Lenders may look at other aspects of your financial profile besides credit scores, including income. Having dependable secondary sources of income can help improve your chances of approval.
Demonstrate your ability to repay the loan by maintaining a high income-to-debt ratio and paying down debts. Avoid using payday, pawn shop or car title loans that often have high fees and interest rates.
1. Be honest on your application
Lenders are looking for evidence that you can repay your loan, which means that you need to be completely honest on your application. Many people lie on their applications in one way or another, from inflating income to hiding debt.
Some lenders will ask for documents like pay stubs and W-2 forms, or business tax returns and bank statements (if you’re self-employed). Make sure to have these in hand before you apply.
It’s also a good idea to reduce your debt-to-income ratio as much as possible before applying for a loan, as this is one of the main things that lenders look at. Paying down debt and keeping old accounts open can help you get your credit score up to where it needs to be for loan approval and the best rates.
2. Keep your credit score high
There is no quick fix to raising your credit score, but there are some things you can do that will help. One of the most important factors is your payment history, so make sure you pay all of your bills on time. Another factor is your credit utilization rate, which looks at how much of your available credit you are using. Lenders like to see a low credit utilization rate.
You should also avoid applying for new credit cards or loans, as these will trigger a hard inquiry on your credit report and cause your score to drop. Finally, it is a good idea to check your credit reports regularly for errors, and get them corrected immediately. The faster you fix errors, the better your score will be.
3. Make all of your payments on time
A big part of your credit score comes from your payment history, so it is important that you make all of your payments on time. Missing payments can be a big red flag to lenders and will lower your chances of getting approved for a loan in the future.
One way to help ensure you will always pay your bills on time is to set up auto payments so that the money automatically gets deducted from your bank account each month. Another option is to add your payment dates to a calendar that you check regularly so you will get monthly reminders about the due date.
Before you apply for a loan, it is important to research the different lenders and rates. Many lenders offer a prequalification process that will give you an idea of what rates and terms you might qualify for without doing a hard inquiry on your credit.
4. Get a co-signer
Having a cosigner can make it easier for individuals with no credit or bad credit to get approved for a loan. But be careful before agreeing to cosign a loan, as your credit could be hurt if the borrower doesn’t pay. Cosigning a loan can also mean that the debt will appear on both the primary borrower’s and cosigner’s credit history.
Before you consider becoming a cosigner, review your credit score and see what you can do to improve it. You can also help the person you’re considering cosigning for find a lender that works with their credit score and situation, or point them in the direction of a peer-to-peer lender. It’s also important to evaluate the person’s ability to make payments, as even a couple of late payments can affect your credit.
5. Look for the best deal
When shopping around for lenders, it’s important to compare rates and loan terms. You should also be prepared to negotiate. Many fees are negotiable, including interest rates and prepayment penalties. Make sure you understand what each lender’s eligibility criteria is and what types of credit they lend to.
In addition, knowing your priorities is important when negotiating. Understanding what’s most important to a lender will help you focus on those issues and trade off other loan terms that aren’t as important. For example, if the lender offers a lower interest rate but you must pay a higher fee to obtain that rate, it might not be worth taking the offer. You may be able to find better deals at online lenders, local banks or credit unions.