Credit Problems, What You Can Do
Having a blemish on your credit report can lead people to
believe that it will be impossible for them to obtain a mortgage
or refinance their current one.
Although having less than perfect credit can be a challenge, all
hope is not lost.
There are lenders out there, and many of them, who specialize in
doing mortgages for people with challenged credit. These lenders
are known as sub prime lenders.
You may not be familiar with sub prime lenders because they are
not the type of institution to set up shop on every street
corner like the banks.
Sub prime lenders deal with all kinds of special and unique
situations. Whatever your situation may be, there is a good
chance that there is a lender out there with a program for you.
For instance, sub prime lenders have programs for people with
poor payment history, people who have had bankruptcies, people
who are in foreclosure and are looking to be bought out, etc.
Over all if your credit history is poor, you will most likely
have to go with a sub prime lender.
My suggestion to you would be to find a broker to shop around
for the best possible program for you.
A broker is not a lender, their job is to guide and educate you
through the loan process. Most brokers have a contact list too
literally hundreds of lenders across the country including sub
prime lenders. Allow for the broker to assess your financial
situation, than fit you into a program that you both can agree
on.
The down side to dealing with a sub prime lender is the interest
rate. You can count on it being high. If you have bad credit,
the lender will see you as a risk, and the penalty you pay for
being considered a risk is in the interest rate.
The point is this, regardless of your credit issues, there most
likely is a lender out there who will deal with you, just make
sure the deal you agree on is in your best interest and not in
the best interest of the broker or the lender.
When deciding to purchase a home or refinance your existing one,
always do your homework. Continue to educate yourself so you
know what to expect going forward, and don't be afraid to shop
around for the best deal out there. Just because your credit
isn't the greatest doesn't mean lenders won't be competing for
your business because they will.
Your credit can be repaired over time if you pay your bills on
time, so make this a goal and work toward it.