Can You Get a Mortgage After Bankruptcy in Florida?

Yes. Bankruptcy doesn't permanently disqualify you from getting a mortgage. What it does is start a clock. Different loan types have different waiting periods after discharge or dismissal, and what you do during that waiting period significantly affects how strong your application will be when the window opens.

Here's what the waiting periods actually look like across the main loan types.

Waiting Periods by Loan Type

For FHA loans, the waiting period is two years after a Chapter 7 discharge. Chapter 13 is different: if you've been making plan payments on time for at least one year, you may be eligible before the plan is even completed, with court approval. FHA is typically the most accessible path for buyers with a bankruptcy in their history.

For conventional loans (Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac), the standard waiting period after Chapter 7 is four years. Chapter 13 with a discharge is also four years; with a dismissal, it's two years. These are longer waits, but conventional loans come without mandatory mortgage insurance once you reach 20% equity, which makes them worth planning toward.

VA loans for eligible veterans require a two-year wait after Chapter 7 discharge. USDA loans follow a three-year wait. Our guide to VA loan eligibility in Florida covers the full picture if you're a veteran exploring that route.

What to Do During the Waiting Period

The waiting period isn't just dead time. What you do with it shapes the terms you'll get when you're finally eligible.

Rebuilding credit is the primary goal. Open one or two secured credit cards, keep balances below 30% of the limit, and pay everything on time without exception. Over 24 months of clean payment history, many buyers find their scores recover to 640, 680, or even above 700. Our post on getting a mortgage with a 600 credit score covers the specific strategies that move the needle.

Saving for a down payment during the wait is equally important. A larger down payment at the time of application offsets some of the risk the lender sees from the bankruptcy history.

Extenuating Circumstances

Both FHA and Fannie Mae have provisions that can shorten the waiting period if the bankruptcy was caused by events largely outside your control: a job loss, a serious medical event, a divorce that destroyed an otherwise stable financial situation. Documenting these circumstances formally can reduce the FHA wait to as little as one year.

The documentation requirement is specific. You'll need a written explanation, evidence of the hardship event, evidence that it's resolved, and proof that you've re-established creditworthy behavior since. It's not automatic, but it's a real option for buyers who had a one-time hardship rather than a pattern of financial mismanagement. Our full breakdown of buying a home with bad credit covers the documentation process in more detail.

At 14 Days To Close, we work with borrowers at every stage of credit rebuilding. The first step is understanding exactly where you stand and which loan type fits your timeline. Start your pre-qualification and we'll tell you what to focus on in the meantime.