Credit Explained
What's all this commotion over credit? Your credit rating has a lot to do with purchasing real estate (and anywhere else in the country), and many times is the determining factor that makes your next purchase smooth or a very ugly road. Each person owes it to themselves to keep a close eye on their credit. I've seen an increase of incoming clients whose records show traces of identity theft, which many times are just self discovered when undergoing the loan process.
It shouldn't be this way! You should consistently monitor your credit at least three times a year. Checking your credit isn't at all hard; now there's a way to get your credit report for free. That's right; you can get your credit report three times a year and not have to pay a single dime for it. If you want to minimize headaches before buying your next piece of real estate, be sure that your reports are free of collections, late-pays, and inquiries. This will overall improve your score and make acquiring a loan an easy process to endure.
Please read on to learn how credit plays a role in acquiring your next real estate investment, and how to get all three bureau reports for free.
Credit Bureaus
There are three different credit bureaus:
Equifax | Experian | TransUnion LLC |
Equifax Credit Information Services, Inc | National Consumer Assistance Center | Consumer Disclosure Center |
If you've ever considered financing a car or getting a loan from you bank, you've undoubtedly come across Equifax's Beacon score rating. The other two bureaus still have their own scores for you, but many times you'll find the score to be different.
In real estate, they will take the middle of your three credit scores. For example, if you have a 623, 645, 635, your loan officer will be able to get you different loan programs based on your 635 score.
Equifax has a 3-in-1 product that will pull all three of your reports for $29.95. Each bureau should have a product like this.
REMEMBER: Pulling your own credit WILL NOT affect your score, nor will it give any inquiries. So don't worry about pulling your credit periodically for review. In fact, I recommend it just to check for mistakes, unknown accounts (identity theft), etc.
Getting Your Report For Free!
You may now receive your credit report for free, once a year, from each of the bureaus listed above. A good tip would be to request one from a different bureau every four months so that you may receive your credit report three times a year for free!
You may visit this site to get your credit report: AnnualCreditReport.com
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