Score questions about credit cards

[txbradybunch]

My reports are all saying that two factors are my primary cause for score challenge right now..... new credit (went on an app spree just before moving last summer) and utilization (maxed a bunch out during the move). 

*I have been working on paying down my cards to get that utilization back down to a reasonable level...... and requesting CLI's to help as well.  Lowe's upped me by $1,400, but Home Depot flat refused on request and reconsideration request.  My Home Depot line is only $500, and it is one of the newbies.  So I am wondering - can I get any score help from just closing Home Depot (does the newbie age get tossed when I close it?) as I have already covered the "available credit" I would be losing with the Lowe's increase? 

*I asked to be removed as AU for my husband's Sears card (only 5 months old)....Is this going to be worth any increase in points since it was the newest - and far from being a year old - it was high utilization, so getting rid of it might also help the util % as well as the age issue.

*My newest cards from the summer 2008 spree will all turn 1 year old in August.  Doesn't a credit first birthday trigger a score bump happy dance?

[Anonymous]

Closing the Home Depot card will not remove the account from your credit report. It will still report up to 10 more years and contribute to your average age of accounts. All damage you could do to your average age has already been done. You will just lose a $500 CL.

Getting rid of the AU account will have an effect on your average age and on the utilization, yes.

And yes, a 1 years anniversary should yield a few points. I have no idea how many, though.

[YoungEntrepeneur]

You have to allow those new accounts to age. As long as you're making your payments on-time and letting your accounts age, you will see your scores increase regardless of utilization.

[wmarat]

You might see a few points increase d/t account aging, but utilization has much more influence on FICO score, so I would suggest to reduce balances on your cards.