Adverse Credit Mortgages - Getting Approved With A Low Credit Score

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

Having good credit affords more home loan options. Luckily, many mortgage lenders understand that bad credit happens, thus many are willing to offer home loans to people with low credit scores. Of course, the best way to improve your odds of getting a low rate is to boost credit rating. Still, it is possible to get approved with poor credit. Here are a few tips to consider when applying for an adverse credit mortgage.

Expect a Higher Mortgage Rate

Although many lenders offer comparably low rates to homebuyers with low credit scores, these rates are slightly higher than current averages. Fortunately, because of low mortgage rates, individuals with poor credit can find affordable homes.

If you had a recently discharged bankruptcy or foreclosure, the rate you obtain on a home loan may be several percentage points above the average. Hence, it may be wise to delay buying a home until your credit improves. On the other hand, if you are hoping to quickly increase your credit, and you can afford a large mortgage payment, purchasing a home immediately following a bankruptcy or foreclosure may be an ideal choice.

Take Advantage of Sub Prime Mortgage Lenders

Traditional mortgage lenders typically offer loans to people with good credit. These persons are considered prime applicants. If you do not fit into this group, don?t worry. There are many lenders that focus on bad credit home loans.

Sub prime lenders offer loans to people with all credit types. In fact, it is possible to get approved for a home loan with very low credit. This is great because some mortgage lenders do not approved loans to people with a credit score below 600.

Improve Your Chances of Getting Approved

If you have a very low credit score, it may take some time before you notice a major credit score increase. Still, you should start improving credit early. Raising your credit score by a few points may qualify you for a better rate.

Maintaining good credit is easy. However, you must use credit responsibly. This involves paying your creditors on time and reducing total debts. If too much debt is the problem, consider working with a non-profit debt consolidation service. Furthermore, credit counseling can offer practical tips on how to better manage credit.