planning future app spree

[liesierre]

Next march I plan to do 1 app spree before I garden for over a year and apply for a house loan (after last baddie drops off around summer 2015). 

I'm really trying to get my game plan down.... get some decent cards and CL's with some age on them before I apply for a house... so the main goal here is to get some prime card and/or cards that I really want and will use...I only really have 1 shot at an app spree. 

Approximately 1 month ago I had
0 open revolving credit
1 auto loan (perfect standing)
3 collections
a dismissed bk13
foreclosure

Now I have:
only 1 collection which I will have to let age off June 2015 (got the other 2 deleted)
Samuels card $106 balance $1200 CL
Capital One Platinum $0 balance 500 CL
Victorias Secret $22 balance 250 CL
I am and will be babying the crap out of these accounts, charging low amounts monthly, keeping util under 9%, all paid perfectly

My AAoA is pretty good - myfico says its something like 7 years, oldest account is around 12 years
My salary is $96,000
When I do my app spree next year the foreclosure and bk13 will be gone
My only baddie at that point will be the one unpaid CO/Collection (Cashcall, ugh). $0 CO and unpaid collection on EX/EQ... just the collection on TU)
I expect that my scores will probably be in the low to mid 700 range around the time I want to apply

The cards I have on my radar that I want are:
Amex BCE**
Citi Simplicity**
Chase Freedom**

Discover It
Target Redcard (was denied for bk and lack of revolving credit before)
Walmart  (might app for this one in 2-3 months since my TU score is already good (the CO does not report on TU, just the collection) and they might be ok with the bk13)
Amazon GE

My questions are:
Do I have a good chance of getting the Amex, Citi, and/or Chase with the one baddie (DofD 7/08)? I don't want to waste HP's if I dont.

I'm going to wait until after the BK drops off - but is there a way that they would deny me for having a past BK even if its dropped off? (no, never burned any of them)

Should I maybe try the Discover this summer too (after foreclosure dropped, but still have the BK) since they will probably pull TU also?

[WolfMan]

Discover pulled EQ, as did AMEX when I applied. 

From what I understand, and from personal expirence, AMEX is picky. Discover gave me 5K when I was in the mid 600's

[liesierre]

Is it possible to get approved for an Amex BCE with 1 baddie though?

[Pilotdude]

Make sure you app during business hours of the credit analyst office at all of them so that you can call in a try a recon with a real person. 

Like other posters have said, Amex can be picky.

A piece of advice I got here was set your app order according to how hard their recon department is considered to be.  This way if you get in instantly or through recon, you have not taken a HP for another card when the hard one takes its looksy.

I dunno if trying amex with a baddie is a good bet.

Maybe try Discover, then Chase and then garden for a few and then circle back around for Amex?

Wiser voices then mine will I am sure chime in here. 

Good luck . 

P.S.  I deliberately left Citi off cause I hate all things Citi and will NEVER accept a card from them.   YMMV though

[liesierre]

the 3 I really want are

the Simplicity (for the possible big purchases after I get a house with no AF, no lates, 0% for 18 months)
Freedom - for everyday stuff

and Amex BCE (again, for everyday stuff)

Walmart - I was gonna app for because I want the TU score, the easy CLI's
Target - I want for the 5% off each bill (i shop there a lot)
Amazon GE - i shop there frequently, TU is my best score, and the CLI's

Discover I'm sorta meh about - but if its sorta easy to get my foot in the door with a prime-ish card and they give good CLI's, then I'll take it just for the util and having something better than Cap1 and store cards

Although Amex is in the big 3 that I want, I am wondering if I should probably wait until after I buy a house to app for it. The only real window I have for an app spree is next March...and the CO/Collection wont fall off until over a year later... at that point is when I want to apply for a house loan so I wont want to be apping for anything else.

so this app spree is sort of a one shot deal to grab what I can... maybe just go for the Discover/Citi/Freedom then and leave Amex out until after I buy a house?

[myjourney]

Hi,

I would wait until July and app walmart....easy approval with your scores plus GE is also great with cLI's and the free fico score is a plus

6 months later app discover and chase freedom

6 month later app AMEX green charge card and if approved immediately app for an Amex revolver....be ready to recon but at that point you can show your positive history with other lenders

[liesierre]

Okay so this is my current idea:

Walmart -- this June/July

Do you think I have a chance at the Discover It at the same time as Walmart? They pull TU right? Are they okay with a BK that is close to falling off?

March2014:
Freedom
Citi Simplicity
Target
maybe: Amazon (i can live without this one)

then zero inquiries from March 2014 until Summer 2015 to prepare for house loan app - garden garden garden

then after I get a house and when my CR is totally clean and positive -- Amex BCE

[WolfMan]

>Is it possible to get approved for an Amex BCE with 1 baddie though?

They declined me with 1 judgement after being a card member for 7 years. My scores were in 650-660 range. YMMV.