Good Credit -- Essential for the Prospective Home Buyer
Credit is a funny thing. It can be a useful tool in the hands of an informed individual, or a weight of burden to the unsuspecting. One thing is for certain, you must have a decent credit score to attain a quality mortgage loan.
We speak to hundreds of individuals each month that are in the market to buy property. Unfortunately, many of them have less than desirable credit scores, and because of this, are not able to get prequalified for a loan.
There are numerous reasons for bad credit scores: bankruptcies, late payments, large credit balances, and a host of others. There are many legitimate reasons a person may have bad credit, but frankly, most of the people we talk to have simply made poor financial decisions.
In most cases, bad credit can be easily avoided:
1. On revolving credit card balances, make sure you pay your minimum balance each month. You will even receive a slight credit boost if you pay over your minimum amount, so do it if you can.
2. Avoid "maxing" out credit card accounts. Credit cards are good to have to build your credit, but make sure you keep your spending under control. Preferably, you should be able to pay off any CC balances completely in the same month you spent the money.
3. If you need to make any big purchases, avoid the temptation to place the entire purchase on your credit card. Instead, put money aside each month until you have enough for the purchase. Remember, just because you have a big spending limit on your cards, doesn't make it your money! You have to pay every penny back plus interest!
4. Try to think of a credit card as a tool for building credit as opposed to a tool for buying the things you want. You spend a small amount each month, and pay it off immediately. This will spike your credit score, and keep you out of CC debt.
5. Make sure to pull your credit rating at least twice a year. This will give you a good feel for what your score is, and most credit score reporting services will give you a detailed explanation for why your score is where it is. If you find any errors, make sure you report and resolve them immediately. It can be long and gruesome work to get a negative mark removed from your credit record, but it can be well worth it when it comes time to buy a house.
I hope some of these tips will be helpful for you as you try to be a good steward of your finances.
You may also want to check out these free resources:
www.FamilyCredit.org
www.DebtFreeChristian.org
Justin Smith is the President of the Christian Real Estate Network - http://www.HisMove.com
Latest News
![]() BBC News | Credit Suisse plans 5300 job cuts after $2.5 bln loss MarketWatch - By Simon Kennedy, MarketWatch LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Credit Suisse said Thursday that it will cut roughly 5300, or 11%, of its jobs after posting a loss of ... Credit Suisse to Eliminate 5300 Jobs After Losses This Quarter Credit Suisse to cut 5300 jobs Credit Suisse cutting 5300 jobs after loss |
![]() Hürriyet | Investment-Grade Credit Risk Index Rises to Record in Europe Bloomberg - Credit-default swaps on the Markit iTraxx Europe index of 125 companies with investment-grade ratings climbed as much as 7 basis points, and was 5 higher at ... Credit-default swaps soar Credit insurance costs soar to new high Corporate Debt Protection Costs Climb Amid Depression Concern |
Washington Times | SEC Approves New Credit-Rating Rules Wall Street Journal - "The big three credit-rating firms have failed investors' and played a significant role in the current financial meltdown, said SEC Commissioner Kathleen ... SEC strengthens credit rating agency rules US SEC strengthens credit rating agency rules SEC to Finalize Credit Rating Rules |
Avnet, Inc. to Present at Credit Suisse 2008 Annual Technology ... MarketWatch - chairman and chief executive officer Roy Vallee will present at Credit Suisse's 2008 Annual Technology Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona this morning at ... Brooks Automation to Present At the Credit Suisse Annual ... Microchip Technology to Present at the Credit Suisse Annual ... |
OpenClose, MeridianLink Partner to Provide Complete Credit ... MarketWatch - MeridianLink and OpenClose will enable brokers and wholesale lenders to request and access credit information from any Internet connection and deliver ... |
Bad Credit on the Rise: 110 Million Americans Now Affected ... MarketWatch - NASHVILLE, Tenn., Dec 04, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The number of consumers with bad credit has risen sharply since 2007, with more than 110 million in the US ... |
Williams-Sonoma amends its credit agreement CNNMoney.com - NEW YORK (Associated Press) - Home-decor retailer Williams-Sonoma Inc. said Thursday it amended a credit agreement and a commercial letter of credit ... |
Nonbank Firms Like Avis Seek to Broaden US Relief on Credit Wall Street Journal - By JESSICA HOLZER WASHINGTON -- Commercial and industrial companies are clamoring for more federal action to unlock credit markets, saying that moves to ... Fed extends key credit programs through April 30 Fed lengthens lives of key credit programs Business Highlights |
Photronics Amends $155 Million Revolving Credit Agreement and ... MarketWatch - Under the amendment, the Company has through December 12, 2008 to finalize revised terms and conditions of the credit agreement. The Company also announced ... |
Egypt's EDB Bank gets $20 mln credit line Reuters - CAIRO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Abu Dhabi's Arab Trade Financing Programme has extended a $20 million line of credit to Egypt's Export Development Bank EXPA. ... |
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