Using a HELOC; impact on Credit Score ? Bummer

[Jim Goebel]

We use MINT.com, which is nice.

According to MINT, what is largely dragging our credit score down (it's a 758) is credit utilization.

That's a few credit cards here and there but predominantly our HELOC is 60% utilized and bringing up our total credit utilization up over 40%.

I'm under the understanding that many people use HELOCs as a great way to pull out equity from their primary residence.

I don't understand why one would be penalized from having a stronger equity position in their primary residence?

Take for instance if we own a $200k house, and are maxed LTV and fully financed with a 1st mortgage, balance of $160k as compared to say having a first mortgage balance of $60k and another $80k balance in a HELOC.

Seems the 2nd scenario is worse for our credit (because of revolving debt) than the 1st - which confuses me.

Anyone have anything to share on this?