How To Qualify For A Poor Credit Home Loan

Poor credit can affect everything you do these days. When you are watching all of the news about what a great time it is to get into a new home, it can really make you feel like you are missing out. Rest assured that if you want to own a home, there is a poor credit home loan available to you. Before you sign on for one of these loans, you should educate yourself in order to make the right decision for you.

First of all you need to be aware of why you have a poor credit rating. There are three major credit bureaus that will score you, and the lender that you approach may use one or all of them. You will want to know what they are going to find before you get there. In many cases you can settle items on your credit report prior to seeing a lender. This may improve your report and qualify you for more programs.

Next you need good credit references to show a potential lender. If these don’t exist on your credit report, you should find 3-5 creditors that you pay on time and on a regular basis. These can be businesses that you pay regularly but do not report to credit bureaus. Request letters of reference stating how long you have had the account and that you have been paying on time. These are called non-traditional credit sources and can be included when considering your application.

Next you need to write a credit explanation letter to communicate what happened to hurt your credit rating, and how you intend to keep the payments up on your mortgage, should they grant you one. You also need a solid housing history. If you pay rent to an individual, then bring 12-24 months worth of cancelled rent checks proving that you pay your rent on time will be helpful. If you pay to a management company, then get letters from them stating that you always make your housing payment on time.

Poor credit home loans will require a larger down payment and a higher interest rate than you see advertised, but they are out there. Put together a package to present to a lender to convince them you will repay your loan in full and on time and you too will be able to become a homeowner, in spite of you credit issues.