About the FICO Credit Score

Since we live in an computer-driven society, it should come as no surprise that your ability to repay your mortgage comes down to just one number. The FICO score is created by credit agencies. These agencies use the payment history of all of your loans: mortgages, car loans, credit cards, and the like.

Each of the three credit reporting agencies has its own formula for building your credit score. Fair Isaac and Cooriginally developed this score. . While Experian still calls its score "FICO", TransUnion calls its score "Beacon" and Equifax uses "Empirica." While the formulas vary, all of the agencies use the following to build your score:

• Credit History - How long have you had credit?
• Payment History - Do you have any payments later than 30 days?
• Balances on your Credit Cards - How many accounts do you hold, and how much do you owe?
• Requests for Credit - How many times have lenders pulled your credit for the purpose of lending you money?

These factors are assigned weights based on the formula being used. The results are added up and distilled into a single number. Credit scores can be as low as 300 and as high as 800. Higher is always better. Most home buyers have a score above 620.

Your credit score affects how much you pay in interest every month

Did you know? FICO scores affect more than your ability to get a loan. They also affect your interest rate. Higher scores indicate you are probably a better credit risk, and thus may qualify for a better mortgage rate.

Can I improve my credit 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 remove incorrect data on your credit report.)

How do I find out my credit score?

To raise your FICO score, you must obtain the credit reports that the agencies use to build it. Of course, you need the score as well. Fair Isaac, the corporation that invented the original FICO score, offers scores on its website: myFICO.com. It's inexpensive to quickly get your FICO from all three agencies, along with your credit report. They also provide information and tools that help you analyze what actions might have the greatest impact on your FICO score.

You can get a free credit report once a year from the three major agencies at AnnualCreditReport.com. You won't get a free credit score from AnnualCreditReport.com, but getting one is quick and inexpensive.

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

Curious about your FICO score? Give us a call: 3036509400.