Credit Do's and Dont's During the Loan Process

Good credit is critical when it comes to obtaining the best interest rates and terms on a mortgage. Here are some Credit Do's and Dont's when looking for home financing.

• Do stay current on existing accounts. One 30 day notice can cost you.

• Do continue to use your credit as normal. If it appears you are changing your pattern it will raise a red flag and your score could go down. 
• Do call your Loan Originator. Call before making any address or credit changes that may affect your score.
• Don't apply for new credit. Every time you have your credit pulled by a potential creditor or lender you can lose points from your credit score. This includes co- signing for a loan.
• Don't pay off collections or charge- offs. If you want to pay off old accounts do it through escrow. Request a "letter of deletion" from the creditor.
• Don't close credit card accounts. If you close a credit card account it may appear that your debt ratio has gone up. Closing a card will affect other factors in the score, including credit history.
• Don't max out or over charge credit card accounts. Try to keep credit card balances 30% below their limit during the loan process. If you pay down balances do it across the board.
• Don't consolidate your debt. When you consolidate all of your debt onto one or two credit cards it will appear that you are "maxed out" on that card and you will be penalized.

Check out my website: www.SouthLakeProperty.com
This Information was given to me by a good friend Colleen Weatherbee.