If a past bankruptcy or lost home is the reason a Pennsylvania bank said no, you may still have options. Programs set their own waiting periods after a bankruptcy, foreclosure, short sale or deed in lieu, and some non-QM programs allow shorter ones than agency loans. Pick a city below to read how Pennsylvania borrowers can weigh timing against cost, which discharge and settlement records lenders commonly ask for, and how to tell your story clearly to a licensed loan officer.
Call to talk with a licensed loan officer. Programs vary by borrower, property and investor.
Pennsylvania foreclosure process: Judicial: the lender must bring a foreclosure action, and the home is sold at a sheriff's sale; before starting, lenders must send homeowners in default the state-required Act 91 notice. Lenders look at when a foreclosure or bankruptcy was completed, so keep the final court or trustee documents.
Where the numbers point in Pennsylvania
Counties with the most applications denied for credit history (2024):
| County | Applications denied for credit history (2024) |
|---|---|
| Philadelphia County | 3,748 |
| Allegheny County | 2,400 |
| Montgomery County | 1,487 |
| Delaware County | 1,306 |
| York County | 1,304 |
| Bucks County | 1,292 |
| Lancaster County | 1,119 |
| Berks County | 1,030 |
| Chester County | 1,003 |
| Westmoreland County | 823 |
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Mortgages After Bankruptcy or Foreclosure by city in Pennsylvania
- Aliquippa
- Allentown
- Allison Park
- Altoona
- Ambler
- Ambridge
- Ancient Oaks
- Archbald
- Ardmore
- Arlington Heights
- Ashland
- Audubon
- Baldwin
- Bangor
- Beaver Falls
- Bellefonte
- Bellevue
- Berwick
- Bethel Park
- Bethlehem
- Birdsboro
- Blairsville
- Blakely
- Blandon
- Bloomsburg
- Blue Bell
- Boothwyn
- Bradford
- Breinigsville
- Brentwood
- Brookhaven
- Broomall
- Butler
- California
- Camp Hill
- Canonsburg
- Carbondale
- Carlisle
- Carnegie
- Carnot-Moon
- Castle Shannon
- Catasauqua
- Chambersburg
- Chester
- Clairton
- Clarion
- Clearfield
- Clifton Heights
- Coatesville
- Collegeville
- Collingdale
- Colonial Park
- Columbia
- Connellsville
- Conshohocken
- Coraopolis
- Corry
- Crafton
- Cresson
- Croydon
- Darby
- Dickson City
- Dormont
- Downingtown
- Drexel Hill
- DuBois
- Dunmore
- Duquesne
- Eagleville
- East Stroudsburg
- East York
- Easton
- Economy
- Edinboro
- Elizabethtown
- Ellwood City
- Emmaus
- Enola
- Ephrata
- Erie
- Exeter
- Exton
- Fairless Hills
- Folcroft
- Folsom
- Forest Hills
- Fort Washington
- Fox Chapel
- Franklin
- Franklin Park
- Fullerton
- Gettysburg
- Gilbertsville
- Glenolden
- Glenshaw
- Glenside
- Greensburg
- Greenville
- Grove City
- Hanover
- Harleysville
- Harrisburg
- Hatboro
- Hazleton
- Hellertown
- Hermitage
- Hershey
- Hollidaysburg
- Homeacre-Lyndora
- Honesdale
- Huntingdon
- Indiana
- Jeannette
- Jefferson Hills
- Jersey Shore
- Jim Thorpe
- Johnstown
- Kennett Square
- King of Prussia
- Kingston
- Kittanning
- Kulpsville
- Kutztown
- Lancaster
- Lansdale
- Lansdowne
- Latrobe
- Lebanon
- Lehighton
- Leola
- Levittown
- Lewisburg
- Lewistown
- Linglestown
- Lionville
- Lititz
- Littlestown
- Lock Haven
- Lower Burrell
- Maple Glen
- McKees Rocks
- McKeesport
- Meadville
- Mechanicsburg
- Media
- Middletown
- Middletown
- Millersville
- Milton
- Monaca
- Monessen
- Monroeville
- Montgomery
- Montgomeryville
- Moosic
- Morrisville
- Mount Carmel
- Mount Joy
- Mount Pocono
- Mountain Top
- Muncy
- Munhall
- Murrysville
- Nanticoke
- Nazareth
- New Brighton
- New Castle
- New Cumberland
- New Freedom
- New Holland
- New Kensington
- Norristown
- Northampton
- Northern Cambria
- Northwest Harborcreek
- Norwood
- Oakmont
- Oil City
- Old Forge
- Olyphant
- Oreland
- Orwigsburg
- Oxford
- Palmerton
- Palmyra
- Paoli
- Park Forest Village
- Parkville
- Paxtonia
- Penn Estates
- Penn Wynne
- Perkasie
- Philadelphia
- Philipsburg
- Phoenixville
- Pittsburgh
- Pittston
- Pleasant Hills
- Plum
- Plymouth
- Plymouth Meeting
- Portage
- Pottstown
- Pottsville
- Progress
- Prospect Park
- Punxsutawney
- Quakertown
- Quarryville
- Reading
- Red Lion
- Richboro
- Ridley Park
- Roaring Spring
- Sanatoga
- Sayre
- Schuylkill Haven
- Scranton
- Selinsgrove
- Shamokin
- Shanor-Northvue
- Sharon
- Sharon Hill
- Shenandoah
- Shillington
- Shiloh
- Shippensburg
- Slippery Rock
- Somerset
- Souderton
- South Park Township
- South Williamsport
- St. Marys
- State College
- Steelton
- Stewartstown
- Stroudsburg
- Sunbury
- Swarthmore
- Swissvale
- Swoyersville
- Tamaqua
- Taylor
- Titusville
- Trooper
- Turtle Creek
- Tyrone
- Uniontown
- Village Green-Green Ridge
- Warren
- Washington
- Waynesboro
- Waynesburg
- Weigelstown
- Wescosville
- West Chester
- West Mifflin
- West View
- White Oak
- Wilkes-Barre
- Wilkinsburg
- Williamsport
- Willow Grove
- Willow Street
- Wilson
- Woodlyn
- Wyndmoor
- Wyomissing
- Yeadon
- York
Common questions
Will a past bankruptcy raise my pricing?
It may. Pricing reflects risk, and a recent event usually places a file in a higher-risk tier, especially on a non-QM program. Non-QM loans often price higher than agency loans because they carry more risk for the investor. As your on-time history grows, more programs and better pricing may become available, which is why some borrowers plan to revisit their loan later.
How can I strengthen my file after a credit event?
Keep every current account on time, since your most recent history weighs heavily. Check your credit reports at the official free source and dispute errors, such as discharged debts still showing a balance. Build savings for a larger down payment and reserves, and avoid opening several accounts at once. Be wary of anyone who offers to erase accurate negative items for a fee.
Can I refinance out of a non-QM loan once more time passes?
You may be eligible to refinance into an agency loan after its waiting period passes, if your credit, income and equity support it. That plan is not a sure thing, since rates and home values move. Before you sign a non-QM loan, check whether it carries prepayment terms, because those can add cost if you refinance early. Ask the loan officer to explain them in writing.
Other non-QM options in Pennsylvania
Bank statement loansNon-QM lendersSelf-employed1099 loansP&L loansAsset depletionNo-doc / stated incomeNew self-employedITIN loansForeign nationalNon-warrantable condoBank statement HELOCInterest-onlyBad creditSelf-employed refinanceNon-QM jumbo
Related guides
- What Is a Non-QM Loan?
- How to Compare Non-QM Loan Offers: Loan Estimates, Features and Fit
- Private Mortgage Lenders vs. Non-QM Lenders: What Is the Difference?
Mortgages After Bankruptcy or Foreclosure overview · Pennsylvania non-QM overview
- 2024 HMDA denial reasons