Articles Tagged With: Credit Issues

April 7, 2020

Protect Your Credit Score During The Coronavirus Outbreak

The economic effects of the coronavirus / COVID-19 are being felt in every sector of the American economy, including the real estate market and the housing industry. With trillions of dollars in economic stimulus promised, but in various stages of delivery (or non-delivery as the case may be), Americans are still facing economic pain that may not have a short-term fix. In spite of that uncertainty, one thing remains clear. Consumer credit scores are going to have a lot more weight in the credit approval decision process in the days following the peak of the coronavirus emergency in America. It’s going to take time to begin a full move toward recovering from the crisis, but those who take steps now (and later) to protect their credit will fare better than | more...

April 3, 2020

Protect Your Credit During The COVID-19 Emergency

By Bruce Reichstein

What can you do to protect your credit during the coronavirus pandemic? Millions of Americans have applied for unemployment, foreclosure relief, and other measures, but what do consumers need to know about protecting credit during a time of dramatically reduced income? Check Your Credit There is plenty of time during a shelter-in-place order to apply for the free copies of your credit report you are entitled to each year. You can get a copy of your credit report for free from the government’s official source for Americans to get those free credit reports, AnnualCreditReport.com. Review your credit report for errors, identity theft, and outdated information. You must dispute any inaccurate information on your report to improve your credit scores (which may have been lowered as a result of that inaccurate | more...

March 27, 2020

Mortgage Loan Approval During The Coronavirus

By Joe Wallace

Buying a home is more complicated in the era of the coronavirus. Borrowers face social lockdowns, restricted movement, and fears of infection. And the economy is feeling the effects of this, making markets more volatile, interest rates fluctuating daily (far more than usual), and other issues. There is a lot of speculation about the future of the mortgage industry, not so much a question of how it will survive (it will), but more about how the industry will look going forward. How hard will it be to qualify for a home loan or any major line of credit. Will FHA borrowers of the future need to bring higher credit scores and more dependable-looking credit history to the loan application process? To quote the old Magic 8-Ball toy, “Signs point to | more...

March 26, 2020

Mortgage Industry Seeks Federal Relief For Borrowers

By Joe Wallace

The coronavirus pandemic created financial chaos across the globe; America is on the verge of a massive financial bailout for consumers and industry to the tune of $2 trillion or more. States, lenders, and the federal government all have a keen interest in helping homeowners avoid financial crises, loan default, and foreclosure. And now the mortgage industry has rallied to petition the White House for funds to assist homeowners. On March 24, 2020, HousingWire.com ran a press release discussing a letter sent to the White House asking for mortgage relief for borrowers including delayed payments and interest. The proposal includes the following benefits: A 90-day delayed payment option for mortgage payments; A proposed one-year loan forbearance period; Payment forbearance protections such as no negative credit reporting or collections; Introducing reduced | more...

February 20, 2020

FHA Home Loans For Borrowers With Thin Credit

By Bruce Reichstein

Some borrowers worry their FICO scores aren’t high enough to be approved for a home loan. Other borrowers worry that they don’t have a long enough credit history. There are ways you can raise your FICO score, increase your credit file, and make yourself a better credit risk for an FHA home loan, FHA rehab loan, or even a construction loan to build your own house on your own lot. If you apply for a home loan with thin credit non-traditional credit or no credit, your lender will ask for any evidence you have made recurring payments of some kind. That’s a good place to start when it’s time to review your credit. Your lender will want to see that for any financial obligation you do carry, that on-time payments | more...

January 14, 2020

How To Get Ready For Your Home Loan

By Joe Wallace

Need to know how to get ready for an FHA home loan in 2020? There’s plenty of good advice out there, but what about from watchdog agencies like the Federal Trade Commission? Or USA.Gov? Starting early to plan your loan is the best advice, but what happens next? Reviewing your credit, saving up for your expenses for the loan, and learning your options are very important. FTC Credit Advice The FTC has a lot of consumer credit advice, some of which can apply to home loan transactions as well as other types of credit. The FTC official site warns consumers that when trying to get ready for your home loan. it’s best to review your credit reports BUT do not be taken in by third party credit repair agencies that | more...

January 10, 2020

FHA Loans And Your Credit Report

By Joe Wallace

Do you need to fix your credit? Do you need to fix your credit REPORT? Some of our most popular articles here involve what to do about bad credit issues ahead of a home loan application. The usual advice about paying on time and making sure you cut your outgoing debt as much as possible always apply, but there is an equally important step in getting your credit ready for a new loan; checking your credit report for accuracy. How To Get Your Free Credit Report From A Government-Approved Source To order the free credit report you are entitled to by law, visit annualcreditreport.com. You can also call 1-877-322-8228 or download and complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it in: Annual Credit Report Request Service P.O. Box 105281 Atlanta, GA | more...

October 31, 2019

Does The Fed Interest Rate Cut Also Cut Mortgage Loan Rates?

By Joe Wallace

On Wednesday, October 30 2019, the Fed voted to cut interest rates for the third time. The specifics, reported by many news outlets including CNBC.com, include a 25 basis points cut to the benchmark funds rate. According to a CNBC report, ” The rate sets what banks charge each other for overnight lending but is also tied to most forms of revolving consumer debt.” Some want to know if the Fed rate cut directly equals a cut to mortgage loan insurance rates for FHA loans, VA mortgages, USDA loans, or conventional mortgages. The short answer is no, it does not. But that does NOT mean an interest rate cut won’t affect your mortgage rate if you are not currently in a rate lock commitment with your lender. The rates cut | more...

Rehab Refinance Loans, reverse mortgages

October 11, 2019

Home Loan Advice: Top Reasons For Failed Loan Applications In 2018

By Joe Wallace

– Did you know that a Realtor.com survey reveals that as few as 40% of all potential home buyers apply for their mortgage loan with confidence? As many as 60% of the home buyers in 2018 feared they would not be able to qualify for a mortgage loan. Another survey, issued in September of 2019 by the company CoreLogic, states that high debt and low credit scores were the leading causes of mortgage denials last year. In 2018 alone there were more than two hundred and sixty million loan applications for single-family housing. Those applications were for one-to-four unit properties, as well as a portion of the applications going toward manufactured housing. The CoreLogic report suggests an overall loan application denial rate of just under 25%. And of that 25%, | more...

October 9, 2019

Home Loan Credit Advice From Credit Bureaus

By Bruce Reichstein

We discuss FHA home loan credit issues here frequently, but our advice is only one source. What do the three major credit reporting agencies have to say about credit issues related to mortgage loans? Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion all have official sites with advice for consumers who want a fair and honest mortgage loan. Let’s examine some of the advice for potential home loan applicants. Mortgage Loan Credit Advice From Equifax The credit reporting agency Equifax has some advice for borrowers, including a very useful tip about how to do damage control on your credit report if a situation beyond your control resulted in late or missed payments. According to the Equifax official site, in such cases, “Consider adding a consumer statement to your credit reports.” Did you know you | more...