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Buying a home for the holidays, and hoping for a bargain? Learn the pros and cons of buying a home during the winter months.

Buying a home for the holidays, and hoping for a bargain? Learn the pros and cons of buying a home during the winter months.

Bad credit but solid incomes. Can we get a mortgage?

Q: My wife and I both have bad credit, but solid incomes. Will anybody take a chance on us?

A: Just because your credit isn't up to speed doesn't mean you can't get a mortgage or refinance. The FHA program allows for FICO scores as low as 580 -- and you only need to put 3.5% down to buy a home. With scores lower than that, you'll need a 10% stake, but simply having a low score doesn't mean you can't get access to credit -- it simply means that your avenues and choices are more limited.

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Keith Gumbinger
Keith Gumbinger
Mortgage Expert
Vice President, HSH.com
About Keith: Mortgage market observer and analyst with 35 years experience... (more)
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