FRU News · Answers
Can You Get a Mortgage After Bankruptcy?
Not permanently. Each one comes with its own waiting period or conditions, and they differ by program. Conventional loans generally wait four years after Chapter 7, or two years with documented extenuating circumstances.
46 sec · Captions available on the player · Presented by AI-generated presenters, with every line taken from the FreeRateUpdate page it answers.
Source: FreeRateUpdate answer page, Sept. 29, 2026; Fannie Mae, FHA, VA
Transcript
This is FreeRateUpdate News. I'm Edmund Ledger. Today's question: does a past bankruptcy block you from a new mortgage?
Not permanently. Each one comes with its own waiting period or conditions, and they differ by program.
Conventional loans generally wait four years after Chapter 7, or two years with documented extenuating circumstances.
FHA and VA generally wait two years after a Chapter 7 discharge.
During Chapter 13, FHA and VA may allow a loan after twelve months of on-time plan payments, with approval.
A mortgage that's past due right now, though, generally has to be brought current first.
I'm Edmund Ledger, for FreeRateUpdate News.
What the charts show
Table, Waiting period after a Chapter 7 discharge: Program: Conventional, Typical wait: 4 years (2 with extenuating circumstances); Program: FHA, Typical wait: Generally 2 years; Program: VA, Typical wait: Generally 2 years.