A Score that Really Matters: The Credit Score

Before lenders make the decision to give you a loan, they need to know that you're willing and able to pay back that mortgage loan. To understand your ability to pay back the loan, they look at your income and debt ratio. To assess your willingness to repay, they use your credit score.

The most widely used credit scores are FICO scores, which Fair Isaac & Company, a financial analytics agency, developed. Your FICO score ranges from 350 (high risk) to 850 (low risk). You can learn more on FICO here.

Your credit score comes from your history of repayment. They don't consider income or personal characteristics. These scores were invented specifically for this reason. Credit scoring was envisioned as a way to assess willingness to repay the loan while specifically excluding other irrelevant factors.

Past delinquencies, derogatory payment behavior, debt level, length of credit history, types of credit and the number of credit inquiries are all considered in credit scores. Your score is calculated from both the good and the bad of your credit report. Late payments count against you, but a consistent record of paying on time will improve it.

Your credit report should have 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 payment history ensures that there is enough information in your credit to calculate a score. Some borrowers don't have a long enough credit history to get a credit score. They may need to build up credit history before they apply.

Debbie Oliver NMLS License #248252, America's First Choice Mortgage, NMLS License #279234 can answer questions about credit reports and many others. Give us a call: 2146635355.