SCORE GOES DOWN AS REPORT IMPROVES?!?

[rom828]

I just can't understand this....

My EQ score keeps going down even as report improves.  And there's such a big discrepancy between EQ and TU with the same info that I just keep thinking something's gotta be wrong!!!

In a nutshell, only baddie is now the PR (which is due to drop April 2011).  I have only 1 inq, 3 new accounts, 36% utilization, yet my score is lower than it's been in a LONG time.  And even recently, score was 679 w/35% utilization so I can't see that the use is the problem.

Details are shown below:

December 2008 Score:  700   8 account in last year    15/28 w/ balance   (no flags on either)

                                               Bad:  2 accounts w/lates  1 PR    short history (13 yr 8 mos  4yrAAoA)   

                                               Good:  29%  utilization     not seeking credit (2 inqs)

December 2009 Score:  681   6 accounts in last year  

                                               Bad:  1 account w/late   1 PR  short history (14 yr 8 mos  4 yrAAoA)

                                               Good:  19% utlization     paying on time     missed relatively few pyts

???  Score went down even though less new accounts, 1 less late and lower utilization

December 2010  Score 654    3 accounts in last year (2 by conversion: Old Navy upgrade & Kroger123 bank change)

                                                Bad:  1 PR    short history  (15 yr 8 mos 4 yrAAoa)    36% utlization    Consumer Fin Acct (car loan--closed 2001)

                                                Good:  not seeking credit (1 inquiry)    no missed payments

???!!!  Can  the CFA now listed as a negative really  be the cause of such a drop??

I just can't understand why my score goes down as my report  gets better, since it evidently isn't  a re-bucket.  I'd asked about that a while back...when the delinquency fell off and utilzation was better but score   went down..and  consensus was that no longer having the delinquency didn't change my bucket since I have the PR.

And I had a 669 and 679 with 34%  and 35% utilization just before the drop to 654 when the CFA account appeared under 'bad', so it seems it must be the Consumer Finance Account that's causing the most damage.

Any thoughts as to what will happen when PR drops in April??

And is there anyway to get this CFA account deleted even though it doesnt have any negatives on it??  Can it  be disputed as obolete??

This is so frustrating!  I keep looking forward to score improvement and I seem to be getting worse even though my report is better!!

I'm grateful for any advices!!

[llecs]

I'd ignore the CFA....it's the least of the negative comments. In fact, most everyone who has a CFL has that comment. Moreover, removing it could impact your AAoA and drop your score even further. FICO frowns on CFLs but it's more like a   than a .

The drop between 12/2009 and 12/2010 can be easily explained by the spike in util. 36% is high. I bet if you brought it back to 19%, your score will bounce back. Also, individual balances come into play too. Make sure you have at least the same number of TLs reporting $0 as you did before. If not, the rebound to last year's score may not happen.

[rom828]

llecs, after reading your reply (thank you!!), I looked back at some other reports and it does seem the CFA may not be the total source of the lower score.....but I can't figure out what is!!

Oct 14th had 679 with 34% util, 17/29 reporting and CFA as negative.      Oct 28th had 679 with 31% util, 15/29 reporting and CFA.

Nov 8th dropped to 654 with 14/29 reporting, 34% util and CFA.       Dec 3rd still 654 with 18/30 36%  and CFA.

Because of Kroger 123 changing to US Bank and reporting as new, went from 2 new accounts (and 1 of those was an Old Navy Visa upgrade reporting as new) to 3 and from 29 accounts total to 30.

I know getting the utilization back down is a very key element, but doesnt it seem as something else is going on??? 

And like I mentioned (as have another post about), I'm worried about how low I'll go when the PR drops off and I'm re-bucketed!!