Archive for Credit & Credit Reports
More and more people are talking about the importance of an excellent credit score, so if your credit score is low or just downright bad, there are proactive steps to take that will not only improve your credit score , but increase it enough to turn it into a good credit score.
- Check for accuracy. Remember that your credit report is based on information from the three credit reporting companies: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian and you can download a free report from each of them by accessing AnnualCreditReports.com (this is the site with the really annoying TV commercials). On each of the reports, make sure all credit accounts listed under your name belong to you and make sure that all balances and payment histories are correct. Immediately contact-in writing – the reporting company and the information provider if you see inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Lower your debt ratio. When using credit cards or other credit lines, keep your balances low rather than maxing the line out. If your credit card balances are high, pay them down or pay them off to bring the outstanding debt ratio down. Use some of your savings, apply extra payments each month, or get a second job to lower your debt ratio. As you lower your debt ratio, you’ll see your credit score gradually improve.
- Make your payments on time. Always make sure that your payments reach your creditors on or before the due date. Making your payments on time is the number one way to increase or improve your credit score. As you continuously do this you’ll gradually see your credit score increase.
- Keep accounts open. Many New Yorkers think if they close credit accounts they’re not using their credit scores will automatically improve. The opposite is true. One of the factors used to calculate your credit score is the longevity of your relationship with your creditors. If you have a credit card or home equity line of credit that you’re not using, the longer you have the relationship established with the creditor, the more of a boost it can give to your credit score. Closing long-term accounts can cause a decrease in your score so only close credit accounts if absolutely necessary.
If you have a low credit score (a score of 760 or higher is considered high by co-op and condo mortgage lenders) or bad credit, use one or all three of these steps to transform your bad credit into good credit. It’ll increase your chance of getting loan approval—helping you to achieve your goal of being a New York City condo or co-op owner.
Hey, New York, Knowing Your Credit Score is Important to Your Financial Health
Posted by: | Comments
Graph: myFICO.com
Your credit score plays the starring role in whether or not you qualify for almost any loan, mortgage or consumer credit you apply for. Other factors are taken into consideration when you’re applying but your credit score is one of the most important factors—especially in current hard economic times when lending requirements are stricter than ever.
Did you know, for example, that when you apply for a mortgage to finance a NYC co-op or condo, to get the best rate, lenders today are requiring your score is at least 760? This means that if your credit score isn’t this high, it may hold you back from your dream of being the owner of a Manhattan condo or co-op. Low credit scores can also mean higher interest rates or less favorable lending terms than applicants with high credit scores.
What affects your credit score
There are several factors that go into the calculation of your credit score . While each factor is weighted differently, payment history, the amount of debt you have, the length of credit history, the variety of credit, as well as how much new credit you’ve established are all used to calculate your score. Since higher interest rates on an approved loan or getting turned down for the loan completely are outcomes directly related to low credit scores, it is important to check your credit report and score for accuracy and to keep your credit score as high as possible.
Resources for monitoring your score
Since your credit score is so important to almost any lending decision, you need to monitor it and be aware of anything on your credit report that may bring it down. You should pull your credit report and credit score at least twice a year. There are a number of resources available to pull your credit score and/or full credit report.
Check out Credit Karma to receive your free credit score. To supplement that, get your free full credit reports from FreeCreditReport.com. This site accesses the three credit reporting agencies TransUnion , Experian and Equifax Almost as annoying as the AnnualCreditReport.com commercials, is the fact that you will have to pay each of them to receive your score!
