Hi Catina,
As many others have correctly answered, credit is important but there are many other factors that will also impact your ability to qualify for a mortgage. It is also correct that the first step to making a new home purchase is to prequalify with a lender. Speaking to a lender first is crucial in order to educate yourself about the mortgage process, determine what you can afford and how that will translate into a monthly mortgage payment. This will ensure you are shopping in the correct price range and obtain a mortgage that you can comfortably afford. A written Pre-Approval will also instill confidence with brokers/agents and sellers that you are a serious buyer who is "mortgage-ready" and can close fast. Knowing that you are well-qualified and prepared to close immediately will motivate realtors to work harder for you and find a home that meets all of your criteria. Your offers will be taken more seriously, you will have more leverage in negotiations and you will be able to shop the market aggressively in order to find your dream house.
I am a Licensed Mortgage Professional in the Private Client Division for Franklin First Financial. We are a national direct lender specializing in residential mortgages and headquartered right here in New York. I can provide a mortgage in Atlanta, GA or anywhere else in the country. We offer a free comprehensive mortgage consultation including a free credit check, credit repair and restoration services (if necessary), and a free formal written mortgage Pre-Approval which will put you in the driver's seat on the path towards home ownership. We can meet in person at my local office or do everything by phone/fax/email/overnight mail if that is more convenient for you. First-time homebuyers are one of my specialties and I will guide you through every step of the process to ensure you are always comfortable and well-informed. Feel free to contact me directly when you are ready to get started. I look forward to hearing from you!
Tomer Ahituv
Licensed Mortgage Professional
Private Client Division
Franklin First Financial, Ltd.
538 Broadhollow Road, Suite 405
Melville, New York 11747
Office: 646-504-2333
Fax: 631-393-4690
NMLS#: 31191
Email: tomer@FranklinFirstFinancial.com
http://www.franklinfirstfinancial.com... more
One option is for your friend to find a guarantor who will, in essence, guarantee the rent payments. Usually this is a family member (parent, rich aunt) or an extremely close friend.
It's a risky proposition for the guarantor, because your friend is not a good credit risk and is, actually, not likely to be a perfect payer of rent. This kind of thing can happen because of medical bills, unexpected job loss or other events outside of the person's control, so it's not always the person's fault, and I'm not assigning blame here. But whatever the reason, the effect is the same--poor credit usually leads to poor rent payment history, in my experience.
Another idea is for your friend to find a room mate with good credit who is the actual renter of the apartment. Unless your friend has a high income--40 times the rent is not an uncommon expectation for landlords, some do accept less--your friend is going to need a room mate anyway, even if she had sterling credit.
Out-of-town agent advice is not going to help you here. I know of a case where the renter offered to put 6 month's worth of rent up as a security deposit, but the landlord still refused the tenant. The only way to get in was for his father to serve as guarantor.
I also believe your friend needs a savvy broker who will screen apartments for the most flexible landlords. Brokers get lists of apartment vacancies and insider information that is distributed by email to brokers only, it's not available to the general public (at least not at all easily). I charge one month's rent as my fee. Many people rent in Manhattan without brokers but brokers are well worth the money for most people.
Karla Harby VP
Charles Rutenberg Realty
New York City
kharby@crrnyc.com... more
Credit scores are fluid, they can change daily or even several times a day. Even a hard credit pull will not have the impact most consumer financial moves do. One dollar too much on a credit card could have a much more dramatic impact.
There may be some information of interest on this subject in my blog entry Credit Repair can be a Crime
See the blog link below, hope this helps,... more
I have had many buyers ask me the same question over the years. Every single one of the lenders I reguarly work with have assured me that when they pull a credit score it is a "soft-touch" and that the credit rating agencies realize that the consumer is shopping for mortgages and they do not lower thier scores. Your clients fears are unfounded.... more
Just get the free credit report at www.annualcreditreport.com look at the old stuff and then you want to get a credit card, most likely a secured card because they are easier to get. I suggest that you just get a $300 secured card. The big key to this is balance-to-limit on that card. I would suggest that you don't have a balance over 10% of the limit. Most people want to way over complicate this process and it ends up back firing on them.... more