FICO - The First Step to Home Ownership

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 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 Missouri City.

The Fair Isaac Company calculates your FICO score on the summary of your total credit history. The score ranges from 300 to 850, with most people normally having a score of 600. In recent years, however, some people have seen their score lowered as a result of job loss, delinquent credit card accounts, or credit card accounts that were closed because they don't carry a balance. Some of the factors in summing up your FICO score are:

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

When you pull your credit report, you'll discover that you actually have three reports. Experian, Equifax and TransUnion — three of the major credit reporting agencies — use a slightly different systems to determine your credit rating. FICO is used by Experian. Equifax's model is called BEACON and TransUnion uses EMPIRICA. As a result, you have three scores, one for each scoring model.

When you apply for a mortgage or any other loan, lenders want to make sure that extending a loan to you isn't a problem. Your credit score gives lenders an insight into what type of borrower you'd be based solely on your credit history. You'll need a score of at least 700 to get a satisfactory interest rate. You can qualify for a mortgage loan with a lower score, but the interest accrued over the life of the loan could be more than double the amount of an individual having a better credit score.

Improving your FICO is the first step in owning a home. Call us at 7139090599 and we can help you get on the right track to the home of your dreams.

You want an improved score, but how do you get there? Building your FICO score takes time. It can be hard to make a large-scale change in your number with small changes, but your score can improve in a few years by keeping tabs your credit report and by using credit extended to you to raise your score, instead of ruin it. The most important thing is to know your FICO score. Here are some ways you can improve your credit score:

• Don't let your cards get dusty. 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, be sure to pay them off in no more than two or three payments.
• Pay on time. How often you're late with payments greatly affects your credit score. It's one of the reasons people who have recently been unemployed 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 responsible enough to make payments to a bank.
• Ensure that your credit history is correct. If you discover incorrect items on your credit report, write to 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.
• Spread your debt around. 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.
• Apply for gas station cards or department store credit. For those who have non-existent credit or less-than-stellar credit, department store credit cards and gas credit cards are ways to start your credit history, increase your credit limits and have a solid payment history, which will raise your credit. You must always beware of maintaining a high balance for more than a couple of months because these types of cards normally have a surprisingly high interest rate.

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. Keep in mind that when you're ready to apply for a loan to purchase a home, 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 New Home Guide Texas, the loan application process is sure to go more smoothly so you, too, can achieve home ownership.

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.