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3% utilization is high?

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cbarret2
Contributor

3% utilization is high?

One of the factors at the bottom of the list of things hurting my score is high utilization. But 3% is average for FICO High Achievers. I don't get it.

 

1. You have a short credit history.

2. The remaining balance on your mortgage or non-mortgage installment loans is too high.

3. You've made heavy use of your available revolving credit.

 

Message 1 of 5
4 REPLIES 4
Revelate
Moderator Emeritus

Re: 3% utilization is high?

Ignore it.  The reasons your score isn't better that are listed are often nonsensical unfortunately especially when we're talking the third or fourth reason: they're their because of regulation requirements, and so they put things that can't be argued with.  It would probably still show up even at $0.01 aggregate balance on some files, when we know that $0 balances across the board is a straight negative.

 

There's only so many reasons someone with a clean file can be given which generally boil down to: make your payments, on time, and let time pass.

 




        
Message 2 of 5
bdhu2001
Valued Contributor

Re: 3% utilization is high?


@cbarret2 wrote:

One of the factors at the bottom of the list of things hurting my score is high utilization. But 3% is average for FICO High Achievers. I don't get it.

 

1. You have a short credit history.

2. The remaining balance on your mortgage or non-mortgage installment loans is too high.

3. You've made heavy use of your available revolving credit.

 


Don't pay too much attention.  You have a good score and it's moving up. Some of those items are generic.  Pay more attention to short credit history and remember their information is a point in time. How are you using your cards.  Do they reach a high balance, but you pay it off every month?  Pay attention to the specific items on the report & then just move forward. If the item is incorrect based on the report in front of you, then let time take care of it. If it's because the report hit before your $670 payment to one of your credit cards, then that's a timing issue and you can simply change your payment schedule. But, don't let it rule you.

Original Mortgage maturity Sept 2044; Refi maturity Dec 2030
Starting Score: EX 751 EQ 720 TU 737 on 4/9/14
Current Score: EX 849 EQ 835 TU 843
Goal Score: 850


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Message 3 of 5
HiLine
Blogger

Re: 3% utilization is high?


@cbarret2 wrote:

One of the factors at the bottom of the list of things hurting my score is high utilization. But 3% is average for FICO High Achievers. I don't get it.

 

1. You have a short credit history.

2. The remaining balance on your mortgage or non-mortgage installment loans is too high.

3. You've made heavy use of your available revolving credit.

 


Let's see if this explanation helps.

 

FICO wants to provide reasons for your score not being perfect. The weaknesses they cite are purely the weakest parts of your credit profile. If you have perfect payment history, a good mix of credit, show recent use of credit cards, have not applied for credit recently, and do not have any negative items on your credit profile, obviously these cannot be weaknesses.  So what else they got? Basically the 3 things you listed. These are about the only things you can improve at this point to increase your credit score.

Message 4 of 5
cbarret2
Contributor

Re: 3% utilization is high?

Time seems to be the key here. The FICO score simulator says my score will be 770 2 years from now.

Message 5 of 5
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