Getting Credit To Buy A Home
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Before you can start looking for a mortgage as well as worrying about the down payment on a house is getting your credit in order so you can qualify. Just an fyi the better the credit the better the rate most lenders are going to want to see at least a 620 score although there are a few that will go even less than that.You may need to put down an higer amount for your down payment and if your scores are too low you then thats where you can find yourself in hard money territory. But if you can maintain a 660 score you are in pretty much healthy territory for a loan to get a home.Feel free to use some of these tips to keep your credit looking good.
•1. Spread out your credit card debt. This will change the ratio of debt to available credit. For example, if you have a 660 credit score and you have debt on one card with other cards having zero balances, then spread out that debt over the rest of the cards evenly. Doing this will be boost your credit score. Anytime you are close to 75% of maxing out your credit limit you will start to take a hit on your credit.
•2. Those accounts that you have should remain active and open. Do not close them. The more available credit you have the better but sometimes too much of a good thing can be a bad for you after 5 credit cards start trimming down a bit. Closing those accounts with zero balances could actually hurt your credit score if you have nothing else.
•3. Keep your credit inquiries to a minimum. You are allowed to run a credit report or inquire into your credit history, but over kill can diminish your score anywhere from 2 to 50 points and sometimes more. When you are applying for a home loan or an auto loan, several lenders may request your credit report. To offset this, the score counts multiple auto or home loan inquiries as one inquiry in any 14 day period. Please keep this in mind and plan accordingly. Outside of that running your credit more than 10 times a year randomly will have its consequences. Just remember though if you are running your credit for a car loan and a home loan and a credit card that is going to hit your score 5 points each time which can be the difference between qualifying for a home loan and NOT.
Remember, it takes a while for credit scores to change. If you want to improve your score it will take some effort and time. Allow several months before you submit any applications if you have taken steps to improve your credit score.
If you are looking to repair and improve your credit score, you can do it yourself or seek the assistance of a professional credit repair service. If you decide to do it yourself, please go online, do your homework and get as much information as you can, regarding laws and your rights. The Federal Trade Commission website is the best place to start, and you can even download the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you do have rights when it comes to your credit.
If you are going to seek out a credit repair service, please be sure they are reputable. Be careful of credit repair scams, there are tons out there find out how long they have been in service and if they have any testimonials or seek out a friend that may have just used someone.
Trying to repair your credit can be tedious and quite involved, but following the above stated steps will help your situation.Remind yourself from time to time as to why you are doing the credit repair and be patient with the process. Then the next step you will have to worry about is the down payment on a house.