First-Time Buyer's Guide to Better Credit

Choosing a lender isn't the first step in becoming a homeowner. The content of your wallet starts the home buying process. Without an acceptable FICO score, purchasing a house is more difficult and, you could end up renting longer than you expected in Lake Wales, Florida until your score improves.

A FICO score is a review of your years of credit history based on a model developed by Fair Isaac and Company. The score ranges from 300 to 850, with the majority of people traditionally having a score of 650. 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 just that and often means you can't get a loan. Some of the factors in determining your FICO score are:

• 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?
• Types of Credit — Do you have a healthy mix of credit cards and loans?
• Payment History — How many late payments have you made?

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 FICO score gives lenders an insight into what type of borrower you are solely because of your credit history. You'll need a score of at least 740 to get a acceptable interest rate. You'll still get approved for a loan with a lower score, but the interest paid over the life of the loan could be more than double that of an individual with a superior credit score.

How do you get a better score? Improving your FICO score takes time. It can be rare to make a significant change in your FICO score with quick fixes, but your score can improve in a few years by keeping tabs your credit report and by using your credit wisely. The best way to do this is to know your FICO score. You'll improve your credit score by using these helpful hints:

• Keep up with payments. Your credit score plummets with each account that goes to collections. It's one of the reasons people who have recently experienced job loss see the biggest dip in their credit score. Yes, it takes longer to restore your credit this way, but it's the surest way to show that you're able to make payments to a bank.
• Correct your credit report. If you discover incorrect items 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.
• Spread your debt around. At first, this doesn't sound like a good idea. But, you don't want to have one card that is at the maximum and have your remaining cards at a zero balance. It's better to have each of your cards at about 20% of their credit limit than to have the most of your debt sitting on one card.
• Apply for gas station cards or chain store credit. For those who have no credit or low credit, chain store credit cards and gas credit cards are ways to start your credit history, increase your spending limits and keep up your payments, which will raise your FICO score. You should always avoid maintaining a high balance for more than a couple of months because these types of cards traditionally have a higher interest rate.
• Don't let your cards get dusty. Whether you're just getting started with credit, or if you've got older cards, be sure to use your cards to make sure your accounts stay active. But, be sure to pay them off in one or two payments.

Knowing the ways you can improve your FICO score, you're one step closer to becoming a homeowner. Know that when you're ready to apply for a loan to purchase a house, you'll want to keep your applications within a two-week window to avoid a negative mark on your credit score. With the help of Heidi Gravel, the loan process is sure to go more smoothly so you, too, can become a homeowner.

Learn more about FICO scores at www.myFICO.com, Fair Isaac's informational site and review your credit history for free at www.annualcreditreport.com. And, for a small payment, you can get your FICO score from each bureau on their websites: www.equifax.com, www.experian.com and www.transunion.com.