Bad Credit Loans: Should You Choose a Home Loan or a Personal Loan?

When you are in the market for a loan, but have bad credit, there is a lot of information to sift through in order to find the right package to fit your needs. In general though there are two major types of loans that borrowers with bad credit should consider: bad credit home loans and bad credit personal loans. Each is slightly different in its qualifications and ultimate terms. Which loan you ultimately take will therefore depend on a number of different circumstances.Home Loans with Bad CreditA home loan can take many shapes. You can acquire a home loan for the purchase of a new property. You can also take an additional home loan out on your existing home. These are more commonly referred to as home equity loans and there are several issues you will need to consider before deciding to take one.First, home equity loans generally require you to have paid off at least 25% of your original mortgage. That is, you need to have a minimum of 25% equity from which to draw money. You then will take a home equity loan out using that equity as collateral. The less money you have to repay on your existing mortgage, the more money you will be able to take out in a home equity loan.These loans are far easier to acquire if you have bad credit, because the value of your home will give the lender a sense of security. If for some reason you are unable to repay the value of your home equity loan, the lender can repossess your home as a guarantee against the money you owe him. This is why home equity loans are called secured loans.Personal Loans with Bad CreditPersonal loans operate a bit differently than home equity loans. Those people with bad credit who do not own a home or land to put up as collateral will need to choose a personal loan, which is also called an unsecured loan. This type of loan only asks for your signature as a guarantee of repayment. Therefore, they are a much bigger risk for lenders and harder to get than home equity loans.Some people do not have a home. If this is the case then you will need to look for an unsecured personal loan of this sort. However, your credit will be a much bigger issue in your acquisition of a personal loan, since it will cause the lender to raise interest rates due to the amount of risk you present. It is also likely that the lender will only offer you a small sum of money to start. Though personal loans can be given up to $50K, most lenders will only offer you up to $5K to start if you have bad credit.Obviously, the better your credit, the more likely you are to find a personal loan at a reasonable rate. Borrowers with bad credit can still get these loans, however, from private lenders.Choosing the Right PathTrying to decide on the right bad credit loan is tough. There are certainly a number of issues that you need to consider. How bad is your credit? Do you own a home? How much equity do you have in that home? What are you willing to risk? How much can you afford to pay each month?Before you go shopping for any bad credit loan, take some time to answer those questions honestly. Also, consider the differences that I outline above. There are ways to get a loan if you have bad credit.