Getting Mortgage Loans With Bad Credit: How to Maximize Approval Chances

For anyone with low credit ratings, it comes as very good news to learn that this is never the element of a loan application that causes it to be rejected. There are other factors and, as such, ways to prepare and ultimately improve the strength of an application. Even when seeking a mortgage loan with bad credit, approval is possible.Lenders look for specific pieces of information in a mortgage application, information that will lead them to the conclusion that repayments are probably going to be made without a hitch. But with bad credit ratings an element of the equation, securing mortgage approval is going to involve the lender getting a gentle nudge towards confidence.There are a few simple steps that can play a big part in that, and with enough planning and preparation, the mortgage loan needed to buy your new home can be yours.1. Get The Numbers RightThe first place to start is to get your numbers in order, otherwise known as careful and accurate budgeting. There is no point in applying for a mortgage loan with bad credit if the lender is unable to afford the repayments. So, get to know how much in monthly repayments can be comfortably afford before submitting an application.Make a list of all of the existing debts that have to be paid each month, including current personal and other loans, outstanding utility bills, credit card balances, and regular household and daily expenses. When these are calculated, then the amount of excess income is known, making securing mortgage approval easier in the long-run.Remember the debt-to-income ratio that lenders adhere to strictly. It states no more than 40% of income can be used for loan repayments. If the amount of debt is already near the 40% limit, then it may be necessary to lower the existing debt before applying for the mortgage loan.2. Lowering Your DebtWhen it comes to applying for mortgage loans with bad credit, it is worth noting that lenders understand a low credit score is no indication of foolish money management. And if there are clear signs that the low score has been approved, then the lender are happy to take that into account when assessing the application.The amount of existing debt an applicant has has a definite influence on the debt-to-income ratio. So, if some of the debt can be cleared, the ratio can be made better. This in turn can lead to securing mortgage approval. Cutting the debt can be done most efficiently through a consolidation loan, clearing the debt in one go and so improving the credit score fast.With better scores comes lower interest rates, better terms and a more manageable monthly repayment schedule. And with the extra cash that is freed up, repaying the new mortgage loan is made all the easier too.3 Cutting the Mortgage SizeFinally, a very useful strategy in securing approval for a mortgage loan with bad credit is to actually reduce the size of the required loan. Admittedly, this is not an easy thing to do, but it can be done by making a larger down payment.If 10% of the purchase price of the home is put down, instead of the usual 5%, then the amount needed to complete the purchase is obviously reduced. For example, with a $200,000 home, it would mean a $180,000 mortgage instead of a $190,000 mortgage.This has a very positive influence over securing mortgage approval because it lowers the principal borrowed, and therefore the monthly repayments. This makes the mortgage loan all the more affordable for the applicant, which in turn removes one of the chief impediments to approval.