It’s challenging to buy a house with bad credit. Of course, it helps to have a down payment.
Purchasing a home requires having money for a down payment, a solid history of paying your bills over at least the past year or two and a steady income. You’ll also need to meet the lender’s minimum credit score requirements. While higher credit scores earn more favorable loan terms, it’s still possible to
buy a home with bad credit in Arizona.
What is the lowest credit score to buy a house?
Credit scores from 580 to 619: You might qualify for an FHA loan with a down payment as low as 3.5%. Or, if you are eligible, you could qualify for a VA loan — a mortgage guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Credit scores of 620 to 699: Your mortgage opportunities increase. You may qualify for a conventional loan, which isn’t backed by a government agency like the FHA or VA, with a minimum credit score of 620.
Credit scores of 700 and up Lenders are more willing to extend credit when you have a credit score from 700 to 739, and a score of 740 or higher will yield the lowest interest rates.
Knowing and improving your credit
As a potential homebuyer, it’s important to reduce debt, accumulate as much cash as possible, and review your credit history. Knowing your creditworthiness is essential in buying a home with bad credit. To find out, examine your credit report and check your credit score.
The smart home for your credit
You can find your credit report in various places, including personal finance websites like
Credit Karma, the financial institution where you bank, and the government-mandated website
annualcreditreport.com.
Check your reports for errors. Look for incorrect accounts or anything else that doesn’t accurately reflect your actual credit history. You can dispute mistakes or inaccuracies with the credit bureaus or the creditor reporting the information if you find errors or inaccuracies.
Clean up your credit history. For example, making on-time payments may help your credit score. And a better credit score can lift your chances of getting a more affordable home loan.
Your free credit reports won’t include your credit scores. To see scores for mortgages, you can purchase a full report from
myFICO.com or
Credit Karma. The most economical approach is to sign up, download the first month’s information, then cancel the service before the next billing cycle.
Equal Housing Opportunity. This is not a Good Faith Estimate and this is not a Guarantee to lend and should not be considered as such. Costs, rates, estimates and terms can only be determined after completion of a full application. Actual payments will vary based on your individual situation and current rates. APR for loans vary from 7.99 – 29.5% and is based on Credit Score, Down Payment, LTV, Income. Mortgage rates could change daily. To get more accurate and personalized results, please call 623 582 4444 to talk to one of our licensed mortgage experts. Terms and conditions of all loan programs are subject to change without notice. Level 4 Funding LLC, 22601 N 19th Ave Suite 112, Phoenix AZ 85027, 623-582-4444 NMLS 1018071 AZMB 0923961 This e-mail is for the exclusive use of the intended recipients, and may contain privileged and confidential information. If you are not an intended recipient, please notify the sender, delete the e-mail from your computer and do not copy or disclose it to anyone else. Your receipt of this message is not intended to waive any applicable privilege. Neither this e-mail nor any attachment’s establish a client relationship, constitute an electronic signature or provide consent to contract electronically, unless expressly so stated by Dennis Dahlberg RI/CEO, Level 4 Funding LLC, in the body of this e-mail or an attachment. To the extent this message includes any tax or legal advice this message is not intended or written by the sender to be used, and cannot be used, for legal or tax purposes or advice.
About the Author: Dennis has been working in the real estate industry in some capacity for the last 40 years. He purchased his first property when he was just 18 years old. He quickly learned about the amazing investment opportunities provided by trust deed investing and hard money loans. His desire to help others make money in real estate investing led him to specialize in alternative funding for real estate investors who may have trouble getting a traditional bank loan. Dennis is passionate about alternative funding sources and sharing his knowledge with others to help make their dreams come true. Dennis has been married to his wonderful wife for 43 years. They have 2 beautiful daughters 5 amazing grandchildren. Dennis has been an Arizona resident for the past 40 years.