Bankruptcy And Buying A House

Each year, millions of people file bankruptcy as a means of erasing their consumer debts. While this approach may relieve stress, declaring bankruptcy is damaging and will hang over your head for the next ten years. Still, it is possible to overcome bankruptcy. The key is making smarter financial and credit decisions. With this said, some people choose to purchase a home after bankruptcy. Here are a few pointers to consider when buying a home.

Reasons to Delay the Buying Process after Bankruptcy

If you consult with a mortgage or financial expert, they will likely discourage you from buying a home following a bankruptcy. After your bankruptcy is discharged, there is a black cloud that looms over your credit report.

When any prospective lender reviews your report, they will be notified of your recent or past bankruptcy. In some instances, this justifies an immediate denial. On the other hand, there are lenders eager to help you establish or rebuild your credit. Thus, they will approve a loan request. Nonetheless, the penalties are steep.

Higher mortgage rates can be anticipated when purchasing a home after bankruptcy, especially if you have not established other credit accounts. Mortgage lenders typically consider two factors: credit scores and credit reports.

Although a bankruptcy appears on your credit report, having a high credit score will increase your odds of getting a comparable rate. Unfortunately, if you buy immediately following a bankruptcy, you will not have the opportunity to boost your score.

Reasons to Buy a Home after Bankruptcy

Lenders will approve mortgage loan applications one day following discharge. Therefore, it is possible to get home after bankruptcy. Buying a home is perfect for rebuilding credit. Moreover, it is the quickest way to increase your credit score.

After bankruptcy, the average person will usually have a credit score below 600. Good credit consists of credit scores 650 and above. Maintaining current mortgage payments will gradually increase your score. After two years of regular payments, you will have established good payment history. Hence, you may qualify for a low rate refinancing, which may lower your mortgage payments.

Filing bankruptcy should be thought of as a last resort, but sometimes it is the only option that is available to us. If this is the case with you, make sure you research all possible options on what will be best for your situation.