Bold government action can solve housing crisis North Texas e-News
American Banker - Connecticut Postall 603 news articles

Cardoza proposal could aid housing crisis
Stockton Record, CA - 4 hours ago
Under the Cardoza plan, the payment on that mortgage refinanced to 4 percent fixed rate would drop to $1194 a month. Contact reporter Bruce Spence at (209) ...

REFILE-UPDATE 1-US mortgage demand dipped before Fed move-MBA
Reuters - Jan 7, 2009
The jump in applications during December may have been driven by homeowners already "on the fence" and prepared to refinance on a drop in mortgage rates, ...
Mortgage applications down in latest survey Forbes
Week-to-week mortgage applications down 8.2% MarketWatch
Fewer apply for home loans; credit line delinquencies increase Los Angeles Times
KVOA.com - Kansas City Starall 63 news articles

Boston Globe
Fed’s Rosengren Calls for ‘Concerted’ Fiscal, Monetary Policies
Bloomberg - 6 hours ago
... to purchase or refinance homes,” Rosengren said. The average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dropped for a 10th week to 5.01 percent yesterday, ...
Rosengren sees path to recovery Boston Globe
Fed's Rosengren says recession more severe than thought Reuters
all 52 news articles

AFP
Congressional Press Release on Mortgage Deal
Wall Street Journal - 11 hours ago
"Despite efforts by Congress to address this issue, not enough lenders have come to the table to help borrowers with bad mortgages refinance into new, ...
Citigroup reaches agreement with key senators on mortgage ... Minneapolis Star Tribune
Citigroup agrees to allow judges to help modify some mortgages IdahoStatesman.com
all 562 news articles

TopNews
Question & Answer on mortgage refinancing
Boston Herald, United States - Jan 1, 2009
If I refinance the mortgage on my current house, will I hurt my chances for getting a loan for a new place later on? A: No. Refinancing a loan shouldn’t ...
MORTGAGES: 30-year Mortgage Rate Falls For Ninth Straight Week To ... CNNMoney.com
Mortgage Rates Hit 37-Year Low Poynter.org
Home-Mortgage Rates' Next Stop: Below 5% Wall Street Journal
Ventura County Star - Wall Street Journalall 457 news articles

Refinancing shoots through the roof
Plano Star Courier, TX - 17 hours ago
“Quite a few people have remortgaged,” said Craig Jarrell, loan officer with Pulaski Mortgage. “Most people who refinance are new homeowners as recent as ...

Waco banks seeing a boom in mortgage refinance applications
Waco Tribune Herald, TX - Jan 2, 2009
By Mike Copeland With mortgage rates hitting record lows, Mary Jo Teakell is seeing a growing backlog of refinance applications. “We’re quite busy right now ...
Borrowers seeking to refinance may face challenges WTOP
As mortgage rates slide, refinancing applications take off Dallas Morning News
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