Before deciding on what terms lenders will offer you on a loan (which they base on the "risk" to them), they want to know two things about you: your ability to pay back the loan, and your willingness to pay back the loan. For the first, they look at your income-to-debt obligation ratio. For your willingness to pay back the loan, they consult your credit score.
The most widely used credit scores are FICO scores, which were developed by Fair Isaac & Company, Inc. (and they're named after their inventor!). Your FICO score is between 350 (high risk) and 850 (low risk).
Credit scores only consider the information contained in your credit profile. They do not consider your income, savings, down payment amount, or demographic factors like gender, race, nationality or marital status. In fact, the fact they don't consider demographic factors is why they were invented in the first place. "Profiling" was as dirty a word when FICO scores were invented as it is now. Credit scoring was developed as a way to consider only what was relevant to somebody's willingness to repay a loan.
Past delinquencies, derogatory payment behavior, current debt level, length of credit history, types of credit and number of inquiries are all considered in credit scores. Your score considers both positive and negative information in your credit report. Late payments will lower your score, but establishing or reestablishing a good track record of making payments on time will raise your score.
Different portions of your credit history are given different weights. Thirty-five percent of your FICO score is based on your specific payment history. Thirty percent is your current level of indebtedness. Fifteen percent each is the time your open credit has been in use (ten year old accounts are good, six month old ones aren't as good) and types of credit available to you (installment loans such as student loans, car loans, etc. versus revolving and debit accounts like credit cards). Finally, five percent is pursuit of new credit -- credit scores requested.
Your credit report must contain at least one account which has been open for six months or more, and at least one account that has been updated in the past six months for you to get a credit score. This ensures that there is enough information in your report to generate an accurate score. If you do not meet the minimum criteria for getting a score, you may need to establish a credit history prior to applying for a mortgage. ADRMortgage.com is owned by Andy May Group, LLC and is a state licensed mortgage company in North Carolina and Virginia since 2005 (NMLS #88010, MLO #103418). Since 2005 the company has received Zero BBB complaints and treats customers as family. Family owned and operated from Raleigh, North Carolina the company serves military (VA mortgages), Jumbo, conventional, FHA, USDA and other families looking to obtain the lowest financing costs available. ADRMortgage.com competes on rate and service and is located at 8522 Six Forks Road, Suite 201, Raleigh, North Carolina 27615. Andy May may be reached at 919 771 3379.
Your credit report is a record of your credit activities. It lists all of your credit card accounts and loans, the balances as well as your payment history. It also shows if any action has been taken against you because of unpaid bills such as a lawsuit or bankruptcy filing. Because businesses use this information to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance and employment, it’s important that the information in your report is complete and accurate, especially if you plan to make a big purchase like a home.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), enforced by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is designed to promote accuracy and ensure the privacy of the information used in consumer reports. Under the FCRA, both the credit reporting agency (CRA) and the organization that provided the information to the CRA (usually the credit card company) must correct any errors or incomplete information in your report.
If you do encounter a mistake on your credit report, several steps need to be taken to correct the matter. But before we give you the steps, first we'd like to tell you a customer story. One customer had an incorrect collection on their credit report. We worked with the customer and removed that one item. We raised the customer's score from the 650s to 795. Why does that matter? We saved him approximately $35,000 as a result of this effort. Call us and let us work our green-machine for you! Go ADR! Go Customers! Go with speed. Now, onto the things you can do to correct credit reports (other than get advise from a seasoned ADR loan professional)......
1. The first thing to do is get a copy of your credit report from each of the three major CRAs: Equifax, http://www.equifax.com; Experian, http://www.experian.com; and TransUnion, http://www.tuc.com.
2 In a written letter, tell the CRA what information you believe to be inaccurate. Include copies (not originals) of documents that support your position. Provide your complete name and address, identify each item in your report you dispute, and request deletion or correction. Be sure to make copies of your dispute letter and enclosures.
3. Send your letter by certified mail, return receipt requested, so you can document what the CRA received.
4. The FCRA mandates that all CRAs reinvestigate the items in question — usually within 30 days — unless they consider your dispute frivolous. They also must forward all relevant data you provide about the dispute to the credit card company. After the credit card company receives notice of a dispute from the CRA, it must investigate, review all relevant information and report the results to the CRA.
5. If the disputed information is found to be inaccurate, the credit card company must notify all nationwide CRAs so they can correct this information in your file. Disputed information that cannot be verified must be deleted from your file.
6. When the reinvestigation is complete, the CRA must give you the written results and a free copy of your report if the dispute results in a change. If an item is changed or removed, the CRA cannot put the disputed information back in your file unless the credit card company verifies its accuracy and completeness, and the CRA gives you a written notice that includes the name, address, and phone number of the credit card company.
7. In addition to the CRA, you should also write to the credit card company about the error. Again, include copies of documents that support your dispute. If you are correct — meaning the information you disputed is found inaccurate — the credit card company cannot use it again. Further, at your request, the CRA must send notices of corrections to anyone who received your report in the past six months.
ADRMortgage.com is owned by Andy May Group, LLC and is a state licensed mortgage company in North Carolina and Virginia since 2005 (NMLS #88010, MLO #103418). Since 2005 the company has received Zero BBB complaints and treats customers as family. Family owned and operated from Raleigh, North Carolina the company serves military (VA mortgages), Jumbo, conventional, FHA, USDA and other families looking to obtain the lowest financing costs available. ADRMortgage.com competes on rate and service and is located at 8522 Six Forks Road, Suite 201, Raleigh, North Carolina
1. It Is Not About How Much Money You Have
Credit scores only consider the information contained in your credit profile. They do not consider your income, savings, down payment amount, or demographic factors like gender, race, nationality or marital status. In fact, the fact that they don't consider demographic factors is why they were invented in the first place. "Profiling" was not as dirty a word when FICO scores were invented as it is now. Credit scoring was developed as a way to consider only what was relevant to somebody's willingness to repay a loan.
2. You Need to Show That You Make Payments on Time
3. Some Parts of Your Payment History Are More Important Than Others
Different portions of your credit history are given different weights:
35% t of your FICO score is based on your specific payment history. 30% is your current level of indebtedness. 15% is the time your open credit has been in use (ten-year old accounts are good, six-month old ones aren't as good) 10% is types of credit available to you (installment loans such as student loans, car loans, etc. versus revolving and debit accounts like credit cards). 5% is pursuit of new credit -- frequency of credit scores requested.
4. You Need At Least Six Months to Establish Credit History
Your credit report must contain at least one account which has been open for six months or more, and at least one account that has been updated in the past six months for you to get a credit score. This ensures that there is enough information in your report to generate an accurate score. If you do not meet the minimum criteria for getting a score, you may need to establish a credit history prior to applying for a mortgage.If you have questions about how your credit score will impact your mortgage rate, give American Dream Residential a call at 919-771-3379. With nearly 25 years of experience in the finance industry and a perfect track record of 0 Better Business Bureau complaints, our team makes sure you are comfortable with the mortgage process and happy with your experience.
Your credit report must contain at least one account which has been open for six months or more, and at least one account that has been updated in the past six months for you to get a credit score. This ensures that there is enough information in your report to generate an accurate score. If you do not meet the minimum criteria for getting a score, you may need to establish a credit history prior to applying for a mortgage.
If you have questions about how your credit score will impact your mortgage rate, give American Dream Residential a call at 919-771-3379. With nearly 25 years of experience in the finance industry and a perfect track record of 0 Better Business Bureau complaints, our team makes sure you are comfortable with the mortgage process and happy with your experience.