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Applying for a Loan?--Start by Ordering Your Credit
Report
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If you are considering applying for a loan, ordering a copy of your credit
report may well be the best place to start. Why? Because it’s also the first
thing a potential creditor will be looking at, and even if you pay your bills
on time, you will want to ensure that all the information in your credit file
is up-to-date and accurate.
Repair Your Credit
Mistakes lower your credit scores wrongly. Studies have shown that many credit files contain inaccuracies that could
affect your credit rating, and even lead to the rejection of a loan
application. That’s why reviewing your credit report beforehand may be a
good idea, giving you time to dispute any items that may be the result of
simple human error or a technical glitch.
And depending on whether you are applying for an auto loan, a mortgage
loan, or a loan for business or personal use, different lenders may apply
different standards in rating your credit worthiness. For this reason, reading
your credit report and understanding how your credit data might be interpreted
may give you a chance to improve your credit worthiness from the point of view
of a lender.
Before you begin the application process, check your
credit report for the following items:
Clerical Inaccuracies
Sometimes credit reports contain inaccuracies that are the result of a
computer glitch or a clerical error. These may include payments not credited,
late payments, or data mixed in from a credit file of someone with a name
similar to yours. Ordering your credit report will quickly show you what the
lender will see--then it’s up to you to dispute any information that you
consider inaccurate.
Excess Unused Credit
To make your credit more attractive to a potential lender, you may wish
to consider reducing the number of revolving charge accounts that are listed
as active on your credit report. Lenders will sometimes view too much
revolving debt as a negative when considering a loan application.
In situations where you have stopped using a credit account, it is often a
good idea to close the account if you don’t plan to use it anymore.
But always try to keep 2-3 open which makes them see that you can manage
credit. But if you do close it make
sure your creditor notates the account “closed at consumer’s
request”--otherwise, a prospective lender might assume the creditor closed
the account for other reasons.
A few credit cards managed well may improve your chances for a
loan--particularly a mortgage loan, where lenders use stricter qualifying
guidelines. Another rule of thumb is to keep balances on credit cards less
than 50% of the available credit limit. Ironically, credit cards that have lots of
room on them may be viewed as potential debt, while maxed-out cards make you a
less desirable credit risk--both of these situations could compromise your
ability to obtain a loan.
30-day and 60-day Late Payments
Even if your credit report contains a couple of 30-day late payment
entries that are accurate, many lenders will overlook the occasional late
payment if you explain the situation and your credit is otherwise good. Try to
avoid any payment being 60 days late however, as this may be a red flag for
some lenders--even if they do grant you the loan, it may come at a higher rate
of interest and with less favorable terms.
The primary period lenders are interested in on a credit report is the last
two years, so try to maintain on time payments, and verify that the payments
are being credited properly by checking your credit report regularly.
Avoid Unnecessary Inquiries
Each time a prospective creditor looks at your credit report, an
inquiry notation is added to your file, and most inquiries stay on your credit
report for up to two years. Inquiries you make yourself, inquiries made during
screening for a pre-approved offer of credit, or an inquiry that is part of a
background check for employment purposes are not reported to potential
credit grantors.)
It is best to avoid over-applying for credit and running up excessive
inquiries, for the simple reason that lenders of creditors may think you’re
trying to get credit due to financial difficulty, or taking on more debt than
you can repay.
Lenders do of course realize that some inquiries are a result of shopping
around for the best rates on a loan, and so they will often overlook a block
of inquiries within a very recent period. It may help if you explain the
inquiries in the application process. If you would like to get a free copy of
your credit report right now, click on one of the links below...
Understanding how your credit report affects your financial future is the
key to smart credit management. Incorporating a review of your credit report
into your financial planning is also one of the best ways to make sure you
meet your goals--especially when those goals involve major purchases, and
you’re shopping for a loan with the most favorable terms possible.
Monthly Credit Check Monitoring Service!
First Credit Report is Free
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