Pre-Mortgage gardening help

[Nomad3]

I have roughly 12-15mo to prepare and my credit file is relatively thin. I've read a bunch of information but need a little help to maximize score/approval for mortgage.

I've been using my first card regularly and paying down to 7-8% Util for statement and never carrying a balance. I just opened my second card with plans to do the same Util management. Will be sticking to natural CLI's and not asking during this prep, but my newest card will likely have an auto-CLI once it hits 12mo which will be right around the time I'll be applying for mortgage. Will this auto-CLI affect mortgage scoring if I haven't held the increase for very long prior to the app?

And should I be AZEO all the time? Or just the 6mo leading up to mortgage app?

[Anonymous]

A credit is one of the biggest assets for you. Maintaining a good credit score is not easy.

Here are the some tips for building good credit score:

• Regular moniter your credit score
• On time payment
• Don't max out your credit limits
• Use no more than 30% limit of your credit
• If any issue then fix it

First you need to build your credit score. When your credit score above 700 then you can apply mortgage it will take time but depends on your credit utilizations. Higher credit utiliztaion and low balance in credit affect your scredit score.

[JVille]

All Zero EXCEPT One!!! Remember to leave a $20ish (tiny) dollar balance on one of the cards. Do you have a car payment?

[Nomad3]

Auto loan closed years ago, 1x 30d late that will fall off next year. Got my first credit card last year, had to be a starter card because I had no [current] history.

My main concern with AZEO is my accounts are relatively new, so not a bunch of payment history. If I start AZEO wouldnt I look riskier by not having more on-time payments?

[JVille]

Wait of course you have on time payments why wouldn’t you?????? Alway pay off what you spend or at the very least make the minimum payment.
Use the card for Gas and groceries and pay off each month BUT try and leave a small balance on one card. How is that not paying on time? What you do not want with AZERO is ALL cards showing a zero balance.
Have you pulled a 3 Bureau report from THIS website to have a baseline in your Morgage FICO scores? FICO 8 is a completely useless score and generally very misleading about the real status of Mtg FICO scores.

[Nomad3]

So if:

Card1
Mo spend 30%
Statement balance 7%

Card2
Mo spend 30%
Statement balance 0%

After 12mo, I would only show 12 payments on fico model because 0 balance on one card. Versus leaving balance on both cards after 12mo it would show 24 payments.

I might have confused myself and overcomplicated this lol.

Plan on getting my baseline score near the end of this month after all 3 update from my most recent card approval