Home Equity Loans with Bad Credit Are Available: Get the Facts

Those with a poor credit score and own their homes look at the prospect of a home equity loan as very appealing. Getting a home equity loan with bad credit, though not as simple as it once was, is still possible and happens every day. When you are in need of money for paying medical bills, settling debt with credit card companies or even if you want to finance a home improvement project, using the money you receive from a home equity loan can make a big difference. This secured loan option is the best choice for those whose credit scores are low.Bad Credit: Know the FactsNo matter the reasons, having a bad credit score (anything lower than 600) is a major hurdle in acquiring a loan of any type. However, when looking for loans with bad credit, a secured home equity loan will be far easier to acquire. Why? Because secured loans have property (your home) attached to them that can be repossessed if you fail your repayment. This means that the lender is given a certain level of security in extending you this loan.If you have bad credit, home equity loans, as a secured lending option, may be the only choices that you have that will still yield a reasonable interest rate and other terms. Therefore, asking for a home equity loan, rather than an unsecured personal loan, with bad credit can make the difference in terms of being accepted or rejected by a lender.Make Changes to Improve Your Credit ScoreOf course, using the value of your home as leverage any time that you want to borrow money can be a risky venture, and it is only possible for as long as you have equity (or value) in your home. Therefore, you want to make positive changes over time in order to improve your bad credit and get yourself into a better position to borrow in the future. In order to do this, take note of the major causes of a bad credit score:- Late Payments The number one reason people have bad credit scores is the inability to make timely payments on the loans they already possess. Using a home equity loan to consolidate these payments can help to prevent late payments since you will only have one payment to make each month.- Too Many Different Payments Similar to late payments, having too many open, active credit accounts makes lenders think you are constantly looking for money. Again, the use of a home equity loan can help reduce these payments and improve bad credit over time.- Bankruptcy If you have filed for bankruptcy in the recent past (less than two year ago) you will not be able to get another loan. However, after this time has passed, you can show lenders that you have reformed through responsible loan payments and managing of debt.Finding a Home Equity LoanWith bad credit, your options for home equity loans are still somewhat limited. There are certain lenders who will be the best to use, these are generally private lenders found over the internet. Banks and other traditional lending institutions such as credit unions need to be careful with how many bad credit loans they offer since they operate in many different financial fields. Private lenders who specialize in bad credit loans, however, can offer a home equity loan more easily and are willing to work with your bad credit.