Welcome to Part One in our new series: How Understanding Credit Helps Raise Your Score. Today we are going to explore, in depth, how you can find out what your credit report says – for FREE. No strings attached.
If you are unsure or have concerns about what your credit report says, the best place to start is Annual Credit Report. This website provides a TRULY free copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus. It’s important to look at all three bureaus because mortgage lenders check all of them when considering your qualifications for a pre-approval
And believe it or not, what gets reported to all three credit bureaus is not necessarily the same. A collection might be reported to one but not the other. Likewise, a bill you’ve paid on time might be reported to one but not the other. Either scenario has the potential to negatively impact your ability to purchase a home.
This website is not a credit monitoring service, and it does not ask for a credit card or any fees upfront. Any site that asks for a credit card or fee upfront is not truly free. This site does not provide a credit score for free, and you will have to pay to get your credit score, but if you just want to review your credit report for accuracy and to see what it contains, this is the place to go.
Credit standards are different for various loan types. VA, FHA, USDA (zero down), and conventional loan programs do not all have the same criteria. After checking your credit report for accuracy, the next step is to speak with a mortgage lending professional to see if your credit meets the standards for a loan program that will help you achieve the dream of home ownership.
Join us next week to learn how to build credit when you have none!
But First, Get Pre-Approved 
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