Buying a Michigan North Woodward Home After Foreclosure

Posted in North Woodward Homes by Michigan Real Estate Expert on August 16th, 2012

If you’ve recently gone through a foreclosure, you may already be wondering how soon you’ll be able to buy another North Woodward home in Oakland County Michigan. You enjoy the pride of homeownership, and you want to buy as soon as possible so that you can take advantage of the lower prices.

Here are answers to two commonly asked questions about buying a home after foreclosure:

How soon can we buy a home after a foreclosure?

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the entities that would end up with the property if you default on a mortgage, impose the following waiting periods on conventional home loans, depending on the type of foreclosure you went through:

  • Buying after a foreclosure: The waiting period is 5 to 7 years.
  • Buying after a foreclosure with extenuating circumstances: The waiting period is 3 to 7 years.
  • Buying after a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure: The waiting period is 4 to 7 years.
  • Buying after a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure with extenuating circumstances: The waiting period is 2 to 7 years.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac frequently issues new guidelines. The above policies were in effect as of August 1, 2008. Waiting periods for FHA loans and VA loans are somewhat shorter than Fannie Mae’s waiting periods.

What can we do during that waiting period to prepare us for success when buying a North Woodward home?

When you go through a full foreclosure, expect your credit score to decline by 140 to 150 points. You’ll also have negative marks about the foreclosure on your credit report for as long as seven years, which makes it more difficult to buy a home. The number one thing you need to do to prepare to buy another home is to fix your finances:

  • Reduce or pay off your debt.
  • Pay every bill on time every time.
  • Eliminate unnecessary monthly expenses.
  • Dispute any mistakes on your credit report.
  • Save for a future down payment.

If you’re in the market to buy one of the North Woodward homes for sale in Oakland County or would like more information about preparing to buy a home, I can help. Give me a call at 248-514-2640 or email me at info@NorthWoodwardHomes.com.

Lee Morof
Associate Broker/Certified Distressed Property Expert/Attorney
RE/MAX Showcase Homes, Birmingham, Michigan
www.NorthWoodwardHomes.com

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