How soon can you purchase a new home after filing chapter 7 bankruptcy?

Answer

That depends on how high an interest rate you are willing to pay. How much cash you can put down, issues of that nature. The general rule 18-24 months after your bankruptcy has been discharged. Some lenders will see you as a better risk, because you will be more or less "debt free."  

Answer

There are many B/C Lenders and brokers with 80/20 programs (no monet down) the day you are discharged. Provided you still have a couple accounts that remained paid on time throughout the couple of months since you filed. Most people hold on to their cars or whatever. Also, having a perfect mortgage and rent history before, during and after Chapter 7 will add wonders to your overall picture. Because of the dramatic and recent changes in the Bankruptcy Law nationally there will be many approaching the gates with substantially better credit than most would expect. Ironically, there are many federal loans (FNMA, Freddie-Mac even 203K and of course FHA that don't even use credit scores) that will suffice and include your utilities as a credit line as long as you've got 12 months of solid, healthy payments.
== ans ==
You probably mean can you get a mortgage. That is at every lenders discretion.

New mortgage, new debt, an obligation to pay as agreed? Well, real tough - not impossible and certainly may depend on your downpayment. Especially with the concerns over subprime lending in todays market (which you by being in BK more than likely would be under most any view). You would have to expect that you would pay a very high interest rate, likely making it something even people with stronger financials wouldn't consider.

if you filed C 13 make sure you discuss anything your doing with the BK trustee. Entering into a refinance or any financial contract without his explicit approval will end BK protection, and is sometimes prosecuted as fraud. Certainly, if it means you would have less disposable income to use toward your outstanding debt, he would have rightful objections.

And consider....your in BK, presumably because you have more debt than you can pay, and you haven't been able to handle finances very well.....you cannot borrow you way out of debt, but even after clearing that in BK, you can sure find yourself in it again.