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Need Score Advice ASAP

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Anonymous
Not applicable

Need Score Advice ASAP

I’m currently applying for USDA financing on a new construction home, my scores have been up & down, and now I need them up, my current Fico mortgage scores, 1/9/18 pull are Eq-616, TU-622, EQ-682, now these are my current debts :

1. Credit One - 100.00 of 400.00
2. Credit One (AU) - 75.00 of 300.00
3. Capital One - 239.98 of 300.00 (hasn’t reported yet)
4. Capital One (AU) - 140.28 of 500.00 (hasn’t reported yet)
5. GreenDot Bank - 0.00 of 200.00
6. Synchrony Bank - 645.86 of 700.00
7. Discover - 867.08 of 1,000.00 (hasn’t reported yet)
8. Personal Loan - 1407.00 of 1505.00
9. Auto Refinance Loan - 29936.31 of 29936.31 ( Payment wasn’t due until Feb 9)

I have one collection/charge off still unpaid but hasn’t updated in 3 months : Tower Loan - 6445.00 ( 6 yrs, 5 mths old)

Do have 4 other charge offs but all paid.

I’m needing to get to 640+ by March 25 at very latest to allow time for processing to meet closing date of April 20, any advice will be very helpful and greatly appreciated on this ! Thanks
Message 1 of 9
8 REPLIES 8
SBR249
Established Contributor

Re: Need Score Advice ASAP

I think 2.5 months is a pretty tight window to do much of anything because you have to factor in the time it takes for statements to cut and lenders to report to your CRs, etc. You didn't really give any information on what your income is like and how much money you can put towards paying off debts. So based on what you've said about your debts, you should focus on:

 

1. If you have a relative or someone close who has great credit and can add you as an AU on a high limit card or multiple cards, do that immediately. Let them keep the cards, but you need to get that on your CRs ASAP.

 

2. Similarly, if you can borrow money from a relative or friend to pay off your CCs and your charge offs, then do that too. Go to a lawyer, have them draw up a legally binding contract, offer the lender a competitive interest rate if you need to. This is the fastest way to move your debts off your reports. Obviously, don't do it if you know you can't pay them back within the terms of the contract. Don't default. 

 

Regarding your debts:

 

1. Contacting the lenders with the charge offs, negotiate to pay them off in exchange for having them removed from your credit reports ASAP assuming you have the money to pay them off right away. 

 

2. Pay down your CCs. Try to get as many as possible down below 49% util. Focus on optimizing individual utils over complete repayment. 

 

3. Loans last, don't fall behind, but they are not as high priority, if you can get them down below 89%, great, if you can't focus on the first two, just don't fall behind. 

 

 

 

Of course it goes without saying that time is of the essence because CRAs move like molasses. Don't fall any further behind on anything. It's time to start eating baked beans and ramen and throw everything and the kitchen sink at your debts for the next 2-3 months. 

Message 2 of 9
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Need Score Advice ASAP

Thank you, my income is 95382.00/Annual, and I’m in process right now paying all cards to 0.00 except Discover, as I have pending items I want in there as well, but total includes them, they will all report between 14th and 25th of this month, and following, I’ll have roughly 9,000 to work with over this period, so not sure where else to target. The one charge off I received an offer to settle for 4,000.00 but not sure if it’ll delete or just be paid for less.
Message 3 of 9
SBR249
Established Contributor

Re: Need Score Advice ASAP

Sounds like you have fair amount of resources to work with. I would say leave one card with a balance not exceeding 8.9% to derive the maximum score benefit from your CCs. Don't pay every single card down to zero as that would hurt you instead. Make sure you have 1 card with a balance on the statement and that balance does not exceed 8.9%.

 

The rest you should put towards the charge off. Definitely call up the lenders and straight up ask them to remove the charge offs as a goodwill gesture even the ones that are already paid off. If they say no, then ask about whether they'd be willing to change what they report as account closed instead of a charge off. Otherwise, there's not much you can do on that front. 

 

You can probably get a small boost in scores if you have more credit from an AU card hence my advice about getting a high limit AU. 

 

Unfortunately I don't really think there's much more you can do considering the short timeframe and the derogs. Fortunately, you just need a small boost and you may be able to push it over the line with those optimizations. 

 

Edit: I didn't mention this before but it should be obvious, absolutely no new HPs on your CRs at all until after you close. 

 

Message 4 of 9
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Need Score Advice ASAP

I really want to thank you, I’ll get to work on this first thing in a.m., I’m in the maritime industry and calls are tough but I’ll find ways. Again thank you.
Message 5 of 9
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Need Score Advice ASAP

Paying all credit cards to zero except a small balance on one account under 8.9% alone will boost your scores probably 20 to 40 points. That is the really only quick thing you can do to boost scores in this time frame. You can look up the AZERO technique on here if you are unfamiliar with it. Good luck.

Message 6 of 9
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Need Score Advice ASAP

I did that waiting for updates, I also got the last remaining collection/charge off I mentioned for 6445.00 was deleted today, hoping that’ll help as well as it was only on Transunion, I have four prior collection/charge offs with 0.00 balance they refuse to remove when I called creditors today.
Message 7 of 9
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Need Score Advice ASAP


@Anonymous wrote:
I did that waiting for updates, I also got the last remaining collection/charge off I mentioned for 6445.00 was deleted today, hoping that’ll help as well as it was only on Transunion, I have four prior collection/charge offs with 0.00 balance they refuse to remove when I called creditors today.

That collection chargeoff being removed should help some. And it helps because when going for a home loan most Banks require you pay off outstanding collections. So you now only have paid collections. So it is a help. Even if it only gives you a few extra points. When your last baddie falls off your report and you get put into a clean bucket score is when many people get huge point boosts. And the AZERO technique will give you a decent point boost before closing.

Message 8 of 9
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Need Score Advice ASAP

Thank you as I sure need between 25-30 points on Mortgage for sure.
Message 9 of 9
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