Further Reading


Home Loan: The Role Of Credit

by Jonathan Drake

Over the last few years as housing prices were getting higher and higher, banks became more willing to supply home loans to people, even those with bad credit. The thinking was that the equity in the home would compensate for the risk involved. It looked as if home prices would keep on increasing, so the banks just kept lending money and making their commissions on the loans they had made. As real estate turned more and more lucrative, builders kept on building more and more houses.

Unfortunately, they built too many in too short a period of time. What followed was this mortgage crisis which everyone is talking about, and which we are still affected by. Since there was an excess of houses on the market, prices began decreasing again. At times, some people had a mortgage loan that was greater than the value of their house.

When the housing market was in great shape, loans were made to individuals who had poor credit histories, although those mortgages frequently carried high interest rates. At times, the rates were low in the beginning and then ballooned with the passage of time. With the home loans being higher than the value of the properties, people could not sell their homes, and since the payments were rising, homeowners found themselves saddled with residences they couldn't afford to pay for.

People began to default on their loans, and their homes went into foreclosure, where they were taken back by the bank who gave out the mortgage. This led to more and more houses being put on the market, which made prices go lower, which led to a vicious cycle that we are all still feeling the effects of today.

It's getting harder and harder for people with bad credit to get a home loan. In the wake of the mortgage meltdown, lenders have gotten stricter and stricter about who they will lend money to. Even people with good credit are finding it more difficult to get a loan, or to get one with good terms. During the period where home prices were rising, many mortgages were given with little to no money down. This made it easy for people to get a loan who couldn't afford much up front, but those days are now over.

It is still possible for someone with bad credit to get a loan, but it will probably require a much bigger down payment. In some cases a bank may require twenty five or thirty percent of the price of the home in order to grant a loan. You can shop around and compare mortgage lenders to find out who will give you the best loan with the best terms.

Getting a home loan has become more difficult for people as a result of the falling real estate market and the tightening of credit that followed. Banks used to give out generous mortgages to people without much down payment, but when these mortgage loans went into default, it caused a financial crisis. Is it still possible for people to get a loan, even with bad credit, but it will take a much bigger down payment, as banks are less likely to accept the risk of a borrower with bad credit. It's important to compare mortgage lenders to get the best deal.

Published December 2nd, 2008

Filed in Real Estate