Scoring Your FICO

Most people assume that the home buying process starts with getting pre-approved for a loan or with choosing a real estate agent.  In reality, the home buying process begins with your finances. To become a homeowner, considering your credit score is a must along with the type of mortgage loan for which you'll qualify in Cleveland, Mississippi.

The Fair Isaac Company bases your FICO score on the summary of your complete credit history. The score ranges from 300 to 850, with most people traditionally having a score of 600. Since we've experienced an economic downturn, however, some borrowers have seen their score drop by hundreds of points after job loss, 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: 

  • 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 how much credit you have available? 

  • Credit Inquiries — How many times has your credit history been accessed by someone other than you?

Lenders want to be positive that allowing you a loan is a safe move. Your credit score gives lenders a view of what type of borrower you'll be based solely on your credit history. You'll need a score of at least 700 to get a acceptable interest rate. If your score is less than that, you can still qualify for a loan, but the interest accrued in the long run could be more than double the amount of an individual with a higher FICO score. 

We're used to working with all levels of FICO scores.

Call us at (662) 843-8850 and we can help you get on the right track to the home of your dreams.

You want a stronger score, but how do you get it? Building your FICO score takes time. It can be rare to make a significant stride change in your number with quick fixes, but your score can improve in a year or two by monitoring your credit report and by wisely using credit. The most important thing is to know your FICO score. 

You'll improve your credit score by using these pointers:

  • Ensure that your credit history is correct. If you discover incorrect items on your credit report, write to the bureau asking that the item be removed. If you have a common name or the same name as a family member, you'll want to pay extra attention to make sure the activity reported is correct.

  • Even out your debt. 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 the rest of your cards at a zero balance. It's better to have each of your cards at about 20% of their credit limit than to have the most of your debt taking up the balance one card.

  • Store cards and gas station cards. For those who have non-existent credit or below average credit, store credit cards and gas credit cards are ways to start your credit history, increase your spending limits and stay on top of your payments, which will raise your credit. You should always beware of holding a high balance for too long because these types of cards traditionally have a higher interest rate.

  • Don't let your cards get dusty. Whether you have older cards, or are just getting started with credit, use your cards so that your accounts stay active. But, be sure to pay them off in one or two payments.

  • Pay on time. Delinquent payments drastically drop 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 with payment history, but it's the surest way to show that you're responsible enough to make payments to a bank.

Now that you know more about credit reporting, you'll be able to successfully take the first steps to homeownership, and that is improving your FICO score. Know that when you're ready to apply for a loan to purchase a house, you'll want to keep your credit inquiries within a two-week window to avoid damaging your credit score. With the help of Partnership Properties, shopping for a mortgage is sure to go more smoothly so you, too, can achieve home ownership. 

Learn more:

Learn more about FICO scores at myFICO.com, Fair Isaac's informational site and once per year, for free, you can review all three of your credit reports 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.