Discover the Credit Secrets That Will Get You Approved for a Mortgage

Getting approved for a mortgage is a long process that involves a lot of components. Potential home owners often find it surprising and stressful when they discover that they can’t get approved for the loans they were hoping for. One of the components of getting approved for a mortgage is having good credit. What do you need to show a lender to prove that you have good enough credit to get a loan?

The first step in improving your credit score is figuring out where you are at now. What is your current credit score? Do you have any outstanding balances, or bills you need to clean up? Getting eductated on where you stand will help you understand where you still need to go.

Your Credit Score Should Exceed 700

Most lenders will not bother offering you the lowest interest rates unless you have a credit score of at least 700. Ideally, you will have a score of at least 740 when you apply for a mortgage if you want to get the best rates without having to negotiate for them. If your score is under 650, it is doubtful that a lender will qualify you for a traditional mortgage.

A Good Credit Mix Helps

Having an auto loan, student loan or a credit card balance at the same time makes you a good credit risk in the eyes of a lender. While you shouldn’t get a student loan or a car loan just to improve your credit mix, it won’t hurt you when you apply for a mortgage.

Keep Your Debt-to-Income Ratio Under 40 Percent

One of the biggest factors that impacts both your credit and your ability to get a mortgage is your debt-to-income ratio. For a traditional mortgage, your DTI should be no more than 36 percent after you get the mortgage. Those who are looking for a government backed loan such as a FHA loan should have a DTI of no more than 40-45 percent.

Keep Your Credit Utilization Rate Under 20 percent

Lenders believe that borrowers who have a credit utilization rate under 30 percent have a good grasp on their credit card usage. However, those who are applying for a mortgage should keep that rate under 20 percent. It gives you some leeway to make purchases on credit after you buy the home. Homeowners commonly need to buy a lawn mower, vacuum cleaners and other supplies that they may not have needed while living with parents or in a smaller apartment.

Take Time To Prove Yourself

Sometimes you need time to improve your credit scores. Often late payments in the past, or a history of high balances can only be repaired by a good track record. Take a look at your credit lines and try to pay down some of those balances. If you pay all your credit lines on time and you keep the balances low, you could see a substantial increase in your credit score within a matter of months.

There are many variables that determine if you are approved for a mortgage or not. However, the easiest way to get approval is to have good credit. By showing that you are responsible with your money, you make it possible for a lender to justify giving you the tens of thousands of dollars it will take to purchase a home.

Author Bio: Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer from Sacramento, California. A mother of two, Hannah enjoys writing on blogs of all niches. Follow her on Twitter and Google +. When you are financially ready to buy a home visit http://www.henrywalkerhomes.com/salt-lake-county/kimpton-square

Tags: Credit score, Debt-to-income ratio, FHA insured loan, Mortgage loan

Category: Mortgage