Not long ago, when property values were on the rise, lending institutions were eager to make home loans even to those individuals with poor credit histories, since a home's equity would cover a loan in case of a default. It seemed that this would simply go on forever, so lenders kept encouraging borrowers and raking in commissions for the loans they wrote. At the same time, since properties were becoming more and more valuable, more and more new construction was taking place.

Unfortunately, they built too many in too short a period of time. What followed was this mortgage crisis which everyone is talking about, and which we are still affected by. Since there was an excess of houses on the market, prices began decreasing again. At times, some people had a mortgage loan that was greater than the value of their house.

During these boom times, people with bad credit were given loans, but these loans often had high interest rates. Sometimes the rates started out low, but then increased as the years went by. Since the home loan was more than the worth of the house, it was impossible for people to sell, and because the payments were going up, they often were stuck with homes they could not afford.

People started to fall behind on their loans, which caused their homes to enter foreclosure, where they eventually ended up back in the hands of the bank holding the mortgage. This caused the number of houses on the market to go up dramatically, forcing the prices downward, creating the cycle that we are still suffering from today.

Nowadays it has become extremely difficult for people with bad credit to obtain a home loan. With the onset of the mortgage meltdown, lenders have gotten increasingly stricter about who will qualify for a loan from them. While up until recently people with good credit would have had no problem getting a loan, they now are experiencing not only difficulty in obtaining a loan but in getting one with desirable terms. While home prices were rising over recent years, many mortgages were approved with little or no money down. These conditions made it much easier for people who did not have substantial assets available to get a loan but now those times have come to an end.

It is still possible for someone with bad credit to get a loan, but it will probably require a much bigger down payment. In some cases a bank may require twenty five or thirty percent of the price of the home in order to grant a loan. You can shop around and compare mortgage lenders to find out who will give you the best loan with the best terms.