#How to Find a Bad Credit Mortgage

By Elizabeth Weintraub. Home Buying/Selling Expert

Elizabeth Weintraub has an extensive background in real estate spanning more than 30 years, including experience in related industries such as title and escrow. She is a full-time broker-associate at Lyon Real Estate's midtown Sacramento office and is recognized as a top producer. She is also a Life Member of the Master's Club, an honor bestowed by the Sacramento Board of REALTORS , and ranks in the top 1% of all the agents at Lyon Real Estate.

CA BRE License #00697006

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If you just completed a short sale. you might want to wait 2 years before applying for a mortgage because you ll get a much better rate if you wait. Fannie Mae guidelines say a short sale seller can qualify in 2 years for a loan as long as the seller maintains good credit after the short sale .

Even if you ve filed bankruptcy, as long as you keep your credit squeaky clean after the discharge, you can probably qualify for an FHA loan in a couple of years. FHA loans don t necessarily carry credit score minimums. but the lenders who fund the loans do want a minimum FICO score .

Tips for a Bad Credit Mortgage

Make sure you check out the mortgage broker with your state s licensing board and deal only with a reputable company. Do not get a hard-money loan through a loan shark. Following are some tips for taking out a bad credit mortgage:

• Think of the bad credit mortgage as a temporary solution. Make it short term. This does not mean get a short-term loan, but plan on paying the loan no longer than 2 years before you build up your credit enough to get a decent refinance .
• Consider an adjustable-rate mortgage. Your interest rate will be high for a fixed-rate amortized loan. much higher than the rates you will find advertised online at websites such as bankrate.com. You will most likely pay higher discount points. too. By getting an adjustable-rate mortgage, you should be able to keep your mortgage payments low enough to be somewhat manageable.

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• Do not agree to a prepayment penalty. A prepayment penalty means you could pay as much as 6 months of additional interest if you pay off the loan early. Since most of your payment is interest and not principal, that s like paying an extra 6 months of payments. Don t do it.

Alternative Options to a Bad Credit Mortgage

Work with a mortgage broker to shop for the best loan available without having to resort to a bad credit mortgage. The first option is to work on repairing your credit.

• Get a free copy of your credit report. Examine it. If you see a mistake, write to the credit bureaus and ask for a correction.
• Ask your mortgage broker about submitting you for a rapid rescore. Your mortgage broker can help you to repair your credit or refer you to a reputable credit repair company. Then a rapid rescore through your mortgage broker might considerably increase your FICO score in a relatively short period of time. Rapid rescore is a mortgage industry secret tactic.
• Consider a co-signer. For example, FHA guidelines will allow a co-signer on your loan. Maybe your parents or another relative could co-sign for you and you could avoid a bad credit mortgage.

_{At the time of writing, Elizabeth Weintraub, DRE # 00697006, is a Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate in Sacramento, California.}