Bad Credit Home Loans: The Best Way to Beat the Bad Credit Hoodoo

Buying a home has never been a simple matter. Even for those with high incomes and good credit scores, securing a home loan has always been a challenge because of the policies, criteria and terms that lenders have. It can hardly be surprising then that bad credit home loans are generally believed to be impossible to get; what is surprising is that such loans can be secured.The principal pitfall for anyone with bad credit is convincing lenders that monthly repayments will be made on time becomes harder. But getting home loan approval despite bad credit is certainly within reach for practically everyone. All that is necessary is to meet the required criteria, show a definite intention to meet the repayments schedule, and provide explanations and a definite plan of attack.However, to get as close to a guaranteed home loan approval with bad credit as possible, there are some things to bear in mind.What Having Bad Credit MeansCredit ratings are important for anyone seeking to get credit approval, from getting a credit card to buying a home. Its significance lies in the level of trust that lenders can have in an applicant, and the higher the credit rating the more trustworthy they are in terms of repaying a loan.With bad credit home loans, therefore, lenders will have a lower expectation of the terms of the loan being honored. The lower the rating, the greater the perceived risk. A rating of around 700, for example, is generally good, making applications more likely of being approved; 400, however, is likely to be rejected.Getting a home loan approved despite bad credit is possible, but penalties such as higher interest rates, lower permitted loan sums and a range of penalties make the overall deal a poor one for the borrower. However, in the absence of guaranteed home loan approval with bad credit, it is difficult not to accept the terms and be thankful.Beating Bad Credit HoodooBeating the problems that bad credit tend to create is a simple matter of forward thinking. For anyone looking to secure a bad credit home loan, there is every chance of getting approval if they have tidied up some of the negative aspects of their financial status. Since bad credit is achieved by not keeping up with payment schedules, whether for existing loans or even bills, ensuring this issue is take care of is a wise first step.By securing a modest personal loan to consolidate existing debt, and catching up on repayments, lenders see that attempts have been made to improve the financial situation. This adds confidence so getting a home loan approved despite bad credit is more likely.Another step towards a guaranteed home loan approval with bad credit is saving a larger down payment for the transaction. This requires real financial discipline, which is a quality lenders like to see.Importance of IncomeHowever, while credit rating is important, perhaps the chief concern for lenders is the income that borrowers have, and whether it is enough to cover the monthly repayments over such an extended period of time. After all, a bad credit home loan can take 25 or 30 years to repay.There is a debt-to-income ratio that lenders apply to ensure debt is not over-extended. Getting a home loan approved despite bad credit, and even with good credit, often comes down to this. Basically, a lender cannot guarantee home loan approval with bad credit if the debt level is too close to the total monthly income.The reason is that should any unexpected expenses or debts arise then there may not be enough to cover everything, thereby increasing the risk that repayment on the bad credit home loan will be missed. If the ratio is less than 40% of income, then the level is deemed acceptable.