This can
be summed up in one word - Yes. Agressive programs from agressive
lenders makes money available for people who have filed a BK.
Your chances will increase if you did not close out
all your accounts in the bankruptcy. There are lenders that will ignore
the BK if your score is 600 or higher and will even go to 100%
financing. The main factor in this is established tradelines and if you
closed all your accounts out in the BK you may not be able to qualify
for 100% financing. You may still however be eligible for a lower
amount such as 80%-90%
After a bankruptcy you can still be considered and
qualify for a mortgage. You must consult with a mortgage broker to find
the best deal available for you depending on your exact situation (what
type of bankruptcy was filed, how long has it been discharged, is the
BK still active, what are your current credit scores, is there any
re-established credit since the bankruptcy, etc...) The chance of you
obtaining financing after a bankruptcy at your local bank are slim to
none. A mortgage broker will have the option to search hundreds and
some times thousands of lenders to find the lender who it going to be
best for your situation after the bankruptcy, whereas your local bank
has 1 set of guidelines that you will most likely not fit into after a
bankruptcy.
A bankrupcy does not exclude you from getting a
mortgage. It simply means you are a higher risk to the lender. Your
rate may be higher, the fees a bit higher but the mortgage can still be
obtained.
You will often want to plan a two step strategy
when refinancing out of bankruptcy. Refinance once now to get your
affairs in order, pay off debts, lower your overall monthly expenses,
and help you rebuild your credit, and then a second refinance in two to
three years to take advantage of your new credit score and any
additional equity in your home you may have built or gained throug
appreciation.
There are two schools of thought when it come to
evaluating mortgage loan risk for a borrower who has had a bankruptcy.
The traditional thought is that because the borrower showed a record of
complete mismanagement of their obligations and had to be releived of
them through the bankruptcy, they are a very high risk. A newer school
of thought says that very few consumers will file two BKs within a ten
year period so a borrower with a recent BK is a very low risk to go
bankrupt again any time soon.
It is also possible to refinance while you are
currently in a chapter 13 bankruptcy. You will have to get permission
from the bankruptcy court and show that you have made payments into the
plan on time for at least 12 months. Keep in mind that the maximum loan
to value on these types of loans are typically from 70%-80% depending
on the lender.
To offset some of the higher rates that you may get
after filing a bk you may choose to go with a short term arm such as a
2/28 or 3/27 where the payment is fixed for 2-3 years and at that point
you can come back and refinance into a program that better fits your
needs.
If you filed on mostly medical items and kept your
car payments and/or credit card payments up to date your credit score
may not be that bad. You may easily qualify for a home loan. The best
course of action would be to pull your credit and see where you are at
before you start looking at homes.
The type of bankruptcy that was filed will be the
first determining aspect in deciding what type of mortgage financing
you qualify for.
There are many programs that allow up to 100%
financing 1 day out of a bankruptcy. Of course your credit score needs
to be able to support this also. Basically if you have managed to
straighten out your credit since the bankruptcy it is possible to have
a decent credit score by the time your bankruptcy is paid off.
Getting a home loan after bankruptcy is not too
difficult with sub-prime lenders, although the borrower should expect
to pay a higher interest rate. Because of the high bankruptcy mortgage
interest rates, when choosing different types of bankruptcy home loans,
potential borrowers should expect to refinance the mortgages to lower
interest rates after they have a chance to rebuild their credit in a
couple of years.
Your chances for home financing will increase if
you carried some accounts through the bankruptcy. Some lenders will
also use your cancelled rent checks for a tradeline.
On a chapter 7 bankruptcy lenders usually look at
the discharge date and not the file date. On a chapter 13, a lender may
look at the file date unless the chapter 13 has been dismissed. Your
mortgage broker will be able to get the best lender for your particular
situation.