Buying a house with bad credit in Arizona — or, more accurately, a low credit score — can be challenging, but it’s not impossible.

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.

Credit scores from 500 to 579: Theoretically, you can qualify for a mortgage with a credit score as low as 500, but you’ll be limited to a loan insured by the Federal Housing Administration. With a credit score from 500 to 579, you’ll need a down payment of at least 10% for an FHA loan. In addition, the lender will want you to pay off any outstanding collections and judgments. For home loans for borrowers in Arizona with bad credit or poor credit, Apple Wood Funding would be an excellent source to call.

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.

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.

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.

However, far too many prospective buyers have found that owning a home has many prerequisites. In addition to having enough money for a downpayment, one hurdle has proven problematic for many to overcome: learning how to buy a house with bad credit Arizona. Fortunately, a low credit score won’t prevent a borrower from buying a home. While options may be more limited, buying a house with bad credit is possible if you know where to look and the appropriate steps.

Contrary to what many believe, today’s mortgage lenders do not establish a good or bad credit score benchmark. Moreover, most mortgage lenders neglect to require a minimum credit score in return for their services. Instead, the quality of a credit score is entirely dependent on the cumulative data provided by three main credit bureaus: TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian.

Borrowers’ credit reports for a Bad Credit Mortgage in Arizona largely depend on the information generated by these three credit bureaus. However, instead of relying on three independent reporting agencies for their knowledge, mortgage lenders will generally look to the cumulative FICO scores to determine how creditworthy a borrower is. A FICO Score is a three-digit number based on the information in the previously mentioned credit reports and indicates how likely a borrower is to repay their loan.

There are five primary credit score categories prospective homebuyers may fall under (according to FICO):

1. Poor: Less than 580
2. Fair: 580 – 669
3. Good: 670 – 739
4. Very Good: 740 – 799
5. Exceptional: 800 or more

According to the latest FICO scores, anything less than 670 is bad—or subprime. It should be noted, however, that mortgage lenders will consider more than a borrower’s FICO Score. In particular, lenders will also consider the following:

1. The borrower’s down payment
2. The amount of debt the borrower has
3. How much income does the borrower make
4. Whether or not the borrower has any debts in collections

Anyone interested in learning how to buy a house with Mortgage Loans for bad credit must first look into what today’s lenders view as acceptable; only then will borrowers be able to take the next step.

A traditional mortgage loan is not necessarily the most practical way to finance a house flip. Continue reading to find out why obtaining a mortgage to flip a house can be tricky for some, and how creative financing might be a favorable solution to getting a loan to flip a house.

Introduction To Financing A House Flip

According to Attom Data Solutions, over 207,000 properties flipped last year, reaching an all-time high since the market crash of 2007. Steady home price increases and limited inventory have created an environment that allows successful house flippers to earn substantial profits. Although house flipping can be lucrative for some, it is nevertheless an expensive endeavor that requires careful planning.

Financing a house flip includes not only the cost of purchasing a property but also the cost of taxes, utilities, labor, and mortgage payments made throughout the renovation and re-selling timeline. Not having enough cash can be a tricky barrier to entry for beginner investors. In addition, a weak credit score, not having enough income, or not having previous experience are other common challenges that can preclude novices from obtaining loans for flipping houses. New investors, in particular, should consider these costs and potential barriers when applying for loans to flip the house.

An individual can get a mortgage to flip a house, but typically only under certain circumstances. For example, an investor might choose to finance a house flip with a traditional mortgage if they have enough cash assets to use as collateral or equity in a leveraged property. Owner-occupants, or those who plan to flip a house while occupying the property for an extended time, can also qualify for certain types of mortgages. Many investors, however, will find that they do not fall under such circumstances. Furthermore, a traditional mortgage loan is not necessarily the most practical method of financing a house flip.

A traditional mortgage for flipping a house can be slow to close, making it difficult for investors to pounce on properties that move off the market quickly, such as foreclosures or short sales. In addition, banks typically evaluate a property’s current value, including existing problems, before issuing a loan estimate. Those applying for a mortgage loan may find that the loan to value (LTV) ratio determined by the lender may not be sufficient to cover the cost of improvements. These impracticalities, combined with qualification barriers, make it difficult for house flippers to obtain mortgages. Luckily, a variety of flipping houses financing options have become available over the years. Read on to discover the various options available to house flippers today.

The rise in alternative financing options has made it possible for a variety of investors to flip houses, without having to rely on traditional mortgage loans. Because mortgage products from conventional lending institutions often have stringent eligibility requirements, and can be impractical for an investor’s desired timeline, an increasing proportion of investors have relied on alternative methods to finance a house flip. The following provides an overview of some of the most popular home loans for flipping houses today:

Hard Money Loan:  Arizona Hard money loans are ideal for house flippers who have a short timeline to fix and flip a property, such as one year. These types of loans typically have lower eligibility requirements relative to traditional mortgages, as well as a faster approval timeline, in exchange for a higher interest rate.

Cash Out Refinance Loan: For an investor who has built up enough equity in an existing investment property, such as between 30 or 40 percent, the opportunity to take out a cash-out refinance loan is a real possibility. Investors take out equity from the existing property as a new loan to purchase and flip a second property.

Home Equity Line Of Credit: A home equity line of credit (HELOC) works similarly to the cash out refinance loan, but a differentiating factor is that the equity is pulled from the investor’s primary residence, of which they must be an occupant. This strategy may work well for investors who opt to live in properties while they renovate them.

Private Money Loan: An Arizona private money loan is basically a fancy way of saying “borrowing money to flip a house.” Every investor should understand the importance of networking, and maintaining their professional network, in order to increase their chances of encountering private money lenders. In a private money loan, the house flipper and the financial investor will work out and put their agreed-upon terms under contract.

Joint Partnership: A  partnership is an excellent way for a beginner investor to get into the house-flipping business. A partner might be willing to finance a property, ready to trade their knowledge and expertise in exchange for grunt work or a little bit of both. In a joint partnership, the partners typically agree to share profits once the property is sold.

FHA Loan: The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) offers a housing loan program to back buyers who have less than perfect credit and financial status. In addition, the FHA 203K home improvement loan allows buyers to borrow enough funds to both purchase and renovate an old or distressed property. Buyers should keep in mind that FHA and 203K loans are intended for owner-occupant properties.

VA Loan: The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs will guarantee a part of a home loan, in order to assist active-duty military, veterans and spouses in purchasing property regardless of credit or financial standing.

Loans for flipping houses in Arizona are not necessarily hard to come by, if investors know what types of loans to look for. House flipping has reached all-time highs since the market crash of 2007, partially due to favorable factors such as increasing home prices and limited inventories. However, investors are faced with the big question of how to go about financing a house flip, especially when traditional mortgage loans can be both impractical and difficult to obtain. Luckily, there is a great variety of alternative financing options available. It is up to the investor to select the option that makes the most sense for them.

While this can be a struggle at times, it is currently more accessible than ever to find the capital you are looking for. Between lines of credit, private lenders in Arizona, retirement funds, credit cards, and traditional bank loans, there are numerous options available to those that know where to look. The key is to find a funding source that works for you. Often, that source will be an Arizona hard money lender. Hard money has gotten a bad rap over the years but has proven to be a reliable way to fund deals. If you don’t have a hard money outlet or have yet to use one, now may be the time to find as much information on them as possible.

An Arizona hard money lender is an individual or group of individuals that lend money on their terms. They put stock in the property and the actual financials of the borrower more than anything else. With traditional lender financing, if your credit score falls below a certain threshold, you may have trouble getting approved regardless of other factors. However, hard money lenders have their own set of criteria. For this flexibility, there are more fees and higher interest rates. Some investors will balk at those opting for lower rates that banks offer. This can work on specific properties and deals, but you need to act quickly on those that are time sensitive, and that’s precisely what hard money allows you to do. Here are just a few of the benefits of using a hard money lender:

1. Speed: In today’s real estate landscape, how quickly you can close is often more important than the amount you offer. Too many lenders have been burned in the past waiting for deals to complete that never do. Even if they close, a financed transaction’s average length is approaching 45 days. Most sellers would take a slight discount with the assurance they can complete in a week rather than risk closing in 45 days. This speed allows you to make offers with five or seven-day closings. On borderline deals, you can bet that your offer will be the one that is accepted.

2. Volume: Instead of waiting 45 days to start working on the property, you can cut the time down to just a few weeks. Shaving a few weeks off every rehab project, you create the opportunity to close more deals over a year. Adding just one or two values to your portfolio will increase your bottom line exponentially. Often, you may be able to close two or three times the volume you locked the previous year. When the number of deals you complete starts to creep upward, so will the number of contacts you make. The people you meet are just as important as the deals themselves, if not more so. Remember, real estate is a people business. The more sales you make, the more contacts you can make. In turn, those contacts may even lead to more deals.

3. Quality: Having capital to close is only part of the benefits that coincide with hard money. With Arizona hard money in your corner, you can do whatever needs to be done for the property. Instead of cutting corners to save money, you can do the work you know needs to be done. This will help you maximize your bottom line and improve your reputation in the industry. In addition, realtors and fellow investors who see your finished products may want to work with you. Quality will also help get your property sold to end buyers much faster. Instead of hoping that an offer comes in, you will have your choice of deals.

4. Bigger Projects: Increased capital allows you to slowly build your way up to more significant projects. Instead of looking solely at single-family properties, you can start to look at multifamily and commercial deals. Furthermore, closing more deals will increase your capital and give you a significant share of more extensive sales. There is nothing wrong with sticking to condos and single-family properties, but having hard money behind you gives you to opportunity to explore other options that come your way.

Aligning yourself with a hard money lender doesn’t mean you have to use them on every deal. For example, a property you want to buy and hold may be better served with a long-term interest rate of around four percent. However, most rehab projects need the efficiency that hard money brings. The ultimate goal should be to save some capital from every deal until you have committed enough to fund them yourself. You may have to make a little less per deal to increase your bottom line until you get to that point.

The biggest knocks on hard money in Arizona are the high fees and points. These accrue from the time of settlement until you can sell the property. In some cases, it can span several months. However, it is a small price to pay for what you get. In addition, the annual interest over a few months is a relatively minor factor compared to all the other expenses you will incur.

Additionally, you only pay these on deals you close. If you can’t complete, you can’t earn; Arizona hard money helps you close more deals. It is not for everyone on every sale, but it should be a part of your financing options.