With the real estate market booming in Pace, homebuyers are increasingly looking for affordable homes for sale in the region.
However, one of the most common questions of people planning to buy a home in Pace is whether it is possible to get a home mortgage with bad credit?
Well, the precise answer to this is, YES! It’s possible to get a mortgage with bad credit. However, you may have to pay higher interest rates. Moreover, you may also need to have a larger deposit. People with bad credit can avail of specially designed mortgages, known as bad credit mortgages, sub-prime mortgages, or adverse credit mortgages.
However, one crucial thing here to remember is you should get a mortgage only if you can afford the monthly repayments. Failing to do so can lead you to lose your home.
What Is Bad Credit?
Those who have been rejected by lenders for credit in the past might think they have bad credit. But, you should know that different lenders follow different norms for lending money. As such, there’s no standardized format for what’s considered bad credit. Although certain factors on your credit report make most lenders decide your risk level, such as defaulting on a loan, missing credit card payments, or applying for credit too often.
How Do Bad Credit Mortgages Work?
As said, there’s no major difference between regular mortgages and bad credit mortgages, except they probably come with high-interest rates and a lower limit on how much you can borrow. Further, you might be asked to come up with a larger deposit, which is at least 20-25% of the property value, rather than the usual 5-10%. Why? Because having a lower credit score is viewed as a high risk by the lender. It’s like, the higher your credit score, the better your chances are of getting approved with lower interest rates.
How to Get a Home Loan With Bad Credit?
Here are certain ways to get a home mortgage with bad credit in Pace and the other areas of Florida.
Improve Your Credit Rating
One obvious way is to improve your credit score. Missing your credit payments can affect your credit score. However, having the “settled” remark on your credit report is even more damaging. Having a credit account or loan that says settled means you and the lender have to come to an agreement to write off your debt as you are unable to pay it. It is important to get rid of such remarks by clearing the dues and changing to a “closed” account. This will improve your credit score fast and ensure you get a loan with a lower interest rate. Remember, the more the credit score, the lesser the interest rate.
Consider Lower Loan to Value (LTV)
LTV is the loan amount you are requesting from the bank based on the property value. Every lender has their own limits where in certain cases, they give loans for 90-95% for home buying. In case of bad credit, you can ask for a lower LTV from the lender, and increase the down payment.
Some Other Ways…
Meet all your regular payments, like credit card payments, utility bills, etc., on time and in full. This will help you prove to lenders that you are a responsible borrower.
Review your credit report regularly. Ensure it’s up to date, and with accurate information. If there’s anything that needs to be changed or corrected, get in touch with the relevant lender and ask for an amendment.
Watch your spending and try to cut them down where you can. Plus, keep your monthly outgoings consistent and aim to have a good amount left over at the end of each month.
Having a good explanation for past financial difficulties can be a real aid in getting loans against a bad credit. If you had past financial difficulties, such as bad health, or redundancy, you can add a note of correction to your report for the lenders.
Keep your focus on a home you can realistically afford because there aren’t many mortgages around at 95-100% loan to value.
Look for a reliable guarantor, typically a parent or a close relative, to reassure lenders that monthly payments will be cleared if you can’t keep up with them.
Consult an expert to help you check your eligibility for a mortgage. Regardless of why you want to buy a property, the expert will show you which lenders may be likely to accept you.
The Final Words
Home buying is challenging as well as a huge investment. Plus, having bad credit may make it even more difficult. The tips discussed in this blog can however help you get a home mortgage even with bad credit. Keeping a check on your credit health, paying your bills and credit payments regularly and seeking experts’ advice can help you significantly. All the best!