Hi, I was going to try to buy a house in 3 years but I have found out that 2 relatives, grandmother and mother will need to come and live with me as soon as possible. I am in my last year of grad school, will graduate in May and am looking to buy a house in September 2009 (that's when all my new accounts would have turned a year old). My scores are: EQ- 677 EX- 588 TU- 624 Not all accounts have accurate balances on the reports as yet (reporting a lot higher than actual balances) and so I am hoping for a bump there. I have some baddies on my reports: 1. A $148 medical collection showing as unpaid. I recently did the Hippaa process and it is paid so I am hoping it will be deleted. 2. A $800 utility bill to a CA that I keep sending PFD's to. They are not responding. Should I just pay this even if they won't do a PFD? 3. 2 Cap 1 Charge-offs that have $0 balances. 4. My biggest baddy - A CA collecting for an old CC that I thought I was just an AU on but turns out I am listed as Joint. I am trying to get this off. Balance is $9000. I am trying for PFD for less than amt...if they won't PFD should I just settle and pay it so at least it has a $0 balance showing? This Account is no longer on Experian. I will be going into a field where I expect to make about $40,000 starting off. I will have student loans to repay at about $800 a month. I have no car payments and all my credit cards are at $0 asides from the above collections. I understand the 2 year employment thing is ok if I am coming from Grad school where I was studying that subject. What should I start doing in an attempt to get a mortgage. I am looking to get a home that is no more than $150,000 and I expect to have about $5,000-$10,000 as a deposit. Thanks for your assistance.
Starting Score: TU- 682, EQ- 698, EX- 713