Anybody who has a bad credit report knows that getting financing from a bank is a gargantuan job. Although you will often find lenders who are willing to extend you credit, the terms of such credit will often be forbidding.

Since you are now considered a risk by financial institutions, you will need to identify bad credit lenders to bail yourself out. However, before you do so, you will need to do your homework very carefully, as you will not want to end up as a victim in the end.

The first thing you will need to internalize before you go to any bad credit lenders is that you are a customer, and as a customer you have the right to be satisfied with both the information and the services you receive.

Whatever mortgage loan you are applying for should satisfy you. Do not think that because you have a poor credit score in the background, you need to grab and be grateful for whatever you are offered as a rate of interest. You will need to drive a hard bargain and fight for getting the best possible terms.

The second thing you should be aware of when you go for financial assistance is that a guarantor will help you to facilitate your mortgage loan with better terms, since it minimizes the risk placed on the bad credit lenders. You need to ensure that the person you engage as your co-guarantor has an excellent credit report, as such a person will prove a good alternative to the financial institution in the event of your defaulting on your payments.

Since this will make your life much easier, this is a wonderful solution to your credit problem; however, use it only when you are 100 percent sure that you are good for your commitment; keep in mind that through mismanagement, you could ruin your friend’s credit report.

The third thing you should keep in mind when you check out the mortgage rate from the bad credit lenders you have chosen, is that this is also a gateway through which you may redeem your credit score. Keeps a close watch on the regularity of your repayment and if you ensure that your payments are made on time with no fallbacks whatsoever, your credit score will go up within a year and then you can re-negotiate the terms and conditions to your benefit.

As you can see, bad credit lenders are not only financial saviors, but also a way to climb out from the desperate position in which you initially find yourself when you realize you have slipped into the poor credit score bracket.

At this time, going for a loan will actually help you to redeem yourself faster. Therefore, research carefully for the best price, rates, terms, and conditions your lender offers you; you could use this pathway not only to create assets, but also to improve your credit score. Regular payment will enable you to re-negotiate better terms, and in less than one year you could put your poor credit score behind you.

Tom Houston is an avid writer, primarily on matters pertaining to finances. If you’re currently evaluating bad credit lenders visit http://www.ecraonline.org/bad-credit-lenders.html

The great help the lenders claim to be offering the troubled borrower does not appear to be what the borrower is actually getting. When borrowers attempt to modify their loans they are met with resistance from poorly informed “loan modification departments.” While help from the government seems promising, three weeks have gone by since President Bush announced steps at the Federal level to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. The Federal Government has instituted plans to help an estimated 60,000 delinquent – though credit-worthy borrowers. These borrowers will be able refinance into FHA insured loans. This aid will be available to people who were steered into high cost loans with teasers rates. This may be great help for 60,000 people, but what about the other two million borrowers whose monthly payments are about to rise over the next eighteen months? Our Federal Government’s response leaves them out in the cold.

Using another analogy, I am reminded of the response to the Hurricane Katrina disaster. Slow and inadequate is how the government responds. What we need to see is a “financial triage department” in every lender’s office. In the immediate chaos of Katrina, nobody knew what was going on. Now, many months later, policies are still being written and rewritten. The situation is similar with mortgage crisis. Federal Chairman Ben Bernanke cut the interest rate a half a point which some thought would cause all the mortgage investors to change their loan modification policies. However, more and more lenders are filing bankruptcy, and the ones that are staying in business are laying off employees by the thousands. Many lenders are also becoming defendants in lawsuits brought by their investors.

If you have found yourself facing a mortgage payment you cannot afford, and are contemplating asking your lender for a loan modification, you must know the economic reality. Lenders and their investors are only concerned with profitability. That is, they base their decisions solely on monetary return. They want to see that modifying the loan will be more profitable than foreclosing on the subject property. The lenders want to know you can make the modified monthly payment without fail.

Because the majority of borrowers who are faced with unaffordable payments are victims of teaser rates becoming expired, the modified payment will be higher than the teaser rate. This means that if the borrower could barely afford the teaser payment, there is little chance of paying a higher amount, no matter how small the increase. For borrowers with the ability to slash their living expenses, do without an extra automobile or cell phone, and come up with extra money for the mortgage payment, the lender may be willing to accept less than the full increase in payment. The borrowers with the ability to pay close to what the lender requires are the ones most likely to get a loan modification.

All economic indicators project that for many subprime borrowers with adjustable rate mortgages, default will eventually occur. Capitalistic wisdom should dictate that financial institutions will cut their losses now and not want to be taken down in the spiral as real estate values plummet over the months to come. The lenders knew that the subprime loans were made to high risk borrowers, but they took the risk. Now that they are faced with defaults on their investments, they may be willing to lose some profit to avoid further loss.

For those who are pursuing a negotiation for loan modification with their lender, here are my suggestions:

1. LEARN YOUR LENDER POLICIES

Become knowledgeable and familiar with your lender’s loan modification policies. For rate modifications, know if the lender will accept an application before the rate becomes adjustable or increases. Some lenders require a borrower to be delinquent for at least three months before they even accept an application for loan modification. Lenders often have different policies for borrowers who can no longer pay due to job loss or health issues.

2. GET YOUR LENDERS LOAN MODIFICATION PACKAGE BEFORE YOU START NEGOTIATING

Before calling and giving all your information, ask for a written loan modification package from your lender. If they are willing to send you an application, you will see what information they need and what their policies are. You will then have time to reflect on your answers and not be pressured into answering over the telephone. Additionally, when lenders have their own unique forms, any applications which are not submitted on those forms will fall to the bottom of the pile and face delay in processing.

3. KEEP YOUR COOL

Keep in mind that you are dealing with a department staffed with people who are swamped with calls from irate borrowers, each with the same sad story. These employees become callous to the plights of the borrowers. Furthermore, their employer, the lender, changes the policies and procedures almost daily. In addition, the employees are worried that they will lose their jobs when the lender makes additional job cuts. They may be calling their own mortgage company’s loan modification department next week. You are stressed, and so is the person on the other end of the telephone.

4. DOCUMENT EVERY COMMUNICATION MADE

Keep a log of every telephone call or letter made, and every telephone call or letter received. Include emails and faxes in your log. Make certain that your log contains dates, times, names, and titles. This information may be necessary to document what has been promised by the lender.

5. CREATE AN ACCURATE AND DETAILED EXPENSE REPORT

Lenders base their decisions on your monthly budget which includes your income and expenses. They are not interested in your hardship story, only in learning whether the hardship is over. They are interested in knowing exactly how you are going to make your monthly payments. They want to see a sensible, realistic, and reasonable monthly budget. For example:

a. If you are applying for a rate modification, your lender will want to see that you have a negative residual income. This shows that you cannot afford a rate increase. You will also need to that you have discharged all possible expenses that are considered “excess” or “luxury living.” You must provide evidence that you have done all you can to lower your monthly expenses. They do not want to see expenses for multiple cell phones, premium cable television, designer clothes, or extravagant dining and entertainment expenses. They want to see that your car payment matches a frugal lifestyle, meaning you do not drive a new Hummer.

b. A string applicant will have a monthly budget with a residual income about 25% greater than the monthly mortgage payment. This means that if your mortgage payment is $2,000 per month, you have an income of $2,500. These numbers must be verified by your bank statement or other documentation.

c. If you lose your source of income due to unemployment or medical reasons, the lender will want to know whether such loss is permanent or temporary. If temporary, the lender will need to be assured that your income will return in the near future. A permanent loss of income will result in denial of your loan modification.

6. HAVE A GOOD FAITH DEPOSIT

I saved this point for last, because most borrowers do not understand its importance, and I want to make sure that it gets attention. Imagine being the lender and a borrower who has missed several months of payments calls you. That borrower tells you that he has not been able to make any payments because the adjustable rate kicked in and the payment was too high. This borrower filled out all the application forms and has begged for a loan modification. The borrower has explained that he can pay a certain amount, but not the whole amount. You immediately think to yourself, “Well then, why has this borrower not made any payment at all?” More to the point, you wonder what this borrower has done with the money he would have used to make the mortgage payments had the rate not increased. Can you see the problem here? This borrower better have the mortgage payments in his savings account and be ready to tender that amount to the lender as a good faith deposit. Failure to do so will likely result in a denial of the loan modification.

In summary, lenders will modify loans only if the borrower can convince them that it is in the lender’s best financial interest to do so. That is what they want to see. They want to be assured that, no matter what, you want to keep your home and will do everything you can to make your payments.

Rex Madriaga is an independent affiliate of U.S. Loss Mitigation Services and currently performs loss mitigation work for The Law Offices of Fransen & Molinaro, LLP, a mortgage law firm in Corona, California which represents victims of predatory lending. If you feel that you have been victimized of mortgage fraud or predatory lending, go to http://www.fransenandmolinaro.com Mr Madriaga can be reached by email to rmadriaga@californiamortgagelawyer.com

Claims That Are Too Good

Companies claiming that debt negotiation has no impact on your credit score or that they can remove negative scores are lying. Creditors will report accounts that have been reduced, and it will stay on your credit history for seven years. All other negative scores, such as late or missed payments, will also be on your record for seven years even if accounts are closed.

Guarantees that your all your debts can be reduced should also be avoided. Creditors have no requirement to negotiate with you or a debt negotiation company. But if creditors see that you are struggling with payments, they may lower your debt to recoup at least some payment from you. With bankruptcy, lenders may never see repayment.

Promises You Can Believe

Reputable debt negotiation companies can reduce your debt. They are skilled at bargaining with creditors. While they can’t guarantee every account will be reduced, they can make a significant impact.

Your credit score can be raised after your debts have been reduced if you manage your credit wisely. Regular payments, reduced debts, and cash reserves will soon make you eligible for loans. When your credit rating is poor, you can use a subprime lender. In some cases though, within two years you can qualify with for a conventional loan.

Warning Signs To Watch For

Avoid companies that make extreme claims or charge high up front fees. Also, skip companies that advise you to stop payments on your accounts. Not only will you rack up late fees, but you will further hurt your credit score.

Debt negotiations are a valuable tool to avoid bankruptcy. While such reduced debt will lower your credit score, you can soon be on your way to better credit. Be sure to research companies before you sign up and you’ll protect yourself from scams.

To view our recommended sources for debt solution companies, visit this page: Recommended Debt Help Companies.

Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

Debt Consolidation

Debt consolidation services have prearranged debt repayment plans with most credit card and collection companies. When you sign up with a debt consolidation company you are offered a lower overall monthly payment based on a lower interest rate they have arranged with the creditor.

This payment is lower than what the credit card companies offer you, saves you money every month and is often the best way to consolidate debt.

One benefit of a debt consolidation repayment plan is it will stop you from getting harassed by your creditors as long as you make the new, lower monthly payments.

The downside of the debt consolidation repayment plan is that you have to cancel all credit cards that you include in the plan. You are also charged your first payment you make toward the program and an additional monthly administration fee. This administration fee ranges from flat fees of $10-$50, while others charge a $5 fee for each creditor. That means you’ll pay about $30 a month that doesn’t go to paying off your debts.

The debt consolidation program benefits you if you have high interest rates or have higher credit card bills than you can manage. Some people like to make only one payment to one company for all of their debts.

Debt Negotiation

Debt negotiation is sometimes referred to as debt settlement. This is most often offered to people who can’t handle a debt consolidation program. If you can’t make the minimum payments of a debt consolidation repayment plan or haven’t made payments in the past 3 months, a debt negotiation program is the next step for solving debt and credit problems.

One benefit of a debt negotiation program is you stop making payments to your creditors. The debt negotiation company either takes monthly payments from you and keeps it in an account, or lets you keep the money in your own account.

While you are making these monthly payments to the debt negotiation company, they negotiate with your creditors for a lower payoff of around 40-50% of your total amount of debt. Once the negotiated settlement is agreed upon with your creditors, the debt negotiation company makes a one time payment to them.

A downside of the debt negotiation program is it lowers your credit score for as long as you are in the program. However, most debt negotiation companies require the creditor make the credit report show paid in full so it doesn’t show up as a negative on your report once your account is settled.

Some debt negotiation companies include a credit repair service that will remove the negative items caused by the debt negotiation program. You pay for this service as part of their program.

Now that you have an idea what debt consolidation versus debt negotiation is choose which one will work best for solving debt and credit problems for you.

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