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Back in May I posted regarding my journey to recover from a 57 point drop in my TU score (768 to 711!) thanks to a likely re-bucket.
I noted then I had finally crossed back into the 760 Zone.
I was still frustrated that the recovery was taking seemingly forever. I also wanted to re-fi my home to eliminate an ARM.
I took a flier that rates would continue to drop and waited to begin the re-fi.
In the meantime I tried the one thing I hadn't done in an effort to further raise my score. I actually used multiple credit cards, putting a couple of hundred on each of three different ones. I then paid them down leaving a hundred or so balance on each one.
End result; I started the re-fi process and waited interminably for Wells Fargo to agree to subordinate a second.
When it came time to actually sign off on the new mortgage I really had no idea what scores the lender saw?
Apparently I timed the useage and pay downs perfectly?
MyFico Quarterly Monitoring shows overall they pulled a total of FOUR reports over the course of the re-fi. Two in July and two more in September.
On the last report dated 9/25 included in the loan package, All 3 CRA's now listed the dreaded 008 code AKA "too many inquiries in the last 12 months" as a scoring factor. (I wonder why?)
Regardless of the inquiry hits, Ex and EQ were 789 and 782. TU was 796!
Sure makes me wonder what those scores would have been without all the inquiries?
Nice fish. Maybe just a couple of points for those inqs. Good scores nonetheless.
Quick update:
A couple things since my 783 a month ago:
a. Last inquiry fell off
b. I let my Discover close with a $5 balance (all others zero)
c. Recent auto loan aged another month
Just checked again, I got a 795
Thanks myFICO, let the refi begin!
@TLinFargo wrote:Quick update:
A couple things since my 783 a month ago:
a. Last inquiry fell off
b. I let my Discover close with a $5 balance (all others zero)
c. Recent auto loan aged another month
Just checked again, I got a 795
Thanks myFICO, let the refi begin!
What's the significance of that $5 balance? I ask because on the only negatives that shows for TU on myFICO "understanding your score" is: "There are no recent balances on your revolving credit accounts."
I find it odd because it's been a little over a month since the a zero balance has been reported. Before that i was showing a balance. When the balance went to zero just over a month ago, my TU score went to 792. I checked today and it's 772 with that "There are no recent balances on your revolving credit accounts." now showing.
@TLinFargo wrote:
From my understanding, they want to see that you can use credit responsibly, so a small balance may score higher than a "cold-turkey" zero. I'm guessing that got me 5, the dropped inq. another 5 and a couple points for the aging loan... One of the FICO pro's can chime in too...
I'm not a FICO pro, but my understanding is the same as yours. Assuming the total of your reported credit limits is at least $500, your overall util is 1%. If $5000, the 0.1% is rounded up to 1%.
That brings up the often mentioned advice of keeping your util between 1% and 9%, both included. There are variations of this, such as >0 and <9. I consider that advice to be slightly incorrect. 9.1 rounded up to 10 fits in that range too. Even a straight 10 belongs there.
First time FICO High Achiever.... 11-12-2010 TU FICO is 763!
Good for you, BaddebtKing! Congratulations!
Way to go baddebtking!
I am completely setting up my credit future. I really don't have any great rewards cards, so I want to open 2 more accounts..so that would be 4 open accounts in the past year..yikes I know. The good thing is I don't plan on taking out a auto or mortgage loan in the next 1-2 years. AND I should be able to pay off most of my balance (Taking my Util from 19% to around 1-2%)
When using the score estimator, says I should go over 800 if I pay off most of my credit debt.