@Jazee wrote:If I have a couple cards that do soft pulls for CLIs and got approved raising my total available credit, while that would reduce UTI numbers, wouldn't also potentially lower the starting credit limit on a new card since I would assume that is going to be affected by what your total potential payments would be if you every maxed out all your cards?
Hipothetically speaking, if the CLIs didn't take any cards that are 30-49% UTI to to 29% or below or total UTI from 69% to 49% or 49% to 29%, then is it better from the perspective of trying to maximize starting credit limit to not try to do CLIs before applying? Or will the moderate increase in score from the UTI reduction offset the higher potential payments when they figure they SLI?
I think that you're over-thinking it, @Jazee. But you also didn't state whether the accounts were with the same lender or a different lender from where you plan to add the new accounts??
From my experience, if you're talking about getting an additional card from the same lender, it's more likely to (potentially) affect your SL based on your profile and current TCL with that lender. But at the same time, I've found most lenders are willing to reallocate your credit limits to approve the new card, not just decline it. If the CLI is available, I would still go for it.
As far as your CL at OTHER institutions, while there may be some smaller credit unions with manual underwriting who become concerned with aggregate TCL across all your accounts if the ratio to income is very high, most lenders won't worry too much about it. You said something about the potential payments if you maxed out your cards!?!? 
No, they don't assume you're going to do that!! How do they know you don't have accounts that you don't plan to use any longer or even that you plan to close soon? Maybe you want to replace that crappy old credit card with their shiny new one? 
They are more concerned about how much credit they are lending you relative to your ability to repay.
