What is a Good Credit Score?
An established credit history and credit score often stands between potential home or car buyers and their dream. But What is a good credit score? What exactly is a credit score? What makes a credit score “good?” How to improve your credit score? If you’re new to building credit there are a few things you need to know in order to keep your credit looking stellar.
What is a credit score?
Your credit score is a numerical representation of your credit report. This three-digit number is like a badge that predicts risk, credit responsibility and determines your interest rates if you borrow money from lenders much like your CLUE Report. While you will be able to get a copy of your credit report you may not find this numerical key listed. Think of your credit score like the cliff notes version of your credit report. There are a few different measures of credit scores between divisions. Based on their own systems different scorers might view certain numbers in many ways.
Your credit score is a numerical representation of your credit report. This three-digit number is like a badge that predicts risk, credit responsibility and determines your interest rates if you borrow money from lenders much like your CLUE Report. While you will be able to get a copy of your credit report you may not find this numerical key listed. Think of your credit score like the cliff notes version of your credit report. There are a few different measures of credit scores between divisions. Based on their own systems different scorers might view certain numbers in many ways.
what is a good credit score
Deciphering your three-digit credit score is quite easy if you know the levels. The range usually runs from 300-850. Good to excellent credit is considered anything from 700 to 850. If your credit score falls in this range you’re going great! Fair credit runs from 625-699, poor runs from 550-624, and anything below 550 is bad. Some finance experts would classify anything over 720 a good credit rating. Experts will disagree depending on their preferred credit rating systems, and in most cases the criteria you use to determine whether or not your credit score is good will not be far off.
What Does a Good Credit Score Mean?
Having a good credit score is great, but if you don’t know how to use it you could be missing out on some crucial credit building. Credit scores are used in varying ways by lenders and banks. One thing your credit score implies is how likely you are to pay back debt. Basically it announces how reliable you are as a borrower. People with good credit scores are more likely to pay back funds that they borrow while those with lower scores aren’t so reliable. Lenders like reliable borrowers, and good credit points them out.
Having a good credit score is great, but if you don’t know how to use it you could be missing out on some crucial credit building. Credit scores are used in varying ways by lenders and banks. One thing your credit score implies is how likely you are to pay back debt. Basically it announces how reliable you are as a borrower. People with good credit scores are more likely to pay back funds that they borrow while those with lower scores aren’t so reliable. Lenders like reliable borrowers, and good credit points them out.
But a credit score does much more than predict whether or not you’ll pay a loan back. When it comes to buying a house or car, there is an interest charge. Higher credit scores usually have a lower interest rate than those with bad to fair credit. Lenders not only base whether or not they’ll approve a loan by your credit score, but also how much interest to charge. If your credit is in good standing your interest rate won’t be as high as someone with bad credit. Your credit score saves you money with lower interest rates.
How is a Credit Score Calculated?
In order to build and maintain good credit you must first know how your score is determined. Once you know what goes into a credit score you can begin building your credit or nursing your score towards higher digits. Credit scores are based on your financial history only, and laws prevent your score being affected by things like race, gender, age and where you live. What is included are items such as your payment history, your current credit debts, age of your credit history, new credit items added to your accounts and types of credit used.
In order to build and maintain good credit you must first know how your score is determined. Once you know what goes into a credit score you can begin building your credit or nursing your score towards higher digits. Credit scores are based on your financial history only, and laws prevent your score being affected by things like race, gender, age and where you live. What is included are items such as your payment history, your current credit debts, age of your credit history, new credit items added to your accounts and types of credit used.
These five basic areas are where the bulk of your credit score is formed. All criteria have varying degrees of involvement in your score. For example:
- Payment history (35%) – How many on-time payments you’ve made, missed, defaulted and past due items
- Current amount owed (30%) – How much you currently owe – if you owe a large amount this could negatively affect your score
- Age of credit history (15%) – The average length of your credit accounts and time since last activity
- New credit (10%) – The number of new credit items on your accounts
- Types of credit (10%) – The kinds of credit accounts are you currently maintain
How to Improve Your Credit Score?
Many people avoid credit based on all the negatives they’ve heard against it, but neglecting your credit score hurts your chances of being able to make major purchases in the future. The best way to build credit is to use credit, and forming the following good credit habits early will pull your low score to higher ground.
Many people avoid credit based on all the negatives they’ve heard against it, but neglecting your credit score hurts your chances of being able to make major purchases in the future. The best way to build credit is to use credit, and forming the following good credit habits early will pull your low score to higher ground.
- Pay bills on time – This is the easiest and best way to boost your credit score. Since the bulk of your credit score comes from your payment history, paying bills on time will pull you up quickly. Not only will that help, but a recent and consistent history of paying bills on time overshadow a period long in the past where you may have missed payments.
- Budget – Setting up a budget and staying within its parameters will keep you from overspending and using credit for frivolous things. Although using credit builds credit not being able to pay it off hurts more in the future.
- Use all your credit cards regularly – If you have a few credit cards try to use them from time to time in order to show that you use all of your accounts. Remember that the last usage of an account is 15% of your score.
Track a key aspect of your financial profile with your personal FICO® Score history graph. Simply navigate over any point of your score history and view the date the score was calculated. Check back each month to stay on top of changes.
Important items to note:
- We may not receive a new score for you each month. You won’t see a score if we did not receive one for a given month.
- Remember, FICO® Scores are based on data in your credit report, so changes to your score may be a result of changes in your credit report. You can request a free annual credit report from Equifax at www.annualcreditreport.com.
Please refer to our FAQs or Useful Links sections for more information.
FICO® Scores: What You Need to Know
Score Deciding Factors
35% payment history, 30% amount you owe, 15% length of credit history, 10% new credit opened, 10% type of credit.
When it comes to getting a home loan, does your credit report and credit score really matter? Can you use the free credit score you got off the internet to apply for a loan? What if your credit score is low, can you get a mortgage? What if it is high, will you get a better interest rate? And what the heck is FICO?
So many questions. You’ve searched the internet and are still confused. If you are new to getting a mortgage and are overwhelmed by understanding your credit score you are not alone. Your credit score has a big impact on your ability to qualify for a loan and get a favorable interest rate. Therefore, you should take the time now to understand it.
Here’s the good news. We’re here to explain things simply and clearly. Step by step we will walk you through all things credit. When we’re done, you’ll know what you need to know to understand how credit impacts your ability to get a mortgage so you can make smart home buying decisions.
Below are the important items we will discuss:
- What is a credit report?
- What do mortgage lenders use to determine my credit score?
- What does FICO stand for?
- What determines my FICO score?
- What’s a good FICO score?
- What if my FICO score is below 620?
- Can I get a copy of my credit report?
- Ah Ha! Now I understand all things credit and I’m this much closer to owning my home!
What is a credit report?
A credit report record’s your credit history including information about:
- Your identity: name, social security number, date of birth and possibly employment information.
- Your existing credit: credit card accounts, mortgages, car loans, students loans etc.including credit terms, how much you owe, and your payment history.
- Your public record: Judgments against you, tax liens or bankruptcies.
- Recent Credit Inquiries: Requests for your information from companies extending credit such as credit card companies, auto loans, etc.
Be aware, credit card companies, car companies and mortgage lenders use slightly different models to determine credit risk. Today we are focusing on Mortgage related credit.
How do lenders calculate my credit score?
Your credit score is the key to your castle. Your home is most likely the most expensive purchase you will ever make. Therefore, when buying a home, lenders use a different system for assessing risk than credit card companies or even auto loan companies use.
Mortgage lenders use a comprehensive system of checking credit called a Residential Mortgage Credit Report (RMCR), commonly called a “Tri-Merge” report. The RMCR report combines your three credit reports from the three national credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Each credit reporting agency calculates your credit score or FICO Score differently. Therefore, pulling from all three bureaus gives lenders a more complete picture of your credit behavior.
Once pulled, lenders use the average of these three scores, usually the middle score, to determine loan qualification and interest rate. For example, if Equifax gives you a 720, Experian a 730 and TransUnion a 740, the lender will use the 730 FICO Score to help determine the terms of your mortgage. If you are applying for a loan jointly, your partner’s three reports will also be pulled.
What does FICO stand for?
FICO stands Fair, Isaac and Company. Over 25 years ago, lenders began using FICO’s scoring model, or algorithm, to fairly and more accurately determine a person’s credit risk. Since it’s inception, FICO’s continually updates its’ algorithms to reflect more current lending trends and consumer behaviors. Today, FICO Scores are used by over 90% of enders. Importantly, your FICO score can impact your loan interest rates, terms, approvals and more.
What determines my FICO score?
A Mortgage FICO score is determined by an algorithm that generally looks at five credit factors including payment history, current level of indebtedness, types of credit used, length of credit history and new credit accounts.
What’s a good FICO score?
To qualify for a conventional loan, most Mortgage lenders require a FICO score of 620+. The best interest rates go to borrowers with a 740+ FICO score. For each 40 point drop, borrowers can expect to see a slightly higher interest rates by about 0.2 percentage points. If a borrower drops below 660, the increase is likely to be twice as big, a 0.43 percentage point increase. If your credit score is below 620, it is very difficult to get a conventional loan in today’s marketplace. However, don’t be discouraged. You may still be able to buy a home.
What if my FICO or credit score is below 620?
If your score is below 620, you may still be able to buy a home. There are several options:
- Put more money down. Some lenders offset a weak credit score with a higher down payment. A higher down payment gives you more equity in your home, lowering the lender’s risk.
- You may qualify for a non conventional government issued loan such as an FHA, Veterans Affairs and/or U.S. Department of Agriculture loan which have less stringent lending requirements.
- You may work to get that credit score up!
- Correct any errors on your report. Analyze your credit items line by line. If you notice a mistake, dispute it right away with either the credit bureau providing the report or the company that providing the incorrect information to the credit bureau.
- Make all your payments on time. Late payments are the No. 1 way to lower your credit score.
- Pay down revolving debt. Keeping your credit balances low helps to raise your score.
- Sit back and relax. As long as you're paying down debt and making payments on time, your credit score will eventually rise on its own.
Can I get a copy of my credit report after a lender has pulled it?
Yes! In fact, you can get one free credit report every twelve months from each of the nationwide credit bureaus—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. You may also purchase your credit score at any time from any of the credit bureaus. Some Mortgage lenders will tell you your score when you apply for a loan or even give you a copy of your report but they are not required to do so. However, if a lender denies you credit, under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) you are entitled to a free copy of your personal credit report if you have received notice that in the past 60 days you have been declined credit
Joel Lobb
Mortgage Loan Officer
Mortgage Loan Officer
Individual NMLS ID #57916
American Mortgage Solutions, Inc.
10602 Timberwood Circle
Louisville, KY 40223
Company NMLS ID #1364
email: kentuckyloan@gmail.com
Disclaimer: No statement on this site is a commitment to make a loan. Loans are subject to borrower qualifications, including income, property evaluation, sufficient equity in the home to meet Loan-to-Value requirements, and final credit approval. Approvals are subject to underwriting guidelines, interest rates, and program guidelines and are subject to change without notice based on applicant's eligibility and market conditions. Refinancing an existing loan may result in total finance charges being higher over the life of a loan. Reduction in payments may reflect a longer loan term. Terms of any loan may be subject to payment of points and fees by the applicant Equal Opportunity Lender. NMLS#57916 http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/
-- Some products and services may not be available in all states. Credit and collateral are subject to approval. Terms and conditions apply. This is not a commitment to lend. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. The content in this marketing advertisement has not been approved, reviewed, sponsored or endorsed by any department or government agency. Rates are subject to change and are subject to borrower(s) qualification.
