Getting the Best Mortgage Rates in Florida with a Poor Credit History

Florida is a lovely place to have a house in; unfortunately the real estate prices are rather forbidding for most. And for someone with a bad credit past, it gets tougher. However, if Florida real estate has is in your dreams, you can still get a mortgage loan, even with a bad credit if you know how to look for it.

Before we get into shopping for the best mortgage rates, let us understand how the credit score of a borrower determines the scope of his search. Most lenders will willingly lend to a person with A credit score but someone with a C or a D grade wont get so lucky.

Fortunately, recent entries into the Florida lending industry have led the industry into being more liberal when approving loans. For instance, if there are more than 4 late mortgage payments in a period of 12 months, it calls for a B score, however if these delays have a plausible explanation the lender may excuse the default and consider a score of A.

There are companies who specialize in giving loans to high-risk borrowers and they are known as Sub-Prime lenders. Even though loans from the Sub-Prime source continue to dominate the high-risk borrowers segment, the government-sponsored agency, Fannie Mae too is beginning to acknowledge the potential in this category. With the availability of more options, a borrower with bad credit can afford to get choosy and not jump at the first approval he gets for the fear of not getting another chance.

The Internet is a good place to look for multiple mortgage options and even for specifically Florida Mortgage Loans, without the borrower having to reveal his credit status. One may even go to a mortgage broker in order to locate the best quotes, but they can be expensive. Ask for reference from friends and colleagues for a good mortgage lender, since a recommendation is always assuring.

Once you narrow down your choice, here is a checklist that you must go through.

1.First analyze your financial status, if you find you have come out of your past credit blues and can commit more you can consider an Adjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM). An ARM allows for a lower rate of interest in the initial years with an option to refinance at a lower, fixed rate after the first couple of years. However, if you find yourself financially burdened, a fixed rate payment would be more appropriate. Search, negotiate and settle for a rate of interest and for terms and conditions that suit your financial status.

2.Find out how much penalties are imposed for pre-payment. Heavy penalties will take away the advantage of any timely payments that you may be able to make and that may get you a refinance on better terms in the next few months.

3.Most Sub-Prime lenders exploit the vulnerability of high-risk borrowers and slap on high closing costs at the end of the loan. There are more lenders out there willing to do business than one would have you believe and a little negotiation can always add to some cost shaving.

4.Avoid paying any upfront or processing fees; the only fee acceptable should the one you pay for your credit application.

5.Ensure that everything goes on paper in writing, from the rate of interest, to the closing costs to the pre-payment penalties and that nothing comes as a surprise after you have signed the contract.

After last years crisis of confidence the buy-to-let market is again booming. Earlier worries that interest rates were on the up and property values would crash are firmly behind us. So, fuelled by rising rental yields confidence, landlords have been snapping up new properties and remortgaging for cheaper deals.

In the final three months of last year, rental incomes increased by an average of 3.3%. At the same time the rental yield, income as a percentage of the property’s value, edged up from 6.42% to 6.45%. The latest report from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) also shows that the value of new buy-to-let mortgages increase by 47% in the second half of 2005 over the preceding six months whilst the number of these mortgages rose by 39%.

Indeed, we expect the boom to extend throughout 2006. It will be powered by the steady increases in house prices, a healthy demand from tenants, especially the first time buyers who remain priced out off the property ladder and a glut of cheaper buy to let deals.

Mortgage lenders are happy as well! Industry figures show that buy-to-let mortgages are now a safer bet for them than homeowner mortgages. According to the CML, percentage of arrears in buy-to-let mortgage is now lower than that for homeowner mortgages – and the arrears trend for buy-to-let is improving whist for homeowners it’s getting worse.

Not surprisingly, the mortgage lenders have responded by relaxing some of their lending criteria and aggressively promoting buy-to-let again.

In the past, buy-to-let lenders have required monthly rental income to exceed mortgage payments by 30% so if a mortgage was costing 750 per month, the rental income needed to exceed 975. But now several lenders have relaxed this criteria. The reason’s not just the improved risk profile. Over the last six or seven years, house prices have risen faster than rental income yields, making it increasingly difficult for landlords to meet the +30% criteria. So now the lending average is closer to +25% although Northern Rock and a few others are happy to lend where the income simply equals the mortgage payment.

Simultaneously we have seen a trend for lenders to increase the percentage of the property’s value they will lend on. Whilst 75% used to be the maximum level, the average is now closer to 85% with Northern Rock lending up to 87% and GMAC being prepared to stretch to 89%.

Interest rates on buy-to-let have also fallen. 4.75% is available from the Mortgage Trust on a three-year fix whilst 4.79% is available from the West Bromwich Building Society fixed for a two years. Both these deals incur a 1.5% arrangement fee. On the West Bromwich deal, when you recalculate the interest rate and include the arrangement fee amortised over two years, the equivalent rate rises to 5.54%.

Arrangement fees should not necessarily be a problem for landlords whose prime concern is cash flow. For these landlords it can be worth paying a large fee to obtain a low headline interest rate. That’s because the rental incomemortgage payment calculation is based on the headline interest rate and this reduces the rental that has to be charged in order to meet the lenders income criteria.

If you’re interested in joining the buy-to-let boom, remember to do your homework. Carefully research the local rental market – look at the rentals being achieved, the trends in property prices and levels of vacant to let properties.

And be especially careful especially if you’re considering a city centre. Some lenders are becoming concerned at the potential oversupply of new flats and apartments in city centres they believe are becoming overpriced. Developers are responding by offering tempting cash back and discount schemes rather than reducing prices. But this can sometimes serves to mask the problem of over pricing. Realising this for some cities, lenders are reducing the value to lending ratio back to 75%.

Also remember that it’s important to budget for the inevitable periods when the property is empty. In an essentially demand and supply market, if the rental market in your area becomes oversupplied you could be hit by lengthy vacancies or be forced to reduce your rental prices.

Your lender uses your home as security for your mortgage payments. This means that if you do not make the payments, they can take your home. The process they use to take your home is called foreclosure.

If you are behind on your payments, it is important that you act quickly to prevent foreclosure.

What should I do if I am behind on my house payment?

Call your lender Most lenders do not want you to lose your home. Tell them why you are behind on your payments. Ask them to work with you to get your payments current.

Dont ignore letters from your lender Let them know youve received their letters and that you want to work with them.

How your lender can help

Your lender might accept a payment plan for the back payments or give you extra time to pay the loan.

What if my lender wont help?

You still have options:

Call another lender. Ask if they will give you a new loan to pay off your existing mortgage.

Sell your home. You might get enough money from the sale of your home to pay the loan off and even have money left over.

Talk to a lawyer. Ask if filing for bankruptcy can help you keep your home.

The foreclosure process

Foreclosure begins when you get a Notice of Default in the mail. The Notice of Default tells you that you have not made your payments. It also tells you the amount you owe in missed payments and foreclosure fees.

You have 3 months from the date the Notice of Default is recorded to pay the back payments and fees. You can find the date the notice was recorded on the first page next to the words recorded on. If you pay the amount on the Notice of Default, the lender cannot sell your home.

When can they sell my home?

If you dont pay the amount owed within 3 months, your lender can sell your home. Before they sell your home, your lender must mail you a Notice of Sale. The Notice of Sale will include the date, time, and place your home is to be sold. The notice of sale must be mailed to you at least 20 days before the day they plan to sell your home.

How do I stop the sale of my home?

You can pay the amount due, including fees, up to 15 days before the sale date.

If you wait until the last 5 days before the sale, you will have to pay the entire loan amount.

Once you pay, the lender must record a Notice of Rescission. This proves that that the sale has been cancelled.

Watch out for scams!

Avoid people who promise to stop the foreclosure by having you transfer title of your property. Transferring ownership does not stop the foreclosure. You will still be responsible for the money you owe even if you no longer own the home. Also, it will not keep the foreclosure from showing up on your credit report.