Special offer

How To Keep Your Credit Score Looking Good

By
Mortgage and Lending with Strategic Mortgage NMLS#160440

A good credit score is paramount to obtaining a home loan or any type of financing in general.

The higher your credit score, the better your potential interest rate and terms will be, whether you are applying for a home loan, a consumer loan or a credit card.

 

There is often times conflicting information when it comes to your credit score and how it is determined. However, there are some key factors that help determine your score, which we will discuss in this article.

 

Furthermore, we will also provide some tips on how to best monitor and improve your credit score as well.

 

We do however know the factors that affect your credit score. Therefore, this article will attempt to help you to get it right when it comes to either maintaining or increasing your credit scores.

 

Monitor Your Credit Report

 

The first thing you need to do, is to monitor your credit report and at the very least, take an annual review of what is appearing on your credit report.

There are many monitoring services available for a free, but one free way to do this, is to go to: https://www.annualcreditreport.com and pull all three of your credit bureau reports on an annual basis. If you see anything inaccurate on the reports, you can then ask for these items to be corrected electronically as well.

 

Don’t Close Old Accounts

 

            When it comes to your credit score, the longer history you have, the better. For this reason, we recommend that you keep open any older accounts you have, such as long-standing credit cards. It is ok to close newer accounts, but the more aged your credit profile is, the better.

 

Keep Your Month End Credit Card Balances Low

 

            It’s certainly ok to use a credit card, but it is important to try and keep your ending monthly balances low. Credit card companies will generally report your credit card balances once a month to the credit bureaus, based on the amount owed as an ending balance of your most recent credit card statement.

 

If you owe more than 40% of limit of any credit card on a month end statement, that could hurt your credit score. So, if possible, make sure to pay down balances, before credit card statements generate.

 

But Don’t Close Your Accounts

 

As mentioned above, the age of your credit accounts matter. While it is important to pay down your credit balances on a monthly basis, you should not close old accounts (unless an annual fee dictates that it makes sense too).

 

And Don’t Have Your Credit Run Too Often

 

Having your credit run occasionally when opening a new account is certainly fine. However, you should limit how often your credit report is pulled, as excessive credit pulls, will lower your credit score.

 

These are just some of the many things you can do to monitor your credit score and keep it looking good. As always, making your payments on time and not accruing too much debt, will also help you to keep your credit score as high as possible.

 

For more information on current home loan programs and options for existing and potential home owners, please contact Bill Kamboukos of Strategic Mortgage at (480) 219-3682 or by emailing: bill@strategicmtgaz.com or online at www.strategicmtgaz.com 

Strategic Mortgage, LLC – AZBK#0909514 - NMLS#158804 - Equal Housing Lender

Vasilios Kamboukos – NMLS#160440

Comments (16)

William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

Pay bills on time!  Nothing ruins the credit like late or missed payments.

Apr 30, 2018 09:15 AM
Debe Maxwell, CRS
Savvy + Company (704) 491-3310 - Charlotte, NC
The RIGHT CHARLOTTE REALTOR!

Always pay the whole balance on your monthly credit card bill. Paying only the minimum gets people in trouble. Only charge what you can afford.

Apr 30, 2018 12:08 PM
Lanre-"THE REAL ESTATE FARMER" Folayan
Samson Properties - Bowie, MD
I don't make promises.I deliver results.SOLD HOMES

So instead of opening new credit if you have two or more,just try to get a bettter job or another job to have more income and try to pay off your debt. I am trying to learn more about credit and credit scores.

May 25, 2018 11:18 AM