There was a time that seems like decades ago when people with less than pristine credit were not able to get home loans. At that time people with bad credit were all but assured that their dreams of homeownership would never come to fruition. Luckily, for many people, those days are long gone.

Homeownership is possible for people with bad credit and no credit history at all thanks in large part to a multitude of loan packages made available by countless lenders. Good people with bad credit can now get approved for mortgages and despite what you may have heard from a well intended but misinformed friend or family members, these loans can be at very competitive rates.

In today's economy if mortgages were made available only to people with pristine credit, the real estate market would collapse. There are simply not enough people in America today with pristine credit. Lenders were forced to create packages available for people with bankruptcies, bad credit histories or no credit histories at all. To remain competitive lenders had to create these packages and you can be the beneficiary of them.

Though it is true that some packages remain available only to those with excellent or very good credit, there are just as many, if not more packages that are made available to people with mediocre or poor credit, including past bankruptcy. These packages are available at all different interest rates and nuances that allow greater flexibility in coming up with a package that makes sense for you.

Lenders are now looking at an overall loan application including income, credit history, appraised value of the home and selling price. They will examine how recent or far back your credit problems occurred. They will consider the instant equity in the home (appraised value versus selling price), as well as your income and ability to pay your monthly payments. When looking at income they can, if you want them to, consider all forms of income.

The more recent the bad credit in your credit reports are the tougher it may be to get approved for some packages, but it is still not impossible. You will want to have a good sense of what is in your credit report so you are prepared to correct any problems in the report. There are countless credit repair programs available that will help you improve your credit score.

Past bankruptcies are not necessarily a death sentence for homeownership and depending on how long ago they occurred they may not hinder the mortgage process at all for you. It is always important to keep copies of your discharge papers and a complete record of your bankruptcy. Your lender may require copies of some of the documentation. They will want to see exactly what was discharged. If there was a mortgage that was discharged in bankruptcy it will impact which mortgage packages are made available to you, but even then there may be mortgage packages that you can still be approved for.

It seems all too often that people with bad credit feel that they are unable to get beyond their past. Owning a home and showing on-time mortgage payments is a good way to improve your overall credit portfolio. If you are approved for a mortgage and show payments being made on time this will go along way towards improving your credit scores and improving your overall financial picture.

When applying for home loans, do not try to hide your credit history, invariably they will uncover any and all skeletons you hoped were in your credit closet. You are much better off being open and honest with your mortgage lender. A good mortgage lender will know exactly what packages they can look into for you if you give them an honest and realistic picture of your credit history and other financial matters. Tell them what is wrong in your credit report and can be fixed, what is accurate and cannot be fixed and what you are unsure about. Some lenders will allow an explanation, including proof, of incorrect items on your credit report and look beyond them while evaluating your loan. Dishonesty, however, can hurt you in the long run so be completely honest with the lending institution.

You can also consider using a co-signer for the loan who has a stronger credit history in some cases. You may be able to have them cosign the loan for a period of time and then you can refinance the loan in your name only once your credit history has been improved. This has become more common with first time homebuyers. The refinance market is strong and there will always be the opportunity to do just that.

The simple fact of the matter is that there are countless loan packages available to people with bad credit or no credit history. These loan packages can help you whether you have a large down payment, a small down payment or no down payment at all. Speaking to a mortgage lender or network of lenders that have many packages at their disposal will help you begin to realize your dreams of homeownership and put you on a path towards a much brighter financial picture.