Do you know how to get your "real" credit score online?

By
Mortgage and Lending with Willow Bend Mortgage NMLS# 181033

 

It's been some time since I've posted on this topic, but felt the need to really re-visit this.

Many lenders are raising their minimum FICO scores to 640, almost across the board for all loan programs.  It is important for borrowers to know their real FICO score. There are several lenders will still do loans for borrowers down to 620, including myself.  If you see any offers below 620, expect a high level of scrutiny on your borrower's credit history, stability of income, employment history, rental history, and much more.

Below is the text from my original post: Getting your "real" credit score online

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As a mortgage lender, I don't know how many times I've had clients tell me what they thought was their credit score, only to find out differently when they applied with me.

"Why is that?" one might ask.  I too have asked the same question before, so I did some research and what I found out astounded me. 

Most of the websites you see advertised on TV or top your Google search results offer you a "free" credit report and your "free" credit scores if you sign up for their trial offer for monthly credit monitoring.

What they don't explain very well is that the credit score they give you isn't the same score the lenders get with we pull it.  This is because most lenders use the FICO© Score provided by Fair Isaac.  There are actually three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union) and each of them have a FICO© Score with different names. 

What has happened is that each of these agencies have also developed their own credit score models with names like PLUS score, and Vantage Score.  These have been developed so that they don't have to pay Fair Isaac for pulling each score.  These other types of scores good indicators of how your credit is, but is not your real FICO© score. 

When applying for any loan, especially a mortgage, knowing your true FICO© score is imperative.  MyFICO.com is a website that delivers some of the same great services these other sites offer such as credit monitoring, score tracking and identity theft protection.  More importantly, they can provide you with your true FICO© score.  It isn't a "free" score, but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for.

Click here or click on the link below to try it out and know what your true FICO© Score is and you can get a FREE 10-day trial of their services.

http://www.MortgagesCanBeSimple.com/FreeFICO

**This link re-directs you through an affiliate link to MyFico.com**

 

 

 

Comments (10)

Steve, Joel & Steve A. Chain
Chain Real Estate Investments & Mortgage, Steve & Joel Chain - Cottonwood, CA

Brandon,

Great information; It's one of those confusing details that many consumers can benefit from knowing.

Have a great week!

Steve

Oct 24, 2010 05:19 PM
Michael C. Price
Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Ann Arbor-Real Estate Strategist

Great Post. This is so important since so many people are mis-informed about credit scores.

Oct 24, 2010 05:19 PM
Fred Griffin Tallahassee Real Estate
Fred Griffin Real Estate - Tallahassee, FL
Licensed Florida Real Estate Broker

Thank you, Brandon.

The credit score typically offered to consumers by the Big Three is NOT what you Lenders are going to see.  MyFICO is the place to go.

Suggested!

Oct 24, 2010 05:20 PM
P.J. Virgilio Jr., Realtor 408-568-6578 Selling homes in the Greater San Jose area and South through San Martin, Gilroy
Keller Williams Realty Silicon Valley - Gilroy, CA
San Juan Bautista and Hollister as well!

Brandon,

It will always be a mystery to me as to why people do what they do and beleive anyone but a professional when it comes to RE and Mortgage. Great post!

Oct 24, 2010 05:29 PM
Anonymous
Anonymous

THanks for the information Brandon!  I thought they pulled all three scores and then used the middle one (not averaging).

 

Oct 24, 2010 05:43 PM
#5
Maureen Fukumoto
Help-U-Sell Realty Pro - Mililani, HI
Maureen

Good info, Thanks Brandon.  I'll pass it on to my clients.

Oct 24, 2010 06:17 PM
Brandon Snider
Willow Bend Mortgage - Cullman, AL
Your Lender for Life

Steve & Michael: So true, most consumers don't know this.  With the FACT Act passing, this was supposed to bring this information right to the consumer, but all it did was confuse them even more.

Fred: Agreed!

Patrick: I couldn't have said it better myself.

To the person who posted about the middle score vs. averaging.  You are correct.  For mortgage lenders, we'll pull all three FICO scores from each of the three major credit bureaus.  We then use the middle score for the representative score.

Oct 25, 2010 05:58 AM
Robert Laird
Laird Realty & Investments - Apache Junction, AZ
Robert Laird, Laird Realty & Investments

Brandon-  Very important information that we Realtors can pass on to our clients.

Oct 25, 2010 02:55 PM
Brandon Snider
Willow Bend Mortgage - Cullman, AL
Your Lender for Life

Thanks Robert!  I'm hoping this was useful info to pass along.

Oct 27, 2010 07:47 AM
Dave Sullivan
Real Estate One - Birmingham, MI
Michigan Realtor with an investor viewpoint

Thanks for the information I think Credit Scoring will be with us for a long time.  check out a free website about credit scoring by a 20 + year FICO professional at www.thecreditguy.tv

Jan 24, 2012 01:22 AM

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