@Gunnar419 wrote:Wow. In the last three weeks, I had two inquiries hit their one year mark. Each time, I gained a whopping 11 points on my EQ FICO (ScoreWatch): 752 - 763 - (and just now) 774. Yeah, wow. 22 points in a few weeks, for doing NOTHING.
I gained way more from the aging than I lost from the original inquiries. There's the power of gardening for you doubters.
I've got two other inqs that'll go past their year mark shortly. Unfortunately I think those are only on TU and EX, but I've also got a huge Amex backdate that's going to report within that same time.
I've never aspired to join the 800 club. High 700s is where I'm comfortable and happy. But those two jumps have put stars in my eyes. Is it possible I might accidentally stumble into the 800 club?
AAoA: 4 years, 2 months (will be over 10 years with Amex backdate)
Total CL: $41,300
Total util: 10% reporting (9% actual, and going down)
Util on highest card: 30%
Cards reporting balances: 2 out of 6
No installment loans
Perfect payment record
No baddies
What do you think tht giant backdate might do?
Congrats and I hope you do fall into the 800 club 
By accident of course Lol
Are you certain it was the inquiries alone? Scorewatch didn't track my inquiries falling out of scoreable range as events, but I noticed I gained 2 points on an inconsequential balance change as a result of my last inquiries fading to black.
It's possible in your bucket / score range that the inquiries were a much larger penalty, but I'm skeptical of that much especially as the difference between 1-2 inquiries is effectively zero from the testing people have done (they aren't penalized linearly, it is a step function; would follow that score recovery isn't linear either).
ETA: there's dimishing returns for AAoA, I tend to treat everything over 4-5 years as irrelevant so I wouldn't expect it to miracle your score into the 800 range or even near that. Might be a theroetical break point at 5 years if it kicks you over that, may see a bump but it won't be giantantic.
ETA x 2 (sigh, my apologies) tradelines kicking over a year might be a benefit too, can't completely discount tradeline aging since presumably the inquiries resulted in a new one.
Thanks, myjourney! (Somehow I'm not surprised that you were the first to pop in for congrats -- or that you highlighted that bit about the garden). 
It would be seriously amazing to see an 800 score. Part of me doesn't want to go there because then I'd be paranoid about falling off that lofty perch. But it would sure be a rush, even though I know that for all practical purposes 800 doesn't do more than 760 for most things.
@Gunnar419 wrote:
@Revelate wrote:Are you certain it was the inquiries alone? Scorewatch didn't track my inquiries falling out of scoreable range as events, but I noticed I gained 2 points on an inconsequential balance change as a result of my last inquiries fading to black.
It's possible in your bucket / score range that the inquiries were a much larger penalty, but I'm skeptical of that much especially as the difference between 1-2 inquiries is effectively zero from the testing people have done (they aren't penalized linearly, it is a step function; would follow that score recovery isn't linear either).
Revelate, I know SW doesn't specifically track inquiries falling off. But in each case, the new points came on the exact day an inquiry aged and when there was absolutely nothing else going on. The latest alert had words to the effect that "an account you recently opened may not be hurting you as much as before."
So yeah, I'm certain it's the inquiries, though maybe it would be more accurate to say it's the inquiries and the accounts associated with them aging past a year. It couldn't be anything else. (EDIT: I see you suggested that, too. Thanks. I edited my OP to include that information.)
I would suggest that relates to tradeline age rather than inquiry penalty 
. Could be a function of both, FICO likely does.
Your gain of points doesn't track with virtually everyone else's experience on inquiries dropping off: I'm not saying it didn't contribute, I just don't think it's the entire story.
Revelate -- You're probably right. I had already amended my OP after your earlier comment. Thank you.
I'm still thinking myjourney can hold me up as a good example to itchy gardeners, even if my original suppositions about the reasons were wrong.
And I'm still pretty darned happy to gain 22 points for sitting on my butt doing nothing. 
@Gunnar419 wrote:Revelate -- You're probably right. I had already amended my OP after your earlier comment. Thank you.
I'm still thinking myjourney can hold me up as a good example to itchy gardeners, even if my original suppositions about the reasons were wrong.
And I'm still pretty darned happy to gain 22 points for sitting on my butt doing nothing.
Hehe, you should be: welcome to the gold-plated elite with that 760 score . Many congrats!
Will be another 4 years before I expect to join that club heh.
Just an observation, but if your CS is >800pts, its not by "accident".