Hi, since my EX FICO Score 2 value was high enough today to meet the 740-750 threshold needed to upgrade to the lowest-available 8.99% F rate for Unify (formerly Western) FCU's Fixed-Rate VISA, and I was also able to successfully app for the Variable-Rate VISA at the lowest APR of 5.24%, I just wanted to pass along a few data points that I found out today:
(1) To qualify for the lowest 8.99% F go-to APR for the Fixed-Rate VISA, you need to receive a minimum SL of at least $15k. (I had previously thought the min. SL was between $11k - $14k, so I just wanted to correct my earlier statements.) You also need minimum EX Score 2 FICO values of between 740-750, as stated correctly earlier; that part hasn't changed.
(2) Interestingly enough, I discovered after talking to the CU rep that for the Variable-Rate VISA's SL, and unlike as for the Fixed-Rate card's SL requirements described above, you do not need to have a minimum SL amount, in order to qualify for the lowest 5.24% V. Apparently, any approved SL qualifies for the 5.24% V rate, as the CU rep said that with the same correct FICO score range referenced above, the 5.24% V rate applies across-the-board, regardless of the CL you are approved for.
ETA: I forgot to mention that only a single inq. was required, for me to upgrade/app for the above items with Unify.
Good info Galahad, im sure this will help an apper down the road
Going to be applying for membership as it's literally impossible to get more local than they are for me (or at least along my expected line between home and work / airport).
Appreciate the datapoints, will have to see where I'm at post my CSR flier on EX FICO 2 since presumably Chase will pull it... sitting at 742 now post tax lien removal. Not a critical application, the fixed rate Visa which admittedly would be an upgrade to my Penfed PLOC and might come in handy someday in the future, but as I never use the PLOC except as a last resort after I picked up my HELOC (much much better financing option) and may not be worth it.
5 and change APR though on the variable rate might be interesting and I figure I should pick up something from a going forward relationship perspective but they have so many random different product types presumably I can find something useful or at least interesting.
@Revelate wrote:Going to be applying for membership as it's literally impossible to get more local than they are for me (or at least along my expected line between home and work / airport).
Appreciate the datapoints, will have to see where I'm at post my CSR flier on EX FICO 2 since presumably Chase will pull it... sitting at 742 now post tax lien removal. Not a critical application, the fixed rate Visa which admittedly would be an upgrade to my Penfed PLOC and might come in handy someday in the future, but as I never use the PLOC except as a last resort after I picked up my HELOC (much much better financing option) and may not be worth it.
5 and change APR though on the variable rate might be interesting and I figure I should pick up something from a going forward relationship perspective but they have so many random different product types presumably I can find something useful or at least interesting.
1. I believe they use FICO Auto 2.
See discussion at http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Would-credit-union-use-FICO-Auto-2-for-CC...
2. They are tough. I closed out my accounts with them after determining that I would never be able to live up to their underwriting standards.
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@Revelate wrote:Going to be applying for membership as it's literally impossible to get more local than they are for me (or at least along my expected line between home and work / airport).
Appreciate the datapoints, will have to see where I'm at post my CSR flier on EX FICO 2 since presumably Chase will pull it... sitting at 742 now post tax lien removal. Not a critical application, the fixed rate Visa which admittedly would be an upgrade to my Penfed PLOC and might come in handy someday in the future, but as I never use the PLOC except as a last resort after I picked up my HELOC (much much better financing option) and may not be worth it.
5 and change APR though on the variable rate might be interesting and I figure I should pick up something from a going forward relationship perspective but they have so many random different product types presumably I can find something useful or at least interesting.
1. I believe they use FICO Auto 2.
See discussion at http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Would-credit-union-use-FICO-Auto-2-for-CC...
2. They are tough. I closed out my accounts with them after determining that I would never be able to live up to their underwriting standards.
After taking a quick look at the linked thread ou had listed above, I am very sorry to hear that Unify declined your recent application for their cc SJ 
On FICO Auto Score 2, is it possible that maybe Unify pulls different credit score models, based on where a person lives geographically? The only reason I mention is b/c based on multiple direct info that the Unify CSR I spoke with over several cc product upgrades and APR reductions since my original app for their fixed-rate card in 2015, the CSR was quite clear that she was pulling FICO Score 2, but not the Auto version -- I rechecked my saved credit reports at the time I was previously upgraded to their Gold card at 9.99% F (before the most recent Platinum upgrade to 8.99% F), and my Auto Score 2 was signficantly higher than my Score 2 alone, so based on the data points the CSR provided to me, I theoretically would have been able to qualify much earlier for the final card upgrade I received, if Unify had used Auto Score 2? Which makes me think that perhaps which score model they pull could potentially depend on one's geographical location? Or, maybe they pull different score models (i.e., Score 2 vs. Auto Score 2) on a random basis?
ETA: agree 100% that their UW standards are very tough, to be able to qualify for the best-available cc terms. They are also unwilling to substitute higher EX Score 8 FICOs or high FICOs from EQ or TU...they seem to insist on always using EX and Score 2 and/or Auto Score 2, which for me have always been lower than my EX Score 8 values.
Maybe I'll just go test it to see, as long as it's not Bankcard I should be OK 
742 EX FICO 2
752 EX FICO 2 AU
716 EX FICO 2 BC
2. You've recently opened too many new credit accounts.
I don't have that on the other FICO 2 models, guess accidentally teased out a specific Bankcard weighting and should go put some numbers around that, though since it doesn't exist on FICO 8 or FICO 9 for me it's probably not relevant as Risk Model v2 BC is a pretty obscure score to be sure.
@Revelate wrote:Maybe I'll just go test it to see, as long as it's not Bankcard I should be OK
742 EX FICO 2
752 EX FICO 2 AU
716 EX FICO 2 BC
2. You've recently opened too many new credit accounts.
I don't have that on the other FICO 2 models, guess accidentally teased out a specific Bankcard weighting and should go put some numbers around that, though since it doesn't exist on FICO 8 or FICO 9 for me it's probably not relevant as Risk Model v2 BC is a pretty obscure score to be sure.
I'm really sorry to hear about Unify declining the cc application Revelate (I'm assuming here that you applied earlier today, b/c of the "You've recently opened too many new credit accounts" response you had listed above?)
J/c, did you app for the Fixed-Rate card or the Variable-Rate card? Again really sorry to hear about the decline; EX 742 FICO 2 and EX 752 Auto FICO 2 are excellent scores that more than meet their specified threshold, it really doesn't seem quite fair of them to decline your app, imo. [ETA: I'm at 16/24 myself, and so I have obtained quite a few cards in the past 2 years, but they didn't seem to have an issue with it, when I apped. Right now I have 0 inqs. on TU, 2 on EQ, and 5-6 on EX, that still affect FICO score, and not counting inqs. older than 1 year old.] Also have you tried to recon, to see if they are hopefully willing to reconsider the decision and to approve you?
@galahad15 wrote:
@Revelate wrote:Maybe I'll just go test it to see, as long as it's not Bankcard I should be OK
742 EX FICO 2
752 EX FICO 2 AU
716 EX FICO 2 BC
2. You've recently opened too many new credit accounts.
I don't have that on the other FICO 2 models, guess accidentally teased out a specific Bankcard weighting and should go put some numbers around that, though since it doesn't exist on FICO 8 or FICO 9 for me it's probably not relevant as Risk Model v2 BC is a pretty obscure score to be sure.
I'm really sorry to hear about Unify declining the cc application Revelate
J/c, did you app for the Fixed-Rate card or the Variable-Rate card? Again really sorry to hear about the decline; EX 742 FICO 2 and EX 752 Auto FICO 2 are excellent scores that more than meet their specified threshold, it really doesn't seem quite fair of them to decline your app, imo. [ETA: I'm at 16/24 myself, and so I have obtained quite a few cards in the past 2 years, but they didn't seem to have an issue with it, when I apped. Right now I have 0 inqs. on TU, 2 on EQ, and 5-6 on EX, that still affect FICO score, and not counting inqs. older than 1 year old.] Also have you tried to recon, to see if they are hopefully willing to reconsider the decision and to approve you?
Nah that was a reason code from a MF 1B pull after my tax lien came off.
Haven't applied for anything yet since I'm sorta spin cycling now waiting for an offer letter before I go beg Chase to play ball with me. Anything with Unify is a longer term plan since Logix has managed to piss me off similarly to what BOFA did and as such they're going to get the same result (a boot to the tookus) and as such I need to find another local CU for potential future goodness.
Thanks for sharing, this is very useful information. Unify does offer really low rates on many products.
For whatever reason, my Ex FICO 2 scores are 30-40 points lower than any of my other Ex scores. I guess FICO 2 must weigh new accounts and/or inquiries more heavily, as I have a lot of those in the past two years, especially new accounts (30+)
