Home Loan: Navigating The Mortgage Crisis
In the past house prices took off, banks gladly gave home loans to everyone including people with bad credit, because home equity made up for the risk. To everyone it seemed like home prices were going to continue to rise, so the banks continued to loan money and make commissions on those loans. As the real estate business continued to grow, houses continued to be built.
Unfortunately, too many homes were built in too short a time, saturating the market. This led to the "mortgage crisis" that continues to impact our economy. Too many houses on the market lowered prices drastically; some homeowners found themselves with a mortgage loan that was larger than the value of their house.
Through these so called boom times, people who had bad credit were given loans, but these loans typically had a very high interest rate. Occasionally the rates were low at the beginning, but became higher over time. Because the home loan was more than what the house was actually worth, people couldn't sell their houses, and since the payments were increasing, they were forced to keep homes which they could no longer afford.
Borrowers began defaulting on their loans and homes were put into foreclosure. These homes were taken back by the lending institutions who loaned them the mortgage money in the first place. As this happened more and more often, more and more homes were getting put back on the market. Prices went lower, and this led to a crisis which we are still having to deal with today.
Nowadays it has become extremely difficult for people with bad credit to obtain a home loan. With the onset of the mortgage meltdown, lenders have gotten increasingly stricter about who will qualify for a loan from them. While up until recently people with good credit would have had no problem getting a loan, they now are experiencing not only difficulty in obtaining a loan but in getting one with desirable terms. While home prices were rising over recent years, many mortgages were approved with little or no money down. These conditions made it much easier for people who did not have substantial assets available to get a loan but now those times have come to an end.
It is still possible for someone with bad credit to get a loan, but it will probably require a much bigger down payment. In some cases a bank may require twenty five or thirty percent of the price of the home in order to grant a loan. You can shop around and compare mortgage lenders to find out who will give you the best loan with the best terms.
Over the last few years as housing prices were getting higher and higher, banks became more willing to supply home loans to people, even those with bad credit. What followed was the mortgage crisis that everyone talks about. Because there were too many houses on the market, prices started to go back down. Sometimes people had a mortgage loan that was more than their house was worth. Bad credit will not necessarily prevent approval for a loan, but a much larger down payment is typically required. To get the best loan with the best terms, shop around and compare mortgage lenders.
Published December 2nd, 2008
Filed in Real Estate




