Like many other threads I've read, I messed up my credit rating while in graduate school. I had a Chase card with a CL of ~7500 and about 3.5 years ago, I had almost maxed out the card. In addition, I was having difficulties making ends meet and was late for a payment so Chase jacked up my interest rate to 25%. Instead of waiting for things to worsen, I contacted a credit cousneling agency and they worked with me to negotiate terms with Chase to lower my interest rate and to give me a manageable payment. Fast forward to now, I paid off the entire balance on my Chase card over the last 3.5 years and I called Chase and asked that they send a letter to all 3 CRAs to show that I paid the balance in full (right now my CR just says "closed at grantor's request" and that the account is current and has been for the last 3.5 years). The customer service rep on the phone agreed to do so and I should receive a copy of the letter also.
While on the phone with the customer service rep, he asked me if I wanted to reopen the account and my knee-jerk response was no. After having financial trouble while in grad school, I'm very hesitant to open anymore CC accounts (I have 2 at the moment). However, after further thought, I want to buy a house in the next couple of years and the 2 CCs I have only show ~ 2 years of history. If Chase will reopen that account and back date it, I would have over 6 years of history with them.
I've seen where people have said that Chase rarely reopens accounts so I was somewhat surprised when he asked me. Anyway, is it worth talking to them again so that I have a longer history account on my CR?
