San Antonio, TX · Member since 2017 · 13 posts · 4 votes
Good morning BP family,
I have come across the challenge of needing to raise my FICO score in order to show lenders I can be responsible. I have a goal to purchase my 1st investment in 1 year. I understand mostly what needs to be done, I know the 30% rule with credit limits and paying bills on time. I have as of recent become desperate to raise my score to at least a 650 and I am about 100 points away. What could I do to speed up the process? Also I have seen advertisements about companies providing a service to do this for you. Are any of these companies legit? Is it even legal to go about raising your score with a company? Finally if it is legal does anyone have any recommendations for one they have worked with before? Any knowledge and wisdom will be greatly appreciated.
Real Estate Investor · Burlington, VT · Member since 2010 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
@Lashad Hamilton Congrats on your goal to purchase a property soon!
Just keep in mind your credit score is only one component of the decision. Certainly they also look total debt to income (DTI), job history, W2 vs 1099 , and cash reserves and total assets, to name a few. So keep an eye on those as well.
Atlanta, GA · Member since 2014 · 25 posts · 5 votes
9y
Go on Facebook and ask to join the private group DREAM CATCHERS - LIVE RICHER. The group was started by a well known budgeting expert known as Tiffany the Budgetista and the entire page is about how to build your credit and REALLY increase your score . The best thing about the group is that the group creator rarely posts, so it's not a credit guru type of thing. It's posts and "testimonies " from the members in the group with actual examples, citing law from FCRA they used typically with the letters and responses from creditors removing negative items etc on their report .
Credit repair companies are legal. They don't do anything you can't do on your own. You're just paying for them to do the leg work. It's essentially one big technicality. These companies ask for verification of the debt, late payment, etc. Apparently a lot of companies don't do a great job of keeping that documentation. If they can't provide it, it must be removed from your credit report. Again, nothing you can't do on your own. If you have outstanding debt on your credit report, getting them removed either through dispute or by paying them off will make your score jump pretty quickly.
Moving forward, the most important thing you can do is make sure every payment is made on time. Keeping your utilization rate under 30% is good, 15% is ideal. if you can pay them off in full, even better. The key is to learn when your statement cycle closes (you can find this on your monthly statement). This is not the same date as when your payment is due. Whatever your balance is when the statement cycle closes is what will be reported to the credit bureaus.
Finally, you will need some active, positive trade lines to help increase your score. You can do this by opening 2-3 secured credit cards. The credit limit doesn't matter ($300 is fine). Again, make sure your payment is on time and your balance is below 15% of the credit limit when your statement cycle closes.
Investor · Chicago, IL · Member since 2016 · 1k+ posts · 930 votes
9y
There are strategies and tactics to credit "repair", and if you don't know them or how/when to do them you can make a big mistake. It's not just about paying off past due debt. you MUST get some sort of agreement in writing to have the creditor amend your credit report as appropriate. Getting things removed isn't always the best answer.
Johnson City, TN · Member since 2014 · 586 posts · 705 votes
9y
If you are below 600 then there are obviously several negative items on your report. I frequent a site called creditboards and there are some very wise folks there that are generous with their excellent advice. I could advise you here but this really isn't the venue. You can learn a tremendous amount there by just reading.
Real Estate Investor · Burlington, VT · Member since 2010 · 2k+ posts · 1k+ votes
9y
@Lashad Hamilton Congrats on your goal to purchase a property soon!
Just keep in mind your credit score is only one component of the decision. Certainly they also look total debt to income (DTI), job history, W2 vs 1099 , and cash reserves and total assets, to name a few. So keep an eye on those as well.
Las Vegas, NV · Member since 2017 · 89 posts · 52 votes
9y
I used to do mortgages for a living. Someone told me about optoutprescreen.com I looked into it & basically you're opting out of being included in bundles of customer data for your fico score, location, and income that someone like capital one may buy for a marketing list from the bureaus.
It costs you nothing to opt out, & I've seen this raise scores anywhere from 10-30 points in 30 days. It also reduces your liability for your identity being stolen. This won't get you all the way up, but every little bit helps to build a snowball. There is other information out there on ways to improve, but this one is rarely mentioned & I wanted to share as it's an easy, free bump up.