by: Carrie Reeder
A few years ago, if you had a bankruptcy or a foreclosure on your credit report, you could forget about trying to get a mortgage loan. If you were lucky enough to find someone who would finance you, your interest rate would be through the roof and plan on putting 10-20% down.
But today, this is not the case. There are many programs available today to help people who have recently suffered a bankruptcy or foreclosure to get a mortgage loan or mortgage refinance loan.
There are two things to do if you are in this situation:
Get yourself a free copy of your credit report from all 3 major credit bureaus, look over everything, do you see any mistakes? Make sure everything included in your bankruptcy or foreclosure reports accurately on your credit report. Make sure those accounts involved in a bankruptcy or foreclosure are not showing something else like collection or charge-off.. That could make your score much lower than it needs to be. If you have a bankruptcy or foreclosure, you want everything involved to say so, so it is all under 1 circumstance, instead of many. You can dispute all errors on your credit report online nowadays. It takes about 15 minutes. You can do it right on the website of Equifax, TransUnion or Experian.
Once you have checked your credit reports, apply only to places that submit your application to many lenders. Every time your credit report is pulled, it will knock your credit score down a little. If you apply to a mortgage service that will submit your application to many lenders, then you only have one credit inquiry and can receive offers from up to 4 lenders per application.
Frequently asked questions are:
Will I have to make a large down payment? Not necessarily. If you can get your credit score above a 600, you should easily be able to get 100% financing, even if it has been less than two years since your bankruptcy or foreclosure. If your score is above a 580, you might still be able to qualify for 100% financing.
What kind of interest rate can I expect? Depending on your credit score and whether you have any down payment or not, I have heard of situations with a credit score as low as 585 with no down payment and an interest rate as low as 7.25%. That was quoted in March of 2005.
Can I get cash out? On a purchase, not likely. On a refinance, depending on your amount of equity, that is very possible.
There are many lenders now, who specialize in bad credit mortgage loans. These are the best lenders to start with. To see a list of lenders who specialize in bad credit mortgage loans, visit: www.abcloanguide.com/lessthanperfectcredit.shtml
About The Author
Carrie Reeder is the owner of www.abcloanguide.com. Her website offers free information about mortgage loans and provides lists of recommended bad credit mortgage lenders.
carrie@abcloanguide.com
Bad Credit? Qualify Yourself For A Zero Down Mortgage Loan
by: Nick Graziano
I decided to write this article today after closing a home purchase loan for a couple that had some major credit issues. They got into the house with ZERO down payment, and only had to bring $600 for the closing costs. Their situation was pretty bad, I’m talking about a bankruptcy 2 years ago, thousands of dollars in outstanding collections, charge-offs and debt to income ratio of 49%. By the way, we left all of their outstanding charge-offs and collections open which means they didn’t have to pay any of them off! So many think they won't be able to qualify for a mortgage loan. Many will keep thinking they can't qualify until they read this article.
My name is Nick Graziano and I have been employed as a Loan Officer for 5 years. I have experience originating conventional mortgage loans as well as sub-prime (non-conventional) residential mortgage loans. Many of the clients that I deal with have great credit (and know it) and have no problem getting a loan but then there are those with credit problems (and they know it too). The ones with great credit are the ones that are easy to close, get the best rates and all with minimal time involved on the part of myself.
But, this article is for those with credit problems, low income and those who cannot afford a down payment. I am going to show you how to qualify for a loan with ZERO down payment, and the only out of pocket expense will be less than $1,000 ( if any at all) to cover some of the closing costs. This is just an example of one particular loan program that I use but there are numerous others out there. I picked this loan program because it allows 100% financing down to a 575 credit score
I see it on a daily basis.
Everyone wants to own a home and those with credit problems are calling every mortgage company in the phone book and applying on every mortgage website out there. (And there are many out there). Only to find out later that every time a mortgage company pulls their credit, their credit score dropped a few points, or that the particular lender doesn’t originate the type of loan that you need. That is frustrating.
Step by Step
Here is where I show you how to qualify yourself for a zero down loan.
1.The first thing you need is your tri-merge credit score. I would be more that happy to suggest a few places on the internet that you could go to get your credit score but I don’t want this article to seem like an advertisement. So, the best thing to do is to do a search on yahoo.com for terms like “free credit reports”, or “tri-merge credit report”. Just make sure that you end up pulling a “tri-merge” credit report on yourself. A tri-merged credit report pulls your credit profiles from the 3 major credit reporting companies and merges it into 1 report. The nice thing about pulling your credit yourself is that it will NOT affect your credit score. Bookmark this page while you go get a copy of your credit report and then come back to see the additional steps.
2.What is your credit score? Most mortgage lenders will use the middle of the three scores. Example: Your credit scores are 576, 525, 599. In this case you would use the 576 credit score since it is not the lowest score and it is not the highest.
3.Is your middle credit score at least 575? If so, congratulations and move on to the next step. If your middle score is less than 575 you have some homework to do. You can either sign up with a credit repair company (“search yahoo.com for credit repair”) to try and remove some derogatory items on your credit which will raise your credit score OR you can try to acquire some credit to help re-establish your credit worthiness. The easiest way to re-establish your credit is by either getting a car loan or credit card designed to help re-establish your credit. Again search yahoo.com for “credit cards to re-establish credit”
4.Do you have a bankruptcy or foreclosure in your past? Has it been 2 years since it was discharged? If yes, move on to the next step! If not, unfortunately in most cases your bankruptcy or foreclosure will need to be discharged at least 2 years or you will need to have at least 5% down payment.
5.You will need to document 24 months of recent mortgage or rental history. If you rent from a property management company we will need a Verification Of Rent completed. The form will be supplied by your mortgage lender or broker. If you rent from a private landlord, you will need 24 months cancelled checks/ or money order receipts with no payments over 30 days late. Sorry, you cannot prove your rental history if you pay your landlord cash every month, unless they are a property management company. If you are unable to document your rental history there is a way around it. Get your credit report and look for the following: Do you have an active credit line on your credit report that has been open for at least 24 months? Has this credit line had any activity in the last 6 months? If so, move to the next step.
6.Look at your credit report. Do you have a credit line that has a 12 month history reporting? If so and as long as you have no more that 2x30 day late payments then move on to the next step.
7.Look at your credit report again. Do any of your credit lines have a high limit of at least $3,000. If so, move to the next step.
8.Now take one more look at your credit report. You will need 1 more additional open credit line reporting on your credit report. (It does not matter how long it has been open or how much the credit line is for).
Well, congrats! You made it this far which means that your credit might qualify for a Zero Down Payment Loan. The loan program you qualified for is subject to change and is subject to additional conditions. This article should not be construed as an advertisement to lend. These are the steps that I go through when trying to pre-qualify a client that has credit problems. There are many more factors to determine so please discuss this with a qualified mortgage professional.
You are probably asking yourself what you are supposed to do with the information that was given to you in this article. The first thing is to contact a few mortgage companies. Ask them if they have any zero down loan programs that will go down to a 575 credit score, or whatever your credit score is. Remember, you will need at least a 575 credit score to qualify for this particular loan program. Also, in order to minimize your out of pocket expense, ask your mortgage professional if the property seller is allowed to pay 6% of the purchase price towards closing costs. If so, you will need to remember to negotiate that into your purchase contract when you make an offer on a house.
About The Author
Nick Graziano
http://www.aaamortgagerate.com
http://www.mymortgagespecialist.net
info@aaamortgagerate.com
I decided to write this article today after closing a home purchase loan for a couple that had some major credit issues. They got into the house with ZERO down payment, and only had to bring $600 for the closing costs. Their situation was pretty bad, I’m talking about a bankruptcy 2 years ago, thousands of dollars in outstanding collections, charge-offs and debt to income ratio of 49%. By the way, we left all of their outstanding charge-offs and collections open which means they didn’t have to pay any of them off! So many think they won't be able to qualify for a mortgage loan. Many will keep thinking they can't qualify until they read this article.
My name is Nick Graziano and I have been employed as a Loan Officer for 5 years. I have experience originating conventional mortgage loans as well as sub-prime (non-conventional) residential mortgage loans. Many of the clients that I deal with have great credit (and know it) and have no problem getting a loan but then there are those with credit problems (and they know it too). The ones with great credit are the ones that are easy to close, get the best rates and all with minimal time involved on the part of myself.
But, this article is for those with credit problems, low income and those who cannot afford a down payment. I am going to show you how to qualify for a loan with ZERO down payment, and the only out of pocket expense will be less than $1,000 ( if any at all) to cover some of the closing costs. This is just an example of one particular loan program that I use but there are numerous others out there. I picked this loan program because it allows 100% financing down to a 575 credit score
I see it on a daily basis.
Everyone wants to own a home and those with credit problems are calling every mortgage company in the phone book and applying on every mortgage website out there. (And there are many out there). Only to find out later that every time a mortgage company pulls their credit, their credit score dropped a few points, or that the particular lender doesn’t originate the type of loan that you need. That is frustrating.
Step by Step
Here is where I show you how to qualify yourself for a zero down loan.
1.The first thing you need is your tri-merge credit score. I would be more that happy to suggest a few places on the internet that you could go to get your credit score but I don’t want this article to seem like an advertisement. So, the best thing to do is to do a search on yahoo.com for terms like “free credit reports”, or “tri-merge credit report”. Just make sure that you end up pulling a “tri-merge” credit report on yourself. A tri-merged credit report pulls your credit profiles from the 3 major credit reporting companies and merges it into 1 report. The nice thing about pulling your credit yourself is that it will NOT affect your credit score. Bookmark this page while you go get a copy of your credit report and then come back to see the additional steps.
2.What is your credit score? Most mortgage lenders will use the middle of the three scores. Example: Your credit scores are 576, 525, 599. In this case you would use the 576 credit score since it is not the lowest score and it is not the highest.
3.Is your middle credit score at least 575? If so, congratulations and move on to the next step. If your middle score is less than 575 you have some homework to do. You can either sign up with a credit repair company (“search yahoo.com for credit repair”) to try and remove some derogatory items on your credit which will raise your credit score OR you can try to acquire some credit to help re-establish your credit worthiness. The easiest way to re-establish your credit is by either getting a car loan or credit card designed to help re-establish your credit. Again search yahoo.com for “credit cards to re-establish credit”
4.Do you have a bankruptcy or foreclosure in your past? Has it been 2 years since it was discharged? If yes, move on to the next step! If not, unfortunately in most cases your bankruptcy or foreclosure will need to be discharged at least 2 years or you will need to have at least 5% down payment.
5.You will need to document 24 months of recent mortgage or rental history. If you rent from a property management company we will need a Verification Of Rent completed. The form will be supplied by your mortgage lender or broker. If you rent from a private landlord, you will need 24 months cancelled checks/ or money order receipts with no payments over 30 days late. Sorry, you cannot prove your rental history if you pay your landlord cash every month, unless they are a property management company. If you are unable to document your rental history there is a way around it. Get your credit report and look for the following: Do you have an active credit line on your credit report that has been open for at least 24 months? Has this credit line had any activity in the last 6 months? If so, move to the next step.
6.Look at your credit report. Do you have a credit line that has a 12 month history reporting? If so and as long as you have no more that 2x30 day late payments then move on to the next step.
7.Look at your credit report again. Do any of your credit lines have a high limit of at least $3,000. If so, move to the next step.
8.Now take one more look at your credit report. You will need 1 more additional open credit line reporting on your credit report. (It does not matter how long it has been open or how much the credit line is for).
Well, congrats! You made it this far which means that your credit might qualify for a Zero Down Payment Loan. The loan program you qualified for is subject to change and is subject to additional conditions. This article should not be construed as an advertisement to lend. These are the steps that I go through when trying to pre-qualify a client that has credit problems. There are many more factors to determine so please discuss this with a qualified mortgage professional.
You are probably asking yourself what you are supposed to do with the information that was given to you in this article. The first thing is to contact a few mortgage companies. Ask them if they have any zero down loan programs that will go down to a 575 credit score, or whatever your credit score is. Remember, you will need at least a 575 credit score to qualify for this particular loan program. Also, in order to minimize your out of pocket expense, ask your mortgage professional if the property seller is allowed to pay 6% of the purchase price towards closing costs. If so, you will need to remember to negotiate that into your purchase contract when you make an offer on a house.
About The Author
Nick Graziano
http://www.aaamortgagerate.com
http://www.mymortgagespecialist.net
info@aaamortgagerate.com
Tips on Getting Your Mortgage Loan Approved
by: Chris Rocks
What is important to lenders?
Not every applicant is approved for a home loan the first time he or she applies. For a variety of reasons, even after a lot of hard work, sometimes a loan just can’t be approved. It may have to do with the applicant’s credit or savings history, employment stability, debt structure, or the value of the home. The good news is that a denial is merely a detour, not a roadblock. Purchasing a home takes planning, discipline and hard work! Follow these tips and with our assistance, homeownership is not out of reach.
Establish a consistent record of paying bills on time.
Before making a loan the size of a home loan, most lenders will want to review how you have handled your credit in the past. This includes all credit accounts, including utilities, revolving debt (credit cards, etc.), and installment debt (car loans, student loans, etc.). It is critical for you to bring all overdue bills up to date immediately and begin paying them on time in a consistent manner.
Establish a consistent record of steady employment.
Lenders are more likely to look favorably on an applicant who has been in the same (or similar) line of work for generally two or more years. If you have been working steadily for less than two or more years, expect the lender to ask why. There are many acceptable reasons, including:
You recently finished school, vocational training, or left the military;
Your work is typically seasonal and gaps in employment are customary to the industry
You may have been laid off from your job; or
Frequent employment changes are normal in your line of work (sales, contract work, etc.), but you have been consistently employed and maintained a consistent level of income over the past 2 years.
You may want to pay off some debt to lower your debt-to-income ratio.
This step will make it easier to qualify for a mortgage loan if your debt ratio is high. Chances are good that if you’re already paying rent, making a mortgage payment will be a smooth transition. Along with the mortgage payment, you’re also responsible for real estate taxes and insurance, and if required, mortgage insurance and homeowners dues. Work with us to determine the monthly payment you can afford based on your income and the standard debt-to-income ratio guidelines.
Establish a consistent savings pattern.
Saving money for a down payment, and still having enough reserves left over to cover two months of expenses in the event of an emergency, is typically the most challenging part of buying a home. While sometimes it is difficult, this is a necessary step to ensure you are financially ready to take the plunge into homeownership.
About The Author
Chris Rocks is a Mortgage Consultant specializing in working with First Time Home Buyers. FirstHomeTips.com, a site designed by Chris, was created to help make the home buying process less complicated and less stressful for the first time buyer.
Website URL: http://www.firsthometips.com
Contact Email Address: chris@firsthometips.com
What is important to lenders?
Not every applicant is approved for a home loan the first time he or she applies. For a variety of reasons, even after a lot of hard work, sometimes a loan just can’t be approved. It may have to do with the applicant’s credit or savings history, employment stability, debt structure, or the value of the home. The good news is that a denial is merely a detour, not a roadblock. Purchasing a home takes planning, discipline and hard work! Follow these tips and with our assistance, homeownership is not out of reach.
Establish a consistent record of paying bills on time.
Before making a loan the size of a home loan, most lenders will want to review how you have handled your credit in the past. This includes all credit accounts, including utilities, revolving debt (credit cards, etc.), and installment debt (car loans, student loans, etc.). It is critical for you to bring all overdue bills up to date immediately and begin paying them on time in a consistent manner.
Establish a consistent record of steady employment.
Lenders are more likely to look favorably on an applicant who has been in the same (or similar) line of work for generally two or more years. If you have been working steadily for less than two or more years, expect the lender to ask why. There are many acceptable reasons, including:
You recently finished school, vocational training, or left the military;
Your work is typically seasonal and gaps in employment are customary to the industry
You may have been laid off from your job; or
Frequent employment changes are normal in your line of work (sales, contract work, etc.), but you have been consistently employed and maintained a consistent level of income over the past 2 years.
You may want to pay off some debt to lower your debt-to-income ratio.
This step will make it easier to qualify for a mortgage loan if your debt ratio is high. Chances are good that if you’re already paying rent, making a mortgage payment will be a smooth transition. Along with the mortgage payment, you’re also responsible for real estate taxes and insurance, and if required, mortgage insurance and homeowners dues. Work with us to determine the monthly payment you can afford based on your income and the standard debt-to-income ratio guidelines.
Establish a consistent savings pattern.
Saving money for a down payment, and still having enough reserves left over to cover two months of expenses in the event of an emergency, is typically the most challenging part of buying a home. While sometimes it is difficult, this is a necessary step to ensure you are financially ready to take the plunge into homeownership.
About The Author
Chris Rocks is a Mortgage Consultant specializing in working with First Time Home Buyers. FirstHomeTips.com, a site designed by Chris, was created to help make the home buying process less complicated and less stressful for the first time buyer.
Website URL: http://www.firsthometips.com
Contact Email Address: chris@firsthometips.com
Where Can I Get a Home Loan? Here Are The Top 5 Mortgage Lending Institutions
by: Syd Johnson
There are hundreds of sources for home loans online and right in your neighborhood. Banks, Credit Unions, Mortgage Bankers, Government Agencies and Private Sellers all offer different sources of financing for anyone shopping for a mortgage.
Neighborhood Banks
One of the best resources for getting a home loan is your neighborhood bank. Depending on the length of your relationship with the bank and the amount you have in you checking or savings account, you might be sent out letters and emails inviting you to apply for a loan. If you are generally satisfied with the quality of the service that you receive form your bank and they are offering a great interest rate, don’t walk away.
Even if the offer is not quite what you’re looking for, walk into the nearest branch, and ask to speak to a loan manager. Once you are there, make your case in person for why you would like a certain loan or feel that you deserve a better interest rate. Most banks, especially the ones in larger cities, are part of a larger conglomerate or depend on a large conglomerate to finance items such as a home loan. Go through the process with the loan officer, but don’t be surprised if you don’t get an answer on the spot. It might take a day or two.
Credit Unions
Some of the lowest rates on any type of loan product such as student loans, mortgages and personal loans can be found through a credit union. If you are eligible to join a credit union, sign up and set up a savings account with small monthly deposits. This way, you can use the resources of the credit union when needed.
Mortgage Bankers
These firms deal exclusively with home loans and give you the widest possible selection of home loan products. You can find local and national Mortgage Bankers by doing a quick search on Google or Yahoo. Go to the website of several different firms, fill out an online application and you can be approved in a few hours.
Government Agencies
The agencies that lend mortgage money include the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Veteran’s Administration (VA) and the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA). Contact each agency directly to see if you meet their requirements.
Private Sellers
An often overlooked financing alternative is to see if you can lease a property from a homeowner with an option to buy later on. If the homeowner has the resources, they can also finance your move in with a low interest loan.
Check out these resources individually or discuss your options with a loan officer.
About The Author
Syd Johnson is the Executive Editor of RapidLingo.com, Financial Solutions Website. You can see more articles at http://www.rapidlingo.com.
This article may be freely distributed as long as the author's bio is included with an active link to http://www.rapidlingo.com.
There are hundreds of sources for home loans online and right in your neighborhood. Banks, Credit Unions, Mortgage Bankers, Government Agencies and Private Sellers all offer different sources of financing for anyone shopping for a mortgage.
Neighborhood Banks
One of the best resources for getting a home loan is your neighborhood bank. Depending on the length of your relationship with the bank and the amount you have in you checking or savings account, you might be sent out letters and emails inviting you to apply for a loan. If you are generally satisfied with the quality of the service that you receive form your bank and they are offering a great interest rate, don’t walk away.
Even if the offer is not quite what you’re looking for, walk into the nearest branch, and ask to speak to a loan manager. Once you are there, make your case in person for why you would like a certain loan or feel that you deserve a better interest rate. Most banks, especially the ones in larger cities, are part of a larger conglomerate or depend on a large conglomerate to finance items such as a home loan. Go through the process with the loan officer, but don’t be surprised if you don’t get an answer on the spot. It might take a day or two.
Credit Unions
Some of the lowest rates on any type of loan product such as student loans, mortgages and personal loans can be found through a credit union. If you are eligible to join a credit union, sign up and set up a savings account with small monthly deposits. This way, you can use the resources of the credit union when needed.
Mortgage Bankers
These firms deal exclusively with home loans and give you the widest possible selection of home loan products. You can find local and national Mortgage Bankers by doing a quick search on Google or Yahoo. Go to the website of several different firms, fill out an online application and you can be approved in a few hours.
Government Agencies
The agencies that lend mortgage money include the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Veteran’s Administration (VA) and the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA). Contact each agency directly to see if you meet their requirements.
Private Sellers
An often overlooked financing alternative is to see if you can lease a property from a homeowner with an option to buy later on. If the homeowner has the resources, they can also finance your move in with a low interest loan.
Check out these resources individually or discuss your options with a loan officer.
About The Author
Syd Johnson is the Executive Editor of RapidLingo.com, Financial Solutions Website. You can see more articles at http://www.rapidlingo.com.
This article may be freely distributed as long as the author's bio is included with an active link to http://www.rapidlingo.com.
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