If you’ve applied for a loan and been turned down, don’t panic. There’s a logical, sequential process you can take toward finding out why your loan was denied and taking steps toward future approval.

If your loan application has been denied due to a poor credit history, you might consider a Housing and Urban Development loan. This program issues funds to borrowers who may have had damaged credit or do not meet standard requirements, but comes along with its own set of guidelines.

Borrowers with poor credit may also seek out a co-signer for their loan. Co-signers promise to pay back the loan if you dont. Be careful with this approach, though - any breach of your agreement could result in soured relationship with your co-signer. It may be better to work on improving your credit, then apply again when your report is a bit more favorable. Just dont apply for several loans within a short period of time, as this will have negative repercussions on your credit report.

Your loan may also have been denied due to insufficient income or a too-low down payment. If this is the case, you may consider a Federal Housing Authority loan. These loans offer easier qualifications with down payments as low as 3 percent. Loans with no down payment are also offered by the Rural Housing Service and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and government-sponsored agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also offer low down-payment programs through its Community Home Buyers Program. Contact the agencies and local lenders to learn more about these options.

If you requested a loan that was 95 percent or more of the homes appraised value, the lender will likely deny your application. If this is your situation, you may have a few options. First off, you can re-negotiate with the seller to lower the purchase price. You can also put more money down to lower the gap between an appraised price and the purchase price, or if you think the property has been undervalued, you can ask the lender to re-examine it.