So, like many here, I too have bad credit. I had (have) a bad mortgage with what I know now is a predatory mortgage lender (Ameriquest) who is trying to foreclose on my house. I'm trying to sell it first and just get away from the mortgage companies for a while. In any case, I have no credit cards, no loans, except my bad mortgage and an equity loan (which has never been late). My credit score is 530 (?) I think.
I couldn't refinance my mortgage because of the late payments to Ameriquest (long story there), and a misreported credit status from a vendor (another thread here).