Social Icons

rss feed facebook twitter google plus linkedin youtube email

Friday, March 29, 2013

How Do I Get a Mortgage After Bankruptcy & Foreclosure?

by Laura Bramble, Demand Media

Once upon a time, a bankruptcy or foreclosure carried a huge negative stigma that attached to your credit history for between seven and 10 years. Since the mid-1990s, that stigma has lessened, aided by the difficulties in the national economy and housing market during the late 2000s. Bankruptcy and foreclosure have become regrettable ways to gain a financial fresh start. When used for that purpose, a home buyer can qualify for a competitive mortgage in as little as two years after a bankruptcy, and three years after a foreclosure.

1
Check your credit report after bankruptcy discharge to make sure it is accurate and that all debts have been closed and discharged. Some creditors may continue to report collections and open accounts in default, which will continue to erode your score.

2
Make sure that official records, such as property deeds, court foreclosure actions, property tax records and your credit report, accurately record your foreclosure date. Lenders will count three years to the date before approving your next mortgage.

3
Keep any installment loans that survive bankruptcy open, such as student loans, and pay them on time.

4
Apply for a secured credit card as soon as possible—one that reports to one of the major credit reporting bureaus. These cards require you to hold an amount in an account and lend you up to a matching amount as a credit limit. Make small purchases regularly and pay them in full when the bill comes due.

5
Try for a high-interest rate unsecured credit card; a store credit card may be the easiest one to get. Negate the high interest rate by paying purchases off in full during the grace period. Never carry a balance of over 30 percent of your credit limit.

6
Take out a loan on your next large purchase, such as a car, even if it is at a very high interest rate. Scale down the amount of your purchase to ensure that you can easily afford the payment. Making timely payments, and paying the loan down faster than agreed through larger payments, will show that you have learned your lesson and can handle debt more responsibly now.

7
Check your credit report periodically for errors and the reappearance of past “zombie debt”—old debts purchased by collection agencies and reopened. If the debt is less than seven years old, make reasonable repayment arrangements whenever possible to stop the negative reporting and further damage to your credit. Consult a reputable credit counseling agency on how to deal with a debt that is more than seven years old.

8
Apply for an FHA or VA mortgage after the proper waiting period is over and you have reestablished a clean credit history. Be prepared to explain why your financial difficulties occurred, as well as what you have done and plan to do to avoid it happening again.

My name is Scott Grebner and I have been helping my clients realize their own personal real estate dreams. Real estate is a relationship-based business that works best when client relationships are built on trust and confidence. My goal is having clients be completely satisfied with the professional and caring service they have received.

The role of technology is rapidly changing how the real-estate market functions in this country today. Gerharter Realtors is embracing these new mediums of communication to better serve our customers. We have created our e-family to better place important information in your hands to help you with your housing needs. As a part of Gerharter Enterprises we have access to a broader range of additional services and resources to better assist you. Visit me at my Web Site, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, You Tube or Pinterest. Please check out our helpful resources on Sellers Tips, Buyers Tips, Foreclosure Tips, and Mortgage Tips. For a personal consultation please visit our Office.

It seems that the dream of past generations was to pay off a mortgage. The dream of today’s young families is to get one. I would love to hear from you, about your Real Estate Dreams and questions.

Email me at scott@gerharterrealtors.com.

No comments:

Post a Comment

 

Real Estate Search

Homes in Aberdeen

Homes in My Area

Forclosures

Foreclosure Homes

Check out our Foreclosure Home Buying Guide! HomeFinder.com has partnered with RealtyStore and real estate brokers to bring you pre-foreclosures and bank-owned homes in foreclosure.