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Getting a Mortgage with Bad Credit

Buying a home can be stressful. One of the major stressors is getting a mortgage. There is so much involved and it is quite the process. To add to that stress, if you have bad credit, it can be more difficult to acquire. Is it possible to get a mortgage with bad credit? Are there ways to avoid any issues with getting a mortgage? Your answers are below.

Can you still get a mortgage with bad credit?

The short answer to if you can get a mortgage with bad credit is “yes”. You may have to shop around and may have to pay a higher rate because of it. A product called a Bad Credit Mortgage is available to consumers in this situation.The bad credit mortgage is often called a sub-prime mortgage and is offered to homebuyers with low credit ratings. Due to the low credit rating, conventional mortgages are not offered because the lender sees this as the homebuyer having a larger-than-average risk of not following through with the terms of the loan. Lenders often charge higher interest rates on these mortgages in order to compensate for the higher loan default risk that they are taking.

Are there ways to help you get a mortgage with bad credit?

Your credit score is just a piece of the puzzle the lender uses for deciding if they will give you a mortgage. Things such as employment and paying your bills on time are also indicators of approval. Often times mortgage lenders put applications through automatically and the system may reject you. If you tell them to manually review your application and look at the other positive credit factors on your file, you may have a chance. You still may need to explain your low score, but if you can prove you pay your bills on time (especially over a 12 month period) or hold a consistent well paying job, then that is a plus. If your credit score is bad because of late medical bills or student loans, they may look past the bad score as well. So this is something to bring up.

Another way to get a mortgage with bad credit is to make a bigger down payment. If you make a large down payment than the loan amount will be for less so it may increase your chances of being approved. A down payment of 20% or more puts you at an advantage.

FHA Loans

There are FHA loans which is a mortgage issued by federally qualified lenders and insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA). FHA loans are designed for low-to-moderate income borrowers who are unable to make a large down payment. This is another option that may be able to help you as well.

As you can see, there are many resources and professionals available to help you with the mortgage lending process in the event you have bad credit or low cash reserve. It is important to use those resources so you can make your home buying dreams a reality regardless of your financial situation.

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