Your FICO Score

Raising Your FICO Score for Home Ownership


You might think that the home buying process starts with getting pre-approved by a lender or with choosing a real estate agent. In reality, the home buying process starts and ends with your finances. Without an above average FICO score, purchasing a house is more difficult and, you could find yourself renting longer than you expected in Rustburg until your score improves.

A FICO score is a review of your years of credit history based on an instrument developed by Fair Isaac and Company. Most people traditionally have a score of 650, but scores range from 300 to 850. Since we've experienced an economic downturn, however, some people have seen their score drop dramatically because of loss of employment, delinquent credit card accounts, or credit card accounts that were closed because they don't carry a balance. Some of the factors in determining your FICO score include:

  • Credit to Debt Ratio

    How much do you owe versus your available credit?

  • 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 months do you make late payments?


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 credit score gives lenders a view of what type of borrower you'll be solely because of your credit history. Because of the shift in the economy, most home buyers should have scores in the range of 740 or higher to get a decent interest rate. You'll still get approved for a mortgage loan with a lower score, but the interest accrued over time could be more than double that of someone with a near perfect credit score.

Improving your credit score is the best way to ease into owning a home. Call us at 434-326-5023 and we can help you get on the right track to the home of your dreams.

How do you get a higher score? Building your FICO score takes time. It can be difficult to make a large-scale change in your FICO score with small changes, but your score can improve in a year by monitoring your credit report and by using your credit wisely. The most important thing is to know your FICO score. You'll improve your credit score by using these tips:

  • 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 maxed out and have your remaining cards at a zero balance. It's better to have each of your cards at a lower balance than to have the bulk of your debt transferred to a single card.

  • Apply for service station cards or retail credit

    For those who have non-existent credit or less-than-stellar credit, department store credit cards and gas credit cards are ways to obtain credit, increase your spending limits and have a solid payment history, which will raise your FICO score. You must always beware of holding a high balance for more than a couple of months because these types of cards more than likely 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 so that your accounts stay active. But, be sure to pay them off in no more than two or three payments.

  • Pay on time

    Late payments kill your credit score. It's one of the reasons people who have recently experienced job loss see the biggest hit in their credit score. Yes, it takes longer to rebuild your credit this way, but it's the most reliable way to prove that you're responsible enough to make payments to a bank.

  • Correct your credit report

    If you discover mistakes on your credit report, write to the bureau asking that the item be removed. If you have a common name or the same name as a family member, you'll want to give extra care to make sure the activity reported is correct.

Knowing the methods you can use to improve your FICO score, you can move toward becoming a homeowner. Know that when it's time to apply for a loan to purchase a home, you'll want to keep your credit inquiries within a two-week window to avoid a negative mark on your credit score. With the help of Pro Tech Builder, the loan application 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.

We won't judge you based on your credit scores and can help you get back into home ownership with the right mortgage lender for you. E-mail us at Sale@ProTechBuilder.com or call 434-326-5023 for additional information.

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