How to Qualify for a Mortgage With No Credit Score

Understand What Having No Credit Score Really MeansHaving no credit score is not the same as having bad credit. Bad credit comes from late payments or high balances. No credit simply means you do not use credit often enough for the credit bureaus to generate a score. Lenders can work with this situation, but they need other ways to see your financial reliability. This is where non-traditional credit comes in. Build a Non-Traditional Credit ProfileWhen you do not have a traditional score, lenders look for consistent payment history in other areas. They may ask for twelve months of on-time payments…
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Why Closing Old Credit Accounts Can Hurt Your Mortgage Approval

When you are preparing to buy a home, it is natural to want your credit profile to look clean and organized. Many buyers think closing old credit accounts will improve their score, simplify their finances, and make them appear more responsible to lenders. In reality, closing old accounts can have the opposite effect. Those accounts play a much bigger role in your credit profile than most people realize and shutting them down can create sudden changes that impact your mortgage approval. Understand How Closed Accounts Affect Your Credit History Your credit history length is a major part of your credit…
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How the Sharing Economy Is Changing Mortgage Underwriting

The rise of the sharing economy has changed the way many people work, earn, and budget. Income from rideshare driving, freelance projects, short-term rentals, and delivery apps has become a normal part of modern finances. These new income streams are helpful for building savings and paying bills, but they also affect how lenders view your mortgage application. Understanding how the sharing economy influences underwriting can help you prepare for a smooth approval process. Know How Lenders View Non-Traditional IncomeIncome from rideshare apps, delivery platforms, online marketplaces, and short-term rental hosting does not flow through a traditional payroll system. Because of…
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Understanding an Appraisal Contingency in Your Home Purchase

When buying a home, you have the option to include contingencies in your purchase contract. These protect you by setting certain conditions that must be met for the contract to remain valid. If any contingency isn’t satisfied, you can back out of the sale without penalty. Three main types of contingencies help protect buyers: appraisal, financing, and home inspection contingencies. Here's how each can impact your home buying experience. The Appraisal Contingency An appraisal contingency allows you to step back from the sale if the property appraises for less than the agreed purchase price. Since lenders typically only loan up…
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