There
are many companies out there that claim to be able to repair your
credit. They will charge you for things you can do on your own. Heres
how to do it on your own. You must first get a copy of your credit
report from all 3 credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, Experian).
Many people have errors on their credit report. These must be
corrected, and the results could improve your credit score. To remove
these items, you must dispute them with the 3 credit bureaus
individually. The credit bureau is then required to contact the
erroneous reporter and verify the information. If the information is
not verified with 30 days, it must be removed (DELETED) from your
credit file completely.
Steps
that you can take yourself to improve your credit include checking your
credit report for errors and disputing them, paying down credit
balances and making your payments on time.
A
mortgage professional with credit repair experience can help you reapir
your credit with no costs to you. Contact Brenda Puckett an experienced
mortgage professional, at 770-634-4315.
Credit
repair companies are a convenient alternative to self credit repair but
always research the credit repair company completely and avoid
companies that require a large up front fee.
If
you get a copy of your credit report at www.AnnualCreditReport.com
you can actually challenge any
incorrect items electronically over the internet.
There
are also credit repair companies that will fix your credit up for a
fee. There are many of these types of companies out there and if you
decide to use one of them you should really try to do your homework and
research them before paying them a fee for their services. Ask for
referrals, ask your mortgage broker which ones he/she uses on a regular
basis and how their results are, and check to see how long they have
been in business to make sure they are not just going to take your
money and run. Many consumers can be helped by credit repair companies
and can end up qualifying for a loan that they may not have been able
to qualify for before. Therefore the small amount of money spent on
credit repair can end up saving you tens of thousands of dollars over
the course of your loan.
Through
a refinance you can actually improve your credit as well. By paying
down credit balances, closing collection accounts and lowering the
amount of credite extended to you, your scores will gradually improve.
Prior
to repairing your credit you should speak with a mortgage professional.
Often things you think will help will actually hurt.
Make
sure you keep tabs on your credit profile by checking your credit
report for errors and inaccuracies at least once per year. You are able
to access your credit report from all three credit repositories,
Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, online one time per year for free.
By checking your credit at least 1 time per year this is going to help
you to prevent or correct any inaccuracies that may be reporting to
your credit profile. Preventative maintenance is the best form of
credit repair there is available, along with learning the basics of
credit and credit scoring. There are many things that can be done by
you, the consumer, to help improve and maintain a high credit rating
and credit score. Here is a short list of some simple tips that will
help you maintain a good credit record and credit score:
* Pay all of your bills on time
* Never max. out your credit cards
* Try to keep your credit card balances under 50% of what your maximum
credit limits are
* Keep your credit applications to a minimum and do not apply for
credit all year round
* Do not close your credit card accounts after you have paid them off.
The length of time your credit accounts are open will help improve your
credit rating
* Check your credit report for inaccuracies with all 3 bureaus at least
once per year
The best form of credit repair is understanding the basics of credit
and credit scoring, and this following this information will help your
credit profile much more than alternative types of credit repair. Do
not wait until you are getting ready to buy a new car or a new house to
check your credit reports. Stay on top of your credit profile to take
care of problems, or errors, when they happen instead of when you need
to get approved for financing. 29% of all credit reports contain
serious errors. That is almost one out of every three consumers that
are affected by serious errors that can greatly affect they type of
financing you are being approved for. Approximately 70% of all credit
reports have at least minor errors or inaccuracies of some kind. Those
are some pretty unbelievable stats. Especially when you consider how
important of a role credit plays in your life now-a-days. Employers
check your credit report when you are applying for a job, insurance
companies check your credit when you are applying for a new policy,
credit card companies, auto companies, banks, mortgage companies, and
the list goes on and on. Please consult a mortgage professional to find
out more about tips to improve your credit, preventative maintenance on
your credit, and about credit repair to make sure you qualify for the
financing terms you deserve.
Georgia Residential Mortgage Licensee 11486