Composite Credit Report Score Simplifies Mortgage Issues

Do you want a mortgage loan for your new home? Trying to qualify for a new mortgage can be very tough, especially if you aren't aware of the effect your credit report score has on your ability to get approved for loans. One of the first things a lender looks at to determine your suitability for a mortgage loan is your credit report, or FICO score.

This is a composite score that gives a quick glance at your overall responsibility rating when it comes to finances. It has to do with how well you maintain repayment plans, how well you keep the ratios of your overall debt to income, your stability in employment, and many other things. Basically, the better your credit report score, the more likely you are to qualify for the loan you want.

Of course, there are many things that a lender considers before reaching the decision about your suitability for a mortgage loan. Employment stability is one. Lenders know that people who stay in the same field of work will more likely stay employed, and therefore will be more likely to repay their obligations. So, even if you have changed jobs recently, if you have kept a progression of advancing within the same field, or have simply changed employers but kept the same basic job with each, your ability to be approved for a mortgage loan should not be hindered much, unless there are negative reasons for your changing jobs.

As a matter of fact, now that automated credit report scoring has come into the lending business, less discretion gets used in determining who qualifies for what credit rate. This is supposed to ensure more objectivity in the loan approval process. For this purpose, the automated credit report score is used to give lenders the ability to boil the entire process down to review of only your overall score.

Unfortunately, this can close out some borrowers from getting loans of the amount, or interest rate they would like. Its even possible that a prospective borrower with enough income could actually be denied a loan he could afford due to a low standardized credit report score. For this reason, its imperative that prospective borrowers be diligent about improving their credit report scores and paying their bills on time. In this way the problem of disputing a low credit report score is alleviated.

Since there are five key factors that go into the composite credit report score, knowing what they are can help consumers to take control of their financial destiny by making them able enough to change things in their favor.

The very first thing that affects your overall credit report score is how well you repay your debts. Even a person with low income who carefully ensures that all his debts are repaid on time will be able to maintain a high credit report score. And timing is everything. A recent late payment is worse than several late payments some years ago.

Next, collection accounts and public histories are important to your credit report score. This means accounts that go into collection, foreclosure, and bankruptcies are harmful to your score. Ensuring these don't show up on your credit report goes a long way towards improving your credit report score. And therefore, the accuracy of your credit report becomes more important than ever. Consumers need to check their credit reports at least yearly and make sure the information therein is accurate.

Credit report scores below 620 will require remedial work to bring up to an acceptable level. This may take extended amount of time, perhaps years. But its worth it. You must build a positive credit history that shows extended time of handling your finances in a responsible way in order to bury old negative information.

James Marriott is a finance writer with more than 15 years of experience in writing financial content, including those related to credit cards, mortgages, stocks, investments, and funds. He has been with RNCOS, a premier financial writing services company, for 2 years as head of financial writing. He is also a regular financial columnist with renowned business journals. For your comments on the article and further financial assistance, please contact our staff writer at info@rncos.com.

In The News:


ABC News

US MBA's Mortgage Applications Index Fell 1.5% (Update1)
Bloomberg - Aug 20, 2008
... as fewer homeowners sought to refinance their loans The Mortgage Bankers Association's index of applications to buy a home or refinance a loan dropped ...
US mortgage applications hit 8-year low Times Online
Mortgage application volume hits multiyear low The Associated Press
Mortgage volume fell 1.5% last week: MBA MarketWatch
USA Today - Bizjournals.comall 242 news articles

Housing And Economic Recovery Act
Mondaq News Alerts (subscription), UK - 13 hours ago
The Act also expands the target population served by the FHA and creates the "Hope for Homeowners" voluntary FHA-insured mortgage refinance program. ...

Mortgage penalty unlikely to vanish
Fall River Herald News,  USA - 2 hours ago
I have a prepayment penalty on my mortgage loan for three years. I’d like to refinance sooner. Is there a way a lender can waive the penalty? ...

COMMENTARY: FHA is riding to the rescue, taxpayers beware
Reuters - 9 hours ago
(Ann Schnare is an economist specializing in housing and mortgage finance. She was former senior vice president for corporate relations at Freddie Mac and ...

Some Fear Commercial Property Loans Will Be Next Stage in Downturn
New York Times, United States - 1 hour ago
For Wall Street banks, which hold about $100 billion of commercial mortgage-backed securities, the prospect has fanned new worries that a deterioration of ...

How to assume the mortgage of a troubled homeowner
MarketWatch - 4 hours ago
I am (and was for a while) looking to refinance my four-unit owner-occupied property in Santa Monica, Calif., but I am having a hard time finding a good ...

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Fannie, Freddie: Plunge then rebound
CNNMoney.com - 7 hours ago
The Wall Street Journal Thursday said that the firms needed to refinance $225 billion in mostly short-term debt by the end on September. ...
Business Highlights Forbes
Freddie and Fannie Bail-Out Imminent Sovereign Society
Fannie and Freddie crisis deepens FT Alphaville
Inman.com (subscription) - Channel News Asiaall 2,029 news articles

Housing market keeping couples together
Chicago Sun-Times, United States - 9 hours ago
If one wants to keep the home, it's difficult to refinance the mortgage so the departing spouse can be cut loose from the debt. And evaporated home equity ...

Boston Globe

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Newsday, NY - Aug 20, 2008
They can't refinance because housing prices in those markets have nose-dived, and lenders are now demanding full documentation of income and assets. ...
FDIC Details Rescue Plan for Homeowners With IndyMac Mortgages ABA Journal
all 288 news articles

Refinancing not always an easy ride
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Aug 19, 2008
I recently refinanced my mortgage, and I can tell you that I don't ever want to do that again. Even for people who read, read and read the fine print, ...
mortgage refinance - Google News

Understanding Fixed-rate Mortgages

A fixed-rate mortgage is a mortgage on which the interest... Read More

5 Tips for Savvy Use of Your Home Equity Line of Credit

Tapping your home's equity to pay college expenses, consolidate credit... Read More

Need a Mortgage, Refinance or Equity Loan? Learn What it Takes, Before Applying

Do you know what it takes to qualify for mortgage... Read More

Home Equity Loans 101

A secured home loan differs from an unsecured loan in... Read More

Home Loans: Where Do I Begin?

So you've finally decided you've had enough of paying rent... Read More

Mortgage Sales Hit Problems

The housing market has been buoyant over the past few... Read More

Which is Better? Fixed-Rate or Adjustable-Rate Mortgages

The answer depends on several factors including your financial situation.... Read More

Self Employed Mortgage Loans - A Survival Guide

When you're self employed you have numerous advantages. As you... Read More

Getting a Home Improvement Loan: What Your Bank Needs

The popularity of stores like Home Depot and Lowe's show... Read More

Finding the Best Mortgage Lender Online

Finding the best mortgage lender online is simply a matter... Read More

Buying a Home With Bad Credit - Tips on Finding the Right Broker or Lender

You can buy a home with a bad credit record;... Read More

What is an Offset Mortgage?

An offset mortgage is very similar to a current account... Read More

Top 10 Things to Consider on Home Loans

Here are our Top 10 most important things to consider... Read More

How To Choose Your Mortgage Loan

Are you excited about purchasing your first home? Or maybe... Read More

Types of Home Equity Loans

There are at least two types of home equity loans.The... Read More

Preventing Foreclosure Proceedings and Understanding Your Options

Every year over 8 million homeowners are seeking help preventing... Read More

Should You Refinance Your Mortgage if Interest Rates Drop?

Mortgage refinancing is when you take a mortgage of a... Read More

Bankers Dont Want You to Know That You Pay for Your No Cost Home Loan Forever

With mortgage rates continuing on a downward trend, the competition... Read More

Change in Texas Law May Make Reverse Mortgages More Popular

Texas was one of the last states to allow homeowners... Read More

Rates May Be Rising: Mortgage And Refinancing Preparation Made Simple For You

Buying a home is probably the single largest investment most... Read More

The Zero Down 80/20 Mortgage

This is an excellent loan for those that are lacking... Read More

Home Equity Loans ? There?s Gold In That There House

To paraphrase an old familiar quote that goes "there's gold... Read More

How to Find Cheap Home Improvement Loans

If you have home improvements that you'd like to see... Read More

Bad Credit Refinance Loans - Finding a Good Lender

Finding a good lender to help you with refinancing your... Read More

Bad Credit Mortgage Loans ? How To Get Approved

Persistence is the key working toward getting approved for a... Read More