Bucking conventional wisdom: 2nd card with balance doesn't affect my "mortgage" scores

[HeavenOhio]

Conventional wisdom here is that when compared to newer models, "mortgage" scores are quicker to react to second and subsequent cards with positive balances. My profile goes against that wisdom.

I tested one card balance vs. two a few weeks ago. I purposely kept the two balances tiny so there'd be no way that points could be lost due to balance amounts. All of the scores affected were FICO 8s and FICO 9s. The nine FICO 98 and 04 scores were untouched.

Posting a single balance a few days later returned me to my AZEO scores.

My profile information as of the dates of the tests:

• Six open cards
• Three closed cards
• No loans, either open or closed
• A closed utility account only on TU
• AoOA: 18 years 4 months
• AoYA: 35 months
• AAoA 96 months (EQ & EX); 93 months (TU)

Here's how the scores were affected:

	2 Jan 2020	8 Jan 2020
	$7 on 24k limit	$7 on 24k limit $7 on 7k limit
Equifax 04 (FICO 5) Classic	810	810
Transunion 04 (FICO 4) Classic	808	808
Experian 98 (FICO 2) Classic	825	825
Equifax 04 (FICO 5) Auto	828	828
Transunion 04 (FICO 4) Auto	809	809
Experian 98 (FICO 2) Auto	807	807
Equifax 04 (FICO 5) Bankcard	819	819
Transunion 04 (FICO 4) Bankcard	842	842
Experian 98 (FICO 2) Bankcard	845	845
Experian 04 (FICO 3) Bankcard	813	813
Equifax FICO 8 Classic	823	819
Transunion FICO 8 Classic	815	814
Experian FICO 8 Classic	814	814
Equifax FICO 8 Auto	793	788
Transunion FICO 8 Auto	821	820
Experian FICO 8 Auto	796	796
Equifax FICO 8 Bankcard	836	828
Transunion FICO 8 Bankcard	832	826
Experian FICO 8 Bankcard	826	818
Equifax FICO 9 Classic	836	836
Transunion FICO 9 Classic	817	817
Experian FICO 9 Classic	823	822
Equifax FICO 9 Auto	851	851
Transunion FICO 9 Auto	825	825
Experian FICO 9 Auto	837	836
Equifax FICO 9 Bankcard	846	846
Transunion FICO 9 Bankcard	829	826
Experian FICO 9 Bankcard	835	834

[Revelate]

Starting to think that revolvers under a certain time limit (1 year for FICO 8, maybe 1.5-2 years for older models) skew the revolvers with balances calculation.

Not the first difference between scorecards TBH, but I think it fits all the anecdotal datapoints we've had.

I want to test my profile again on my clean but with new accounts scorecard after I finish these two mortgages and then get a couple of useful balance transfer cards.

[Thomas_Thumb]

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@HeavenOhio wrote:

Conventional wisdom here is that when compared to newer models, "mortgage" scores are quicker to react to second and subsequent cards with positive balances. My profile goes against that wisdom.

I tested one card balance vs. two a few weeks ago. I purposely kept the two balances tiny so there'd be no way that points could be lost due to balance amounts. All of the scores affected were FICO 8s and FICO 9s. The nine FICO 98 and 04 scores were untouched.

Posting a single balance a few days later returned me to my AZEO scores.

My profile information as of the dates of the tests:

• Six open cards
• Three closed cards
• No loans, either open or closed
• A closed utility account only on TU
• AoOA: 18 years 4 months
• AoYA: 35 months
• AAoA 96 months (EQ & EX); 93 months (TU)

Here's how the scores were affected:

	2 Jan 2020	8 Jan 2020
	$7 on 24k limit	$7 on 24k limit $7 on 7k limit
Equifax 04 (FICO 5) Classic	810	810
Transunion 04 (FICO 4) Classic	808	808
Experian 98 (FICO 2) Classic	825	825
Equifax 04 (FICO 5) Auto	828	828
Transunion 04 (FICO 4) Auto	809	809
Experian 98 (FICO 2) Auto	807	807
Equifax 04 (FICO 5) Bankcard	819	819
Transunion 04 (FICO 4) Bankcard	842	842
Experian 98 (FICO 2) Bankcard	845	845
Experian 04 (FICO 3) Bankcard	813	813
Equifax FICO 8 Classic	823	819
Transunion FICO 8 Classic	815	814
Experian FICO 8 Classic	814	814
Equifax FICO 8 Auto	793	788
Transunion FICO 8 Auto	821	820
Experian FICO 8 Auto	796	796
Equifax FICO 8 Bankcard	836	828
Transunion FICO 8 Bankcard	832	826
Experian FICO 8 Bankcard	826	818
Equifax FICO 9 Classic	836	836
Transunion FICO 9 Classic	817	817
Experian FICO 9 Classic	823	822
Equifax FICO 9 Auto	851	851
Transunion FICO 9 Auto	825	825
Experian FICO 9 Auto	837	836
Equifax FICO 9 Bankcard	846	846
Transunion FICO 9 Bankcard	829	826
Experian FICO 9 Bankcard	835	834

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Thanks for the data. The lack of change in your mortgage scores is in-line with expectations for a well aged profile with no new accounts AND no recent inquiries under 12 months age.The mortgage scores become more reactive to # cards with balances if the profile has "recently been seeking credit" (meaning an inquiry, HP,  on the CRA report ).

I saw this (greater score change associated with # cards reporting balances) on TU after I took an HP for a CLI request in late 2017. Now that the HP has aged off, scores are again less reactive. In general, TU and EX "mortgage" scores should not change significantly for your profile [no recent accounts] unless # cards reporting balances exceeds 3 (exceeds 50%). Really, the same is true for EQ as well - but once you exceed 50% on EQ the drop can be severe (personal experience).