Understanding Your FICO Score

by gtopal / Mortgage

March 13, 2023

Are you in the market for a home? If so, you likely know that having a good credit score is essential. A good credit score is usually considered to be above 670, and the higher it is, the better your chances of being approved for a mortgage. Knowing your FICO score—the most widely used credit scoring system in the U.S.—is an important part of the home buying process. So, how can FICO help you get into the home of your dreams?

 

What is FICO?

FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation and it’s one of the major credit reporting agencies in the United States. A FICO score is based on information from your credit reports and uses a mathematical calculation to generate a three-digit number ranging from 300 to 850. Generally, lenders view scores over 700 as good (and thus more likely to be approved for a loan) while scores below 600 are considered bad (and thus less likely to be approved).

 

How Can FICO Help You Get Into Your Dream Home?

FICO scores are incredibly useful when it comes to applying for a mortgage or other loan. Lenders use these scores as indicators of how likely it is that applicants will pay back their loans on time. The higher your score, the more likely you are to get approved for a loan with favorable terms and interest rates. That’s why it’s important to make sure that your information on file with FICO is accurate; any discrepancies may affect your ability to get into your dream home!

The FICO website also provides helpful resources that can assist with understanding and improving credit scores such as tips on budgeting, managing debt, and more. Additionally, they offer free access to personalized educational tools aimed at helping people build and maintain healthier financial habits.

 

To sum up, having an understanding of what affects your personal FICO score can help you qualify for lower interest rates which can save you money down the road when buying or refinancing a home. Being aware of how this system works will also help you understand where potential issues may lie if you ever experience difficulty getting approved for loans or mortgages in future situations! And don’t forget about using all of the resources available through the FICO website–they can really come in handy when preparing yourself financially before embarking on homeownership!

Continue Reading