Challenging Credit and Refinancing

Summary

Even if you have challenging or bad credit you still may be able to refinance.

Here is some advice to help you.

Mortgage Lenders

There are many different mortgage lenders out there. Some of them work with all kinds of borrowers, some offer loans mostly to borrowers with good credit, and some specialize in borrowers with bad credit.

These types of lenders are known as “sub-prime lenders”.

There are even a special set of sub-prime lenders who work with borrowers with credit scores below 500.

Getting Started

First you need to check your credit. You should get a hold of your credit report. This is usually available to you for less than $50.

Your credit report will list your credit lines for the past several years. The credit report will separate your credit lines between open credit lines, closed credit lines, and delinquent lines.

Your delinquent lines are credit lines that where you have made late payments or have collections.

Getting Offers

Make sure before you work with a mortgage lender that you disclose any problems up front. If there are issues with a bankruptcy, repossession, or other related issues makes sure you discuss this up front.

You need to check to see if the lender or mortgage broker has experience with this type of borrower, and how often they provide loans to people with your profile. You can let them know your credit scores over the phone to see if this is something they can work with. Let them know what your goal is – your loan amount, the property’s value, and whether you can document your income and assets.

Comparing Offers

You should receive offers from competing lenders. You may notice that fees may vary widely between different lending sources.

If you have a lot of equity in your property or will make a large down payment you can use this as leverage to get a better rate. People who have little equity or who put little down usually get the higher interest rates.