Tips on Improving Your FICO Score for Home Buying

Choosing a lender isn't the first step in becoming a homeowner. The quality of your wallet begins the home buying process. Saving your money for a down payment is a good idea, but if you lack a strong credit score to reinforce it, you could find yourself renting longer than you expected in Dublin, California until your score improves.

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. Even though more people these days are experiencing job loss and delinquent credit cards, 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 extended to you via a mortgage loan. Some of the pieces in reviewing your FICO score include:

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

When you apply for a mortgage or any other loan, lenders want to make sure that extending a loan to you isn't a risk. Your credit score gives lenders a view of what type of borrower you are solely because of your credit history. You'll need a score of at least 740 to get a decent interest rate. You can qualify for a mortgage loan with a lower score, but the interest paid in the long run could be more than double that of someone having a higher FICO score.

We're used to working with all tiers of FICO scores. Contact us and we can help you get on the right track to the home of your dreams.

How do you boost your credit score? Building your FICO score takes time. It can be difficult to make a significant change in your FICO score with quick fixes, but your score can improve in a year or two by keeping tabs 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 helpful hints:

• Ensure that your credit history is correct. If you discover mistakes 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 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 maxed out and have your remaining cards at a zero balance. It's better to have each of your cards at an even balance than to have all of your debt transferred to one card.
• Apply for gas cards or retail credit. For those who have non-existent credit or less-than-stellar 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 FICO score. You must always avoid maintaining a large balance for more than a couple of billing cycles because these types of cards traditionally have a higher interest rate.
• Keep your cards in rotation. Whether you're just getting started with credit, or if you've got older cards, use your cards to make sure your accounts stay active. But, make sure you pay them off in no more than two or three payments.
• Stay on top of payments. Your credit score plummets with each account that goes to collections. It's where people who have recently been unemployed see the biggest dip in their credit score. Yes, it takes longer to restore your credit with payment history, but it's the most reliable way to prove that you're responsible enough to make payments to a lender.

Now that you're more informed about credit reporting, you'll be able to successfully take the first step in owning a home, and that is improving your FICO score. Keep in mind that when it's time 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 Provident Realty Group, shopping for a mortgage can be a stress-free experience so you, too, can become a homeowner.

To learn more, visit myFICO.com, Fair Isaac's informational site and review your credit history for free 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.