Have you recently filed for bankruptcy? Are you in need of financing for home improvements or to consolidate the debt you have? Depending on the type of bankruptcy you have experienced, your credit score may be in better shape after the bankruptcy than it was before. The reason is that as you were struggling to make the payments yet missing deadlines and not making your payments at all, your credit score was declining. Following the bankruptcy proceedings, your record will be purged of high balances on credit cards, late payments and penalties, and any proof of debts that you could not pay at all. While it will not be possible to hit the perfect 850 credit score, pulling your credit score up into the 700’s within a couple of years of filing is not unheard of.
Some suggest trying to get a home equity loan as soon as possible after the bankruptcy. However, doing this will force you to pay higher interest rates because of the possible lowering of your credit score due to the bankruptcy. What might be a better plan is to begin to rebuild your credit score by making all your payments current and by paying the monthly bills such as your power bill, phone bill, and water/sewer bill on time. If you still have loans after the bankruptcy, be sure to pay those installments on time as well. Begin to use other credit that you might have very sensibly. Start small and pay off your credit bills on time. Once you have done this consistently for a short amount of time, you can begin to search for a home equity loan.
