Understanding Your Credit Score
What factors determine your FICO credit score?
- Payment history accounts for 35% of your credit score
- Credit utilization ratio accounts for 30% of your credit score
- Length of credit history accounts for 15% of your credit score
- Credit mix accounts for 10% of your credit score
- New credit accounts for 10% of your credit score
Why is a higher credit score beneficial when applying for a mortgage?
- A higher credit score can result in lower interest rates and lower monthly payments
- A higher credit score can increase your borrowing power and improve housing affordability
- A higher credit score can positively impact your ability to successfully obtain a mortgage loan
Checking and Correcting Your Credit Report
Check your credit reports and scores
- Get a copy of your credit report from each major credit bureau (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) through AnnualCreditReport.com
- Review your credit reports to see which factors are impacting your score
- Dispute any inaccurate or unfair information on your credit reports with the relevant credit bureau
Dispute negative information
- You have the right to challenge errors on your credit report under the FCRA
- Disputing errors can take months, but it’s an important step in credit repair
- Use free dispute letter templates from the CFPB to help you manage the process
The importance of correcting false information
- Correcting inaccurate information in your credit report is essential, especially for younger adults who are more susceptible to financial fraud
- Providing context for isolated events, such as bankruptcy resulting from a divorce, can help clarify your financial situation and reassure lenders
Building a Good Credit History
Make on-time payments
- Making on-time monthly payments is an important component of building excellent credit
- Set up automatic payments through your lender or financial institution
- Pay the minimum payment stated on your bill to avoid late payments
Pay down credit card debt
- Paying down credit card debt can improve your credit utilization ratio
- Apply your tax refund to pay down debt
- Consider replacing credit card balances with a personal loan
Improve your debt-to-income ratio
- Paying down debt can improve your debt-to-income ratio
- Calculate your DTI by adding up your expenses and dividing it by your gross monthly income
- Lenders prefer a DTI of 43% or lower
Managing Credit Accounts
Keep your balances low
- Using credit cards responsibly can help build your credit
- Keep all your credit cards below 30% of their available limit
- Avoid spending up to your credit limit to hurt your score
Avoid opening new accounts
- Avoid applying for new credit accounts in a single month
- Choose merchants that are more likely to approve you
- Avoid opening new accounts in the months leading up to your mortgage application
Avoid closing accounts before applying for a loan
- Keeping old accounts open can help your credit score
- Make a small purchase from time to time to keep accounts active
- Avoid closing accounts prior to applying for a mortgage loan
Reducing Debt
Pay off loans with low balances
- Pay off loans or credit cards with relatively low balances to lower your DTI
- Ask the lender to exclude the payment from your DTI without needing to pay it off if you have an installment loan with 10 or fewer payments left
Use the debt snowball method
- Use the debt snowball method to accelerate your debt payoff by making the minimum payment on all debts except for the one with the lowest balance
- Apply extra payments to the account with the lowest balance and then move on to the next lowest balance once it’s paid off
Pay down credit card balances
- Paying down credit card balances can help you eliminate smaller balances quickly
- Consider using the debt snowball method to pay off credit card debt
Mortgage Credit Score Requirements
What credit score do you need to get the best mortgage rate?
- Exceptional: 800-850, Very good: 740-799, Good: 670-739, Fair: 580-669, Poor: 300-579
- A score of 670 or higher is considered good, and lenders may offer better loan terms
How mortgage lenders use credit scores
- Credit scores range from 300 to 850 and can affect mortgage qualification and interest rates
- Lenders use credit scores to evaluate your creditworthiness and determine the interest rate you’ll qualify for
Practical Steps to Improve Your Credit Score
Become an authorized user
- Becoming an authorized user can help you build credit and raise your score
- Ask a family member or friend with excellent credit to add you to their account
- Be aware that becoming an authorized user can also negatively impact your credit ranking
Ask your mortgage lender about a rapid rescore
- Rapid rescoring can issue a new credit score in a matter of days
- Only your mortgage lender can get rapid rescoring services
- Use rapid rescoring to correct errors and improve your credit score quickly
Diversifying credit accounts
- Maintaining a diverse credit mix is crucial for a healthy credit score
- Secured loans, carried for an extended period, demonstrate your ability to manage credit responsibly
- A secured loan is backed by collateral, such as a mortgage or auto loan
Common Credit Score Challenges
Low credit, low income, or high debt
- If you have low credit, low income, or high debt, you may face challenges when applying for a mortgage
- Consider working with a credit counselor or financial advisor to improve your credit score
Non-traditional employment or income
- If you have non-traditional employment or income, you may face challenges when applying for a mortgage
- Consider providing additional documentation to support your income and employment history
Additional Resources
FAQ
- What is a credit score?
- How is my credit score calculated?
- What can I do to improve my credit score?
Article sources
- We use primary sources to support our work
- Bankrate’s authors, reporters, and editors are subject-matter experts who thoroughly fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is accurate, timely, and relevant
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