Mortgage Loans With Bad Credit: What Details Lenders Want to See

Seeing an application for a mortgage loan with bad credit get the green light is usually thought to be unlikely. With the size of the financing required to purchase a new home, the inclusion of bad credit would, at the very least, complicate matters. But the truth is that mortgages are available even with low credit scores.The growth of the online lending industry has resulted in a variety of loan and mortgage options well suited to applicants with a less than impressive credit reputation. As with all loans, criteria are the key to any loan approval, with poor credit history only having a limited influence in the entire process.What is most important is that key information is included in the application, such as the usual criteria, a low debt-to-income ratio, and a large down payment. And, while some serious compromises will need to be made, not least higher interest rates, mortgage loans can be given the green light.Typical Criteria to MeetThe initial challenge when applying for a mortgage loan with bad credit is to satisfy the basic criteria set down by the lender. There are no surprises with relation to the nature of these criteria, with proof of age (over 18), confirmation of legal residency or US citizenship, and proof of sufficient income, the three key issues to establish.Of the three, it is the issue of income that is the greyest area. This is because even a large income is not necessarily enough to secure approval with poor credit history. This is because the principal component is affordability, and that relates to the amount of excess income there is with which to make mortgage repayments.This is where the debt-to-income ratio comes into the equation, and whether or not there is enough cash free to make the repayment as set out by the mortgage loan agreement.Influence of the Debt-to-Income RatioThe only real influence that a low credit score has over an application for mortgage loans with bad credit is to set the interest rate to be charged. Basically, the lower the score the higher the interest rate, while the higher the score the lower the interest rate. In effect, the affordability of the loan is affected.But it is the debt-to-income ratio that finally decides whether approval with poor credit history is viable, or if it is only going to cause greater financial hardship. The ratio is set to a rate of 40:60, meaning a limit of 40% of an income can be used to repay loans. That way a majority 60% is available to cover everyday and unexpected expenses.However, this also means that, if the repayments for the mortgage loan push the share of income spent on debts above 40%, the application will be rejected. To this extent, spending some time in advance lowering the existing debt (through consolidation loans) can be worthwhile.Making a Significant Down PaymentA very effective way of improving the chances of securing a mortgage loan with bad credit is to reduce the actual size of the mortgage to be borrowed. This can be done by increasing the size of the down payment made on the property. Usually, the down payment is about 5% of the purchase price, but by increasing it to 10% or 15%, the remaining price share is lowered, meaning a lower mortgage is required.The result is that it becomes much more likely to get mortgage approval, with poor credit history very much taking a back seat. And the benefit is the overall cost of the mortgage loan becomes much lower, with a small principal meaning a lower interest and, therefore, smaller monthly repayments.