Homeowners with troubled credit histories are finding it harder to get mortgages or refinance homes because softening in the housing market is making lenders less likely to handle riskier loans.

Several lenders of subprime mortgages, used primarily for home equity loans and for people with spotty credit, have shown signs of trouble after the housing bubble popped and more homeowners began defaulting on high-interest mortgages.

The shifting market is prompting investors to demand higher standards for loan approvals. Loans for 100 percent of a property’s value required a minimum credit score of 580 last year, but now require at least a 600 score.

A high value loan with no income verification could be had last year with a credit score of 620 a year ago but now needs a minimum score of 640.

Most lenders consider scores higher than 700 to signal good financial health and score below 600 to signal risk and a reason to increase the interest rate on a loan.

If your credit score is or has taken a dip there are ways to remedy that situation. We encourage anyone to write to us, we’d be happy to show you ways to give your credit score the boost it might need.