Mini App-Spree: Guidance?

[sadiespapa]

Hi Everyone,

I close on my mortgage refinance in 2 days, with it fully funding a week from today. So, i've started to give some thought to applying for a couple new credit cards. I havent applied for credit in over 5 years (except for the recent mortgage refi.) Ive been paying my unsecured debt off through a debt management plan (DMP.) The DMP is effectively over, with only two accounts remaining which will be paid off in 3-4 months. While its been great to pay down over $30k in debt, the DMP leaves me with very few "open" tradelines. A condition of the DMP was that the accounts get closed. With the DMP wrapping up, I would like to try and get some new tradelines open and reporting, so that they are 6+ months old when I go to buy a new car later this year. 

I pulled my real FICOs prior to applying for my ReFi at the first of Feb. They should be even better now:

EX: 628

EQ: 561

TU: 668

OPEN:

Macys - $700 CL/ $605 Balance (Never Late)

Chase - $800 CL/ $613 Balance (Never Late)

Chase - $1200 CL/ $1000 Balance (ONLY AN AU)

Closed:

BofA - $6700 CL/$1050 Balance (Part of DMP - Was 90D late October 2013, 60D in Nov 2013, 30D in Dec 2013)

BofA - $6000 CL/$705 Balance (Part of DMP - Was 90D late October 2013, 60D in Nov 2013, 30D in Dec 2013)

Citi - $4220 CL/ $1327 Balance (Never Late)

Citiflex - $5230 CL/ $1892 Balance (Never Late - Was closed by credit grantor when discontinued)

1FBusa - $11900 CL/ $5400 Balance (Never Late)

I have other accounts that were in the DMP but are now closed and paid. 

I have a GEMONEY/LOWES charge-off that was paid in July 2013 and last reported in August as such.

• I received an offer for a Capital One plane-jane mastercard (with no annual fee.) I feel pretty good about being approved but I dont like that they pull all 3. I know they give low limits and I feel like I am a great candidate to get stuck in "low limit hell." 
• I would really like a Home Depot card, but since im paying a closed TL with Citi, do I even have a chance?
• Do I have any non-secured chance with BofA, or should I just plan on setting a deposit aside for a secured card?
• Barclay pre-approval lookup tool did not yield anything for me.
• Comenity trick doesnt work (I dont want their store cards anyways) 

My main thing is, I dont want to waist inquiries, and I want to get the new tradelines established within the next 60 days or so, so that they are 6 months old when I am shoping around for autoloans. 

Any reccomendations? Thanks 

[sadiespapa]

Maybe this belongs in the Rebuilding forum?

[grinlikechelsea]

Perhaps the Barclays Rewards for Average Credit? Its a pretty good rewards card and Barclays is a pretty good bank.

[Chris679]

If it were me I would take cap one and let the lates age awhile before trying my hand at more cards. Say what you want about Cap One but they are your best friend if you are in a position like yours. Local CU would be great too if you are a member.

[sadiespapa]

Thanks for your feedback grinlikechelsea and chris679. I have considered applying for the Barclay card, I dont know how they would feel about inquiries from Capital One around the same time frame (they're said to be inquiry sensitive?) I will apply for the Capital One card for sure, because I feel that I will be approved and if nothing else, then I will have 3 active tradelines (Chase/Macy's/CapOne) when I apply for my auto loan. 

At a minimum, I suppose I should hold off on applying for Home Depot until later this summer when my last late is 6+ months old.