Carrie Reeder asked:




Purchasing a home after a recent bankruptcy is not impossible. Although most lenders recommend that you wait at least 24 months before applying for a mortgage, there are ways to obtain a mortgage loan sooner. Lenders are generally willing to approve recent bankrupt individuals for a home loan. The home or property serves as the collateral. Thus, if you default on the mortgage, the lender forecloses on the property. Moreover, obtaining a mortgage loan is a perfect way to re-establish credit. Here are a few tips for improving your chances of obtaining a home mortgage after bankruptcy.

Establish New Lines of Credit

It is not mandatory that individuals with a recent bankruptcy wait 24 months before purchasing a new home. However, waiting has its advantages. After a bankruptcy is discharged, you need to begin rebuilding your credit. This is accomplished by opening new lines of credit. Applying for a credit card is the easiest and the quickest way to improve credit history. Initially, you may have to obtain a secured credit card. However, once your credit rating improves, you will begin to receive offers for unsecured credit cards. Ideally, you should open at least three new credit accounts. Maintain low balances. Avoid late payments. If possible, try and pay off balances each month.

Monitor Credit Reports

Once you have begun to re-establish your credit history, start a routine of regularly checking your credit report for errors or inaccuracies. Get involve with a credit report monitoring agency. These agencies are effective because any suspicious or unusual account activity will be brought to your attention. Moreover, the agency will contact you if a new account is opened in your name. If errors appear on your credit report, contact the credit report bureau to file a dispute, and the creditor to resolve the issue.

Have a Down Payment

Waiting 24 months after a discharge to purchase a home is advantageous because you are able to obtain a mortgage with 100% financing and little money down. If you are eager to purchase a home soon after a discharge, you must have a down payment. Moreover, your credit history since the bankruptcy has to be blemished-free. Late payments or missed payments may disqualify you from obtaining a mortgage loan.

Dolores

Desiree asked:


My fiance and I were recently pre-approved for a mortgage loan, yet we have somewhat limited credit history. A co-worker told me that every time you apply for a pre-approval, it brings down your credit score … she also said that we only have 90 days to take out a loan before the pre-approval expires. Is this true? If so, I’m worried we won’t find a home within the 90 days and we won’t get a second pre-approval.

STEVIE

Kristin Abouelata – Home Loans asked:


When deciding upon a home mortgage, one of the most common options to consider other than a fixed rate loan is an ARM loan. ARM is an acronym for adjustable rate mortgage. With this product, a starting rate is fixed for a certain period of time, and then when that time is up, the rate can adjust depending upon a pre-determined index and margin. This period can be from anywhere of 1 month or 10 years, and can reflect principal and interest or sometimes interest only payments. The adjust results in the mortgage payment either increasing or decreasing. There is also a cap on how much the interest rate can go up or down.

Many people today are afraid of ARM loans and automatically only consider a fixed rate loan when applying for a mortgage. Depending on the market, this philosophy is sometimes the most economical route. But many times it may be worth your while to consider an ARM loan.

Within the past year or so, there wasn’t any real discernable advantage to considering an ARM over a fixed rate loan. The rates were comparable. But lately, the rates in general have crept up and, when comparing them, the ARM rates can have a healthy edge.

When I take a loan application, I ask my customer what their future plans are. Only going to be in town for a couple of years? Do you work for a company that relocates often? Do you plan to expand your family any time soon? Answering yes to any of these questions is a trigger for me to present an ARM loan as an option. The average homebuyer only stays in their home 7.5 years. I recently had a customer who knew she would be in town for only 3-4 years. The difference between a fixed rate and an ARM rate was .375%. The ARM rate was fixed for 5 years before any adjustment would occur. No brainer.

There are a myriad of mortgage products out there for the consumer to consider. Ask questions of your loan officer, and more importantly, expect your loan officer to ask questions of you. And if you can’t sleep at night because you know that one day that ARM loan can adjust, just remember one thing. You can always refinance your loan when that time comes. Now, get some sleep.

Kristin Abouelata mortgage website



ROYAL