Many first time home buyers have questions about their credit. They are not sure what condition their credit is in or if they have an adequate score to qualify for a home loan. Conflicting tips from family, friends and media regarding credit and home buying just adds to their confusion.
It seems that the number one thing is to get help from a credit expert before going to a lender. When a lender pulls an individual’s credit score it’s called a “hard inquiry” and will result in a reduction of the persons credit score. But a good credit expert will show you how to acquire your own credit report without lowering the score. This allows potential home buyers to see what changes they need to make, if any, to prepare for a home loan.
Many people try to fix their own credit or improve their score based on things they have heard others say about their credit. But it’s best to beware. Some common attempts first time home buyers make can hurt their credit far more than they realize.
We asked Shelly Mull Co-owner of Credit Expert LLC about some of the common things she sees people doing that they think will help their credit but actually ends up hurting it.
