Rebuilding Your Credit

[LeeAnna]

Hello All,

I have read your blog posts for the past few months and have loved them.  I am hoping to buy a house in about 6 months and I would like some help.  I paid off about 26k in cc debt in a short time and got a secured card to help build credit. I still have a tremendous amount of student loan debt but my DTI isn't too bad. I don't know hat else I can do to help my credit. My current TU score is 655 and I would prefer to get the best rate. The vast majority of my negatives are past late payments. Am I being unrealistic?

TU-655

Credit sesame - 692

[llecs]

Welcome to the forums!

I'd suggest reading the following:

Common Abbreviations

Credit Scoring 101 - great for knowing what is in your credit score and to see how your score is impacted.

What Steps Do I Take - great for learning the repair process.

and Example letters - PFDs, GWs, DVs, etc.

Congrats on paying off $26k in CC debt! Since you opened a secured CC, am I right to assume that the CC debt was on closed accounts or charged-off accounts? In any case, send GW letters on any paid account that shows a late or is a derog. Keep the age of the account in mind on any closed account. Avoid messing with the oldest. Make sure you have a FICO.

[LeeAnna]

Thanks to this blog, I was able to send 4 letters. One from citi is requesting more info, two said the debt was accurate ( nelnet and boa) waiting  on one more.  Will follow up with citi.  TU is a FICO score

[LeeAnna]

Sent GW letters.

[Shogun]

Good work, let's hope those GWs get some results!

[LeeAnna]

Thanks. I just don't know if I am on the right track. 

[Shogun]

Definitely looks like it to me.