Scoring your Credit - How's your FICO?

Since we live in an computer-driven society, it should come as no surprise that your ability to repay your mortgage loan comes down to just one number. Credit reporting agencies use your history of paying loans in order to create your FICO score.

The three reporting agencies use slightly different formulas to build a credit score. The original FICO model was developed by Fair Isaac and Company. Experian uses this model and calls its score FICO. Equifax's model, based on FICO, is called BEACON, while TransUnion, which also uses a slightly modified FICO, calls its score EMPIRICA. While the formulas vary, the differences aren't huge; each agency uses the following factors to build your credit score:

• Your Credit History - How many years have you had credit?
• Payment History - Have you paid more than 30 days late?
• Your Credit Card Balances - How many accounts do you hold, and how much do you owe on them?
• Requests for Credit - How many times have you had your credit checked for a loan?

These factors are weighted a little bit differently depending on which formula the agency uses. The result is one number. FICO scores can be as low as 300 and as high as 800. Higher is better. Most folks getting a mortgage loan have a score above 620.

Credit scores make a huge difference in interest rates

Did you know? FICO scores affect more than your ability to get a loan. They also affect your interest rate. Lenders give lower interest rates to individuals with higher scores.

Raising your FICO score

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot you can do to immediately improve your credit score. Some companies promise quick fixes, but they can't do anything different than what you can do — for free. (Of course you can and should have incorrect items removed from your credit report.)

Know your FICO score

Before you can improve your FICO score, you have to know your score and make sure that the credit reports from each credit reporting agency are correct. Fair Isaac, the corporation that invented the original FICO credit score, offers FICO scores on its website: myFICO.com. It's inexpensive, fast, and easy to get your credit score as well as credit reports from all three agencies. They also provide helpful information and online tools that help you analyze what actions might have the greatest impact on your FICO score.

You can get a federally-mandated free credit report once a year from the three major credit reporting agencies at AnnualCreditReport.com. While this report does not include a free credit score, the cost to "upgrade" your report to include a credit score is very reasonable.

Now that you have all the facts, you'll be a more informed consumer and you'll be better positioned to obtain the right mortgage for you.

Curious about credit scores? Give us a call: (707) 252-2700.