This post explains what FICO is, how a FICO score is calculated and what the implications are for homebuyers.
FICO stands for Fair Isaac & Company. Credit scores are reported by each of the three major credit bureaus: TRW (Experian), Equifax, and Trans-Union. The credit score does not come up exactly the same with each credit bureau because the bureaus each place a slightly different emphasis on different items. The credit score itself can range from 300 to 900. The formula for exactly how the credit score is calculated is proprietary information and owned by Fair Isaac. Here, however, is an approximate breakdown of how it is determined:
35 percent of the credit score is based on your payment history. This makes sense since one of the primary reasons a mortgage lender wants to see the score is to find out if (and how timely) you pay your bills. The credit score is affected by how many bills have been paid late, how many were sent out for collection, any bankruptcies, etc. When these things happened also comes into play. The more recent, the worse it will be for your overall credit score.
30 percent of the credit score is based on outstanding debt. How much do you owe on car or home loans? How many credit cards do you have that are at their credit limits? The more credit cards you have at their limits, the lower your score will be. The rule of thumb is to keep your card balances at 30% or less of their limits.
15 percent of the credit score is based on the length of time you've had credit. The longer you've had established credit, the better it is for your overall credit score. Why? Because more information about your past payment history gives a more accurate prediction of your future actions.
10percent of the credit score is based on the number of inquiries on your report. If you've applied for a lot of credit cards or loans, you will have a lot of inquiries on your credit report. These are bad for your credit score because they indicate that you may be in some kind of financial trouble or may be taking on a lot of debt even if you haven't used the cards or taken the loans. The more recent these inquiries are, the worse for your credit score. FICO scores only count inquiries from the past year.
10 percent of the credit score is based on the types of credit you currently have. The number of loans and available credit from credit cards you have make a difference. There is no magic number or combination of types of accounts that you shouldn't have. These actually come into play more if there isn't as much other information on your credit report on which to base the score.
The credit score is actually calculated using a "scorecard" where you receive points for certain things. Creditors and lenders who view your credit report do not get to see the scorecard, so they do not know exactly how your score was calculated. All that the creditors and lenders see are the final scores.
Basic guidelines on how to view the FICO scores vary a little from lender to lender. Usually, a score above 680 will require a very basic review of the entire loan package. Scores between 640 and 680 require more thorough underwriting. Once a score gets below 640, an underwriter will look at a loan application with a more cautious approach. Many lenders will not even consider a loan with a FICO score below 600, some as high as 620.
FICO Scores and Interest Rates
Credit scores can affect more than whether your loan gets approved or not. They can also affect how much you pay for your loan, too. Some lenders establish a "base price" and will reduce the points on a loan if the credit score is above a certain level. For example, one major national lender reduces the cost of a loan by a quarter point if the FICO score is greater than 725. If it is between 700 and 724, they will reduce the cost by one-eighth of a point. A point is equal to one percent of the loan amount.
There are other lenders who do it in reverse. They establish their base price, but instead of reducing the cost for good FICO scores, they "add on" costs for lower FICO scores. The results from either method would work out to be approximately the same interest rate. It is just that the second way "looks" better when you are quoting interest rates on a rate sheet or in an advertisement.
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