Ways to Boost Your Credit Score

Lenders use many factors to evaluate a customer’s loan application, and credit scores are one important element. The better your credit is, the more likely you will be approved for a loan at the best possible interest rate the lender has to offer. Some lenders offer solutions that are beneficial to those with lower credit scores too, so don’t dismay.

No matter your score, before you apply for a mortgage, it is important that you do whatever you can to improve and stabilize your credit score. Here are a few helpful tips on how to accomplish that.

Set up auto pay. “Payment history” makes up the largest percentage of your credit score, therefore, paying your bills on time is at the top of the list when discussing ways to improve your credit. The easiest way to ensure all of your payments are made on time is to set up auto pay for all of your bills through your bank’s bill pay service, or directly through the website for the service you’re using. If you’re a Carrington customer, it is easy to set up AutoPay by logging into your dashboard.

Pay down balances. The next area to address is the “amount owed” section. Try to reduce any high-interest debt first to save money in the long run. Keeping your credit card balances low compared to the amount of available credit shows lenders that you use credit responsibly and, over time, results in a higher score.

Keep old accounts open. “Length of credit history” is next in line as you work your way to a higher credit score. Your credit history does not magically disappear so there is no point in closing accounts in an attempt to get derogatory marks off of your report. Keeping accounts open with low balances demonstrates reliable use of credit over time.

Limit opening new cards. It is a best practice to only open new lines of credit when you need to. Keeping this in mind will aid in improving the “types of credit” and “frequency of new credit” components of your score.

Improving your credit score takes time, but have patience and stick with it! Remember, the most important factors in improving your credit score are making payments on time and keeping your balances low.