The Home Front

Getting a Mortgage After a Home Foreclosure

By Luke Mullins

Posted: September 10, 2008

Here's what you'll have to face if you're looking to buy a home and you've got a foreclosure in your credit history.

From Bankrate.com, via Patrick.net:

Fannie Mae has just upped the length of time it takes from the completion of a foreclosure sale until the borrower can get a new mortgage from four years to five years.

The extra year is designed to deter what Fannie Mae believes are borrowers who have made reckless debt decisions. But foreclosed owners who can explain that extenuating circumstances—typically situations beyond someone's control, such as a job loss—are the impetus for the foreclosure must wait only three years.

Perhaps the best option for obtaining a mortgage after foreclosure is with a federally insured FHA loan, says Jerry DuPaw Jr., a McHenry, Ill., mortgage loan officer.

The minimum time between the completion of foreclosure until when you can be approved for an FHA loan is three years—whether or not there are extenuating circumstances. Still, FHA borrowers will have to show that they've been practicing good bill-paying habits since the foreclosure.

WE WILL be ABLE to BUY after Foreclosure

My husband and I completed our Bankruptcy = 9/09. We bought our home in August '07. In April of '08, we had our daughter and we planned that I would leave my dental assisting job and stay home = by choice. All was going well, mortgage, car notes, credit cards and all other bills were being paid until Dec. '08 when my husband had to take a 50% paycut due to "reorganization" of his company due to the economic conditions.

We had his paycut documented through e-mail correspondance between him and Human Resources and took that info. to a Bankruptcy lawyer. We stopped making mortgage payments = filed, processed and completed the bankruptcy. We have immediately begun to re-build our credit. We have no doubt we will be able to obtain a new mortgage within 3-5 years. How?

1. We had great credit before the paycut and paid all of our bills on time. Our credit report was at a good number prior to a job loss.

2. We have a documented circumstance with which we can prove that the reason for filing bankruptcy was due to a loss of income and wasn't due to our own negligence, overspending, or poor choice of mortgage terms, etc.

3. We are prepared to live well below our means and save, save, save for the next several years until we have at least a 20% downpayment in the bank before we begin a new search. (We already anticipate that the downpayment of 20% or higher will probably be a requirement).

In addition, there are just too many honest, hardworking people who are finding themselves unable to meet their mortgage obligations due to job loss or medical crisis. There are so many that the banks will not be able to just ignore them after this whole mess has been ended. Houses are going to be sold to someone...and we might just fit and fill the real estate need of the future.

When we filed for Bankruptcy,

of @ Sep 21, 2009 19:03:44 PM

BUYING

MY HUSBAND WE ARE TRYIN TO BUY A HOME BUT OUR CREDIT IS MESSED

UP WITH SPS WE WERE IN A FORBEARANCE AGREEMENT AN WE PAID

A SUBSITIAN DOWN AN KEEP THE PAYMENTS ON TIME BUT WE OUR CREDIT

WAS RAN IT SHOWED THE MORTGAGE PAYMENT WERE LATE IT SHOWED ALL KIND OF STUFF THAT WAS LATE ITS A MESS BUT WE HAVE DOCUMENTATION

FOR EVERYTHING ON THE CREDIT REPORT SO HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE IT IS CLEARED UP ALSO IF YOU PURCHASE A HOUSE AS IS

CAN YOU GET A LOAN CALL BUY AND REPAIR.

VICKKI ROCHELL of AR @ Jun 01, 2009 15:16:58 PM

magaret payne stewart

That was the longest run-on sentence I have ever read. Reading your post was painful.

I am sorry for your problems and suggest you see your local legal aide office or a credit counselor.

gg of SC @ May 25, 2009 15:40:46 PM

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The Home Front

The Home Front

Associate Editor Luke Mullins tracks the treacherous housing market and explains how to unload a five-bedroom McMansion or even find that dream home.

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