What Mortgage Options Do People with Bad Credit Have?

Having a bad credit score should not prevent you from securing a mortgage loan and paying for that dream house you have always wanted. Instead of spending the money on rent, you can actually gain so much more by buying a property with the help of a good mortgage loan. There are some options to consider when you have bad credit and you want to take out a mortgage loan. We’re going to take a closer look at some of them in this article.
Subprime Mortgage Loans
Lenders will review your credit history to determine your risk factor when you apply for a mortgage loan. This risk factor will, in turn, define the interest rate you get with the loan. If you have a bad credit score, chances are you’ll have to pay a higher interest rate – and other potential premiums, such as credit insurance – to offset the higher risk factor.
There is nothing wrong with using a subprime mortgage to buy a house, especially if you’ve been spending a lot of money on rent. However, you do need to pay close attention to the terms of the loan.
Avoid loans with pre-payment penalties. You want to have the option to repay the loan early or switch to a better mortgage loan once your credit score improves. You should also check the monthly instalment amount. Take advantage of other financing options to help increase your down payment and lower the principal amount for a more affordable mortgage. You can visit this page for more information on bad credit loans.
Boost Your Credit Score
Taking the time to review your credit history and boosting your credit score before applying for a mortgage loan are also worth considering. You can actually improve your credit score quickly by doing certain things.
Start by reviewing your credit history. When you spot incorrect entries – such as a repaid loan that still appears on your credit history – you can actually file to have those entries removed. You’ll be amazed by how quickly you can improve your credit score this way.
You should also try to repay unsecured, high-interest loans quickly. It is much better to convert them into cheaper loans or repay them altogether when you can, since this type of loan usually affects your credit score the most.
Compare and Compare Some More!
You can use other types of loans or place other available assets as collateral to make buying a house more affordable. Even when you have bad credit, there is no shortage of options on the market. The key here is to take the time and compare as many financing options as possible. Go with the one you’re comfortable with the most in terms of annual interest and the overall costs of using the loan.
You can also get a mortgage loan preapproved to know exactly how much you can afford to spend on the property. You’ll be able to search for a suitable house to purchase rather easily with a clear budget in mind. The options we talked about earlier will help you finance the purchase without hassle.

Christopher Walkey

Founder of Estate Agent Networking. Internationally invited speaker on how to build online target audiences using Social Media. Writes about UK property prices, housing, politics and affordable homes.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Volume doubles as property market sees strong return of new applicants

Foxtons Lettings Market Index – January 2026 Demand rebounded sharply from December, with registrations up 93% month on month and new renters per instruction up 11% compared to December, reflecting a seasonal uplift in activity at the start of the year. New renters per new instruction fell 12% year on year, indicating that competitive pressure…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Property valuation leads to agents up 50% on last year

The launch of a new valuation product and AI optimisations to the existing product suite led to a significant uplift in valuation leads for agents from Rightmove in January. Valuation leads grew by 50% in January 2026 compared to the same period last year. The launch of Online Agent Valuation towards the end of 2025 helps connect…
Read More
Breaking News

Worst areas for landlord eviction waiting times

The latest research industry insight from LegalforLandlords has highlighted where the longest and shortest wait times are when it comes to court hearing dates for landlords who are trying to repossess their properties, with the most overstretched courts found in the likes of Birmingham, Croydon, and Slough. Having analysed internal data on wait times for…
Read More
Breaking News

726,000 rented homes could remain non-decent by 2035

And that’s without holding them to the updated standard outlined in the recent DHS consultation A new consultation on the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) has suggested that all rented homes, private and social, must meet an updated, more stringent standard by 2035. However, new research from Inventory Base reveals that if the current rate of…
Read More
Breaking News

UK House Price Index for December 2025

The latest UK House Price Index shows that: The average monthly rate of house price growth in December was -0.7%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 2.4% in the 12 months to December 2025. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £270,000.   Here are some thoughts from the Industry.…
Read More
Cozy Pet Cat Tree Grey
Breaking News

10 things all tenants need to know when renting now

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27th October 2025 and will introduce major reforms to private renting in England. The first raft of measures affecting tenants will come into force on 1st May this year. So, whether you currently have a tenancy agreement or are planning to rent this year, here are…
Read More