When you apply for a mortgage many people either aren't told what their credit score is or are told this is your score and this is what I can offer you. When ever your credit is pulled for any reason you are entitled to a free copy of that report. The advantage when applying for a mortgage is you can actually repair yourr credit for free at this time! About 75% of all credit reports have some sort of errors on them that reflect in your score. Once you receive your copy of the credit report, scan it for any errors. Some of the most common errors are made in the case of jrs., srs., III, etc. This is due to the names being the same. Some other things to look at are items that have been paid, items that were included in a bankruptcy, late payment histories, home addresses, aliases, etc. All of these items reflect in your score. After finding errors most think you have to begin writing countless letters to the three reporting bureaus. Although when applying for a mortgage you can simply call the bureau who is reporting the incorrect information and ask specifically for the "mortgage pending " dept. Sometimes you will have to hang up and call back in order to speak to someone who is aware of this dept. Once you reach them they will ask for verification of who they are talking to. Let them know that you are in the process of getting a mortgage and that time is of the essence. I have had them ask for the lenders name before to verify this. Once you submit the information to them or notify them of the errors, it usually takes approximately 18-25 days for it to reflect on your score. No more writing and waiting 60-90 days. I have had scores jump up to 45 points in as little as 3 weeks! This makes a difference between 85-90% financing, compared to 100% financing. Also a difference in rate. Why pay 8.5% on $100,000.00 when you could be paying 7% by fixing your own credit in about 30 minutes? This alone is a savings of $100 per month over 30 years! This is just one secret many people don't want get out.