Scoring Your Credit

You might think that the home buying process starts with getting pre-approved by a lender or with choosing a real estate agent. In reality, the home buying process starts and ends with your finances. Without an above average FICO score, entering into a loan for a house is harder and, you could find yourself renting longer than you expected in San Jose until your FICO score is acceptable.

A FICO score is a collection of your years of credit history based on a model developed by Fair Isaac and Company. Most people traditionally have a score of 650, but scores range from 300 to 850. Job loss has been common in the last few years, but FICO scores aren't necessarily adjusted "on a curve." A low score is a low score and that often means you can't get credit. Some of the factors in calculating your FICO score are:

• Credit Inquiries — Do you have too many open accounts?
• Types of Credit — Do you have a healthy mix of credit cards and loans?
• Payment History — How often do you make late payments?
• Credit to Debt Ratio — How much do you owe versus how much credit you have available?

In reviewing your credit history, you'll see that you actually have three reports. Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — three of the major credit reporting agencies — use a slightly different models to determine your credit rating. FICO is used by Experian. Equifax's model is called BEACON and TransUnion uses EMPIRICA. You have a credit score with each of the bureaus.

Lenders want to make sure that giving you a loan is a safe move. Your credit score gives lenders an insight into what type of borrower you'd be based solely on your credit history. Because of the shift in the economy, most home buyers should have scores in the range of 700 or higher to get an acceptable interest rate. If your score is lower, you can still qualify for a loan, but the interest accumulated in the long run could be more than double the amount of an individual with a stronger FICO score.

Getting your credit in order is the first step in owning a home. Call us at 4083208080 and we can help you get on the right track to the home of your dreams.

You want a better score, but how do you get there? Improving your FICO score takes time. It can be difficult to make a significant stride change in your number with quick fixes, but your score can improve in a few years 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 tips:

• Stay on top of payments. Delinquent payments drastically drop your credit score. It's where people who have recently experienced job loss see the biggest dip in their credit score. Yes, it takes longer to rebuild your credit with payment history, but it's the most reliable way to prove that you're able to make payments to a bank.
• Ensure that your credit history is correct. If you find mistakes 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 sound like a good idea. But, you steer clear of having 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 less than 40% of their credit limit than to have the bulk of your debt taking up the balance a single card.
• Department store cards and gas station cards. For those who have no credit or low credit, store credit cards and gas credit cards are ways to improve credit, increase your credit limits and stay on top of your payments, which will raise your FICO score. You must always avoid charging a large balance for more than a couple of billing cycles because these types of cards more than likely have a surprisingly high interest rate.
• Keep your cards in rotation. Whether you have older cards, or are just getting started with credit, use your cards to make sure your accounts stay active. But, be sure to pay them off in no more than two or three payments.

Knowing the methods you can use to build up 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 lender applications within a two-week window to avoid adverse effects on your credit score. With the help of Morgan Real Estate & Financial, Inc., shopping for a mortgage is sure to go more smoothly so you, too, can become a homeowner.

Learn more about FICO scores at 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.