Can I Get a Home Equity Loan With a 500 Credit Score? The Answer Is Yes

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Originally Posted On: https://yourequity.ca/can-i-get-home-equity-loan-with-500-credit-score/

“Can I get a home equity loan with a 500 credit score?” is one of the questions many homeowners are wondering nowadays.

Any one of us who has previously applied for a bank loan or mortgage knows, having a higher credit score matters.

In fact, it’s one of the top things that traditional lenders look for before approving your loan.

Calculated by evaluating five main factors (your payment history, total amount owed, length of credit history, types of credit, new credit), credit score is a three-digit number ranging between 300 and 850 which depicts a potential borrower’s creditworthiness and financial situation.

To have a better understanding of why the question “Can I get a home equity loan with a 500 credit score?” is asked by many, let’s first look at what your credit report numbers mean.

Having a good credit score number is essential when applying for any type of home equity financing in BC, Canada, from first or second mortgage loans to home equity lines of credit (HELOCs).

Except for making it harder for you to get the best home equity loan conditions, a lower credit score will also impact your chances of qualifying for personal loans or credit cards.

And because we talked so much about what having good or bad credit scores means when applying for a home equity loan, let’s have a quick look at what the numbers say:

•   300-579: Very Poor.
•   580-669: Fair.
•   670-739: Good.
•   740-799: Very good.
•   800-850: Excellent.

When applying for a home equity loan or any other type of loan actually, having a credit score higher than 650 will give you access to a broad variety of mortgage lenders, and will qualify you for the best interest rates.

In the long run, the less money you end up paying on lower interest rates, the more money you will have for other expenses, and the easier will be for you to close your debt.

Who doesn’t need some spare money for home improvements, medical bills, helping a family member or going on a holiday, right?

On the opposite side, having a minimum, or fair credit score will limit your financial product options to only subprime loans. It will also lower your chances of getting a credit card or loan approval, will give you less negotiation power with lenders, qualify you for smaller loan limits and can even complicate your house rental or car insurance conditions.

As desperate as having bad credit might seem, we have some both good and bad news for you!

The good news is that if you want, bad credit can be improved. The bad news is that this doesn’t happen overnight and could sometimes take even years.

If time is on your side and you’re in no hurry to get a loan, improving your bad credit score will give you the best loan options. By being in a better financial position when negotiating with lenders you can be approved for a higher loan amount, get lower or fixed interest rates, a wider credit limit and better monthly mortgage payments.

To improve your future credit score the following good credit habits should be adopted immediately:

•  Pay Your Bills On time – Since your payment history is one of the key factors when calculating your credit score, make sure you pay your bills on time. Every month!

Even if you cannot cover the entire balance, at least try to make the minimum payments in a timely manner. The impact of late payments can be disastrous for your credit score and can last for even up to seven years.

• Try To Keep Your Credit Card Balance Low – Maxing out your credit cards and having a high utilization rate could be interpreted by banks as a sign of irresponsibility in the way you handle your finances.

Lenders usually like to see low credit ratios so staying under 30% of your overall credit card utilization will help your credit score by showing that you have no problem paying your bills.

• Getting a Debt Consolidation Loan – This type of secured loan allows you to build both credit and savings at the same time.
•  Don’t Open Many Credit Accounts – Credit cards can be a great financial tool but having more than two credit lines open could make you appear risky for borrowers.

Other than that, not all of us know how to be responsible when having too much money on hand. As a result, we end up spending more than we can afford to pay back.

When calculating your overall credit score, the credit use is determined by comparing the amount of credit you have with the amount of credit you use. The solution is not to cancel your credit cards though. After paying them off, just leave them open. It will help your credit score.

•  Negotiate With Lenders – Whether you are applying for a new loan or just looking to lower your interest rates, develop new payment plans or pursue new directions for paying your debt, knowing how to negotiate with lenders is essential.

Financial negotiation can be difficult if you have no financial knowledge. That’s why an easier option is to allow a reputable private mortgage broker to do all the negotiation for you.

For the question that tournaments many homeowners: “Can I get a home equity loan with a 500 credit score?” the short answer is yes, it’s doable!

But, it might be quite difficult or even impossible if you’re trying to work with A-lenders.

Banks have tightened up their borrowing requirements even more following the COVID-19 crisis, and prefer to stick with conservative lending limits. As high-street lenders are more selective than ever before regarding the type of borrower they accept to work with, having a credit score of 500 will definitely now work too much in your favor.

But getting turned down by banks or credit unions for having a credit score of 500 shouldn’t scare or discourage you.

In the last decade, an alternative solution to traditional lenders emerged in the form of private mortgage lenders. As the space of alternative lending has evolved tremendously, it is now more safe and secure than ever before.

Alternative lenders are individuals or companies that possess private sources of capital which they loan to homeowners or real estate investors, getting in return their homes as a collateral. Before issuing your loan, private lenders will want to know if you have the ability to repay it. That’s why the more equity you have accumulated in your house, the higher loan amount you can qualify for.

And the greatest part is that our select group of private lenders will work even with homeowners that traditional lenders tend to pass on.

Not having the same rigid regulations and red tapes like the high street banks, our private lenders in BC, Canada ignore your bad credit score or proof of income and instead focus on how much equity you have saved-up in your house. They will also be able to approve your loan faster which is key when you are pressured by time.

We know that evaluating lenders can be hard for someone that is not familiar with the financial world that’s why as one of the most respected and trusted private mortgage brokers in the BC area, we’ll do the work for you.

When a client reaches out to us with the question “Can I get a home equity loan with a 500 credit score”,

….our answer is YES!

Because we resonate with your worries and we understand what’s at stake, we feel personally responsible to do everything we can to help you get the home equity loan that best suits your needs.

If you want to find out all there is to know about our mortgage options or you would like to discuss more about your particular lending situation, contact us today!