Tips on Increasing Your FICO Score for Home Buying

Choosing a lender isn't the first step in becoming a homeowner. The content of your wallet starts the home buying process. To make your goal of homeownership realized, you must consider your FICO score along with the type of mortgage loan for which you'll qualify in Cary.

The Fair Isaac Company bases your FICO score on the summary of your total credit history. Most people usually have a score of 650, but scores range from 300 to 850. With the change in the economy, however, some borrowers have seen their score lowered after unemployment, delinquent credit card accounts, or credit card accounts terminated because the card didn't carry a high balance. Some of the factors in summing up your FICO score are:

• Credit Inquiries — How many times has your credit history been accessed by someone other than you?
• Types of Credit — Do you have a healthy mix of loans and credit cards?
• Payment History — Do you pay your bills on time each month?
• Credit to Debt Ratio — How much do you owe versus your available credit?

Lenders want to ensure that giving you a loan is a safe move. Your FICO score gives lenders an insight into what type of borrower you'd be based solely on your credit history. You'll need a score of at least 740 to get a acceptable interest rate. You'll still get approved for a mortgage loan with a lower score, but the interest paid in the long run could be more than double the amount of an individual with a stronger FICO score.

We're used to working with all levels of credit scores. Call us at (919) 924-4991 and we can help you get on the right track to the home of your dreams.

You want a higher score, but how do you get it? Improving your FICO score takes time. It can be hard to make a large-scale change in your number with small changes, but your score can improve in a few years by monitoring your credit report and by wisely using credit. The best way to do this is to know your FICO score. You'll improve your credit score by using these tips:

• Correct your credit report. If you discover incorrect items on your credit report, contact the bureau requesting that the item be removed. If you have a common name or the same name as a family member, you'll want to give extra care to make sure the activity reported is correct.
• Spread your debt around. At first, this doesn't seem like a good idea. But, you don't want to have one card that is at the limit and have your remaining cards at a zero balance. It's better to have each of your cards at about 25% of their credit limit than to have the majority of your debt taking up the balance a single card.
• Apply for gas station cards or department store credit. For those who have no credit or low credit, department store credit cards and gas credit cards are ways to establish your credit history, increase your credit limits and keep up your payments, which will raise your FICO score. You must always avoid holding a high balance for too long because these types of cards normally have a surprisingly high interest rate.
• Keep your cards in rotation. Whether you're just getting started with credit, or if you've got older cards, be sure to use your cards to make sure your accounts stay active. But, pay them off in one or two payments.
• Stay on top of payments. Delinquent payments drastically lower your credit score. It's one of the reasons people who have recently been unemployed see the biggest hit in their credit score. Yes, it takes longer to restore your credit this way, but it's the most reliable way to show that you're able to make payments to a lender.

Knowing the ways you can raise your FICO score, you're one step closer to becoming a homeowner. Remember that when you're ready to apply for a loan to purchase a house, you'll want to keep your applications within a two-week window to avoid adverse effects on your credit score. With the help of RE/MAX Performance, the loan process can be a stress-free experience so you, too, can become a homeowner.

Get more information by visiting myFICO.com, Fair Isaac's informational site and you can review all of your credit reports for free each year at annualcreditreport.com. And, for a small payment, you can get your FICO score from each bureau on their websites: equifax.com, experian.com and transunion.com.