Poor Credit? Get a Sub-Prime Mortgage Now, and Refinance to a Conventional Mortgage LaterThere are great mortgage loans for people with poor credit, and yes, you can still save thousands of dollars. In order to receive preferential treatment for mortgage professionals, you'll need a credit score of 680 or better (this is considered A credit). If you have a score that is less than 600, you'll fall into a sub-prime loan category. Now, you'll need to get creative, in order to get your mortgage and not lose a fortune. A sub prime lender will offer you virtually any type of loan that a conventional lender will offer, but you'll pay a much higher interest rate, as a risk premium. In other words, these lenders consider people with low credit scores risky borrowers, because they may have some poor payment history. Lenders like people who pay all their bills on time, even though it is not at all uncommon for people to occasionally miss a payment for one reason or another. So, the sub prime, or non-conforming, or niche, lender says, "We'll take the risk, but we want to make a lot more money, in order to do it." Don't worry. You can get it done, and improve your situation to refinance at a better rate later. Let's assume you have poor credit, and you want to purchase a house for $100,000. You also have only five percent to put toward a down payment. You bring a twofold problem to the lender - poor credit and a very high loan-to-value, or LTV. You need to borrow $95,000 on a $100,000 home, so your LTV is 95%. As a general rule, lenders like purchasers to bring 10 to 20 percent of their own money to the table, again lowering the risk for the lender; they feel that the more money a borrower has in a deal, the less likely she is to default. So, your mortgage professional will find his best sub-prime lender, and take your application to him. Now, if your debt-to-income ratio (amount you owe monthly vs. gross income monthly) is 50% or less, and your credit score is above 500, you'll likely get your $95,000 loan. Your interest rate, however, will be between 10% and 12%, creating a very large monthly mortgage payment. So, how are you going to win the mortgage game, in this case? You have two options. First, you can improve the loan by reducing the LTV. In other words, instead of taking a loan at 95% loan-to-value, you apply for a first mortgage of $80,000 (80% LTV) and a second mortgage of $15,000 (15% LTV). Here's how you save money. Instead of borrowing $95,000 at, let's say, 12%, with a payment of $977, not including taxes and insurance, you have a loan for $80,000 at 8.75%, for a payment of $629. Your second mortgage is at 13%, with a monthly payment of $166. Now, your combined monthly mortgage payments with two loans are $795, saving you $182 monthly over the first mortgage at 12% and $2,184 each year. The second option is to take an adjustable rate mortgage, which offers great savings, just like conventional loans. If you take a 2-year ARM, which sub prime lenders offer, you might be able to get a rate of 7% or 8%, instead of the 10% you'd likely get on a 30-year fixed loan. You might also talk to your mortgage professional about combining option one and two, and taking an ARM on your first mortgage at 80% LTV and still taking a second mortgage for $15,000. This could save you even more. Get a free mortgage course to learn more. Mark Barnes is an investment real estate and real estate finance expert. Get his free mortgage finance course at http://www.winningthemortgagegame.com. Mark is also the author of the new novel, The League, a shocking, sports-related conspiracy. Learn more about his suspense thriller at http://www.sportsnovels.com.
MORE RESOURCES updated Sat. December / 21 / 2024 Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 20, 2024: Rates are higher than last December Yahoo Finance Today's Mortgage Rates | Rates Jumped Following This Week's Fed Cut Business Insider Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 18, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage servicers pressure homeowners to refinance after divorce, loss – CFPB Mortgage Professional Should I Refinance My Mortgage Now or Wait Until 2025? Norada Real Estate Investments Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 20, 2024 Investopedia Is now a good time to refinance your mortgage? Yahoo Finance 5 strategies to get the lowest mortgage rates in 2025 Yahoo Finance Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 13, 2024: 30-year rate drops 18 basis points in a month Yahoo Finance Best mortgage refinance lenders of January 2025 Yahoo Finance How The Fed's Rate Decisions Move Mortgage Rates Bankrate.com Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 16, 2024: Better time to buy than refinance Yahoo Finance Mortgage Rate History: 1970s To 2024 Bankrate.com Mortgage Refinance Rates Today: December 17, 2024 Update Norada Real Estate Investments 15-Year Mortgage Refinance Rates: Compare Current Rates Business Insider Best cash-out refinance mortgage lenders of January 2025 Yahoo Finance Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 15, 2024: Month-over-month rates decrease Yahoo Finance Today's Mortgage Rates | Rates Steady Ahead of Fed Announcement Business Insider Refinance Rates Today: Compare Mortgage Refinance Offers Business Insider Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders of December 2024 Business Insider Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 14, 2024: Economic factors drive rates back up Yahoo Finance Today’s Mortgage Rates Rise to 6.7% – December 20, 2024 Update Norada Real Estate Investments CFPB Report Finds Significant Drop in Annual Mortgage Applications and Originations in 2023 Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Today's Mortgage Rates | Rates Remain in the Mid-6% Range Business Insider Current Mortgage Trends: Are Mortgage Rates Going Down? Business Insider Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 11, 2024: Rates up in anticipation of CPI Yahoo Finance Current Mortgage Rates: See How Today's Rates Compare Business Insider MBA: Mortgage Applications Decreased in Weekly Survey Calculated Risk Mortgage and refinance rates today, December 12, 2024: 30-year rates drop for 3rd consecutive week Yahoo Finance Mortgage refinance demand surges 27%, as interest rates drop for the third straight week. NBC New York How to get the best refinance rate on your mortgage Bankrate.com Current VA Refinance Rates: See if Refinancing Is Worth It Right Now Business Insider Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 13, 2024 Investopedia Today's Mortgage Rates | Rates Rise as Investors Gear Up for Fed Cut Business Insider Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 9, 2024 Investopedia How to Decide If a Mortgage Refinance Is Right for You U.S News & World Report Money Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 10, 2024 Investopedia Best Mortgage Refinance Lenders of October 2024 The Motley Fool Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop Back - Sep 24, 2024 Investopedia Here's How to Figure Out If It's Worth Refinancing to a 15-Year Mortgage U.S News & World Report Money Will Mortgage Rates Go Down In December? Bankrate.com Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop for a Third Day Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Are Down, But Should You Refi to a 30-Year, 20-Year, or 15-Year Mortgage? Investopedia Today's Refinance Rates by State – Oct. 7, 2024 Investopedia Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 6, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Drop Again Investopedia Today's Refinance Rates by State – Dec. 5, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage Rate History | Chart & Trends Over Time 2024 The Mortgage Reports Mortgage Refinance Rates Dip Lower - Sep 30, 2024 Investopedia Mortgage Refinance Rates Climb to Two-Month High Investopedia
|