Blog, Mortgage

7 Ways To Protect Your Credit Score For Better Mortgage Rates05 Feb

As mortgage lenders tighten approval standards   in South Carolina and nationwide, the importance of a good credit score is rising.  Credit scores not only make the difference between a mortgage approval and mortgage turn-down, but they also play a large role in determining your actual mortgage note rate.

In the 3-minute piece, the NBC Today Show talks about 7 ways that homebuyers ruin their credit — often by accident.  Some of the highlighted mistakes include:

  • Closing open credit cards
  • Making appliance buys on credit prior to closing
  • Asking creditors to lower credit balances prior to closing

In general, a 740 FICO will insulate a borrower from the higher costs and/or rates associated with low credit scores.  Below 740, though, every 20 points adds to the damage.  Watch the video and apply what you can to your own situation.  The more you know, the more you can save.

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About

My first profession was an F-16 pilot with the United States Air Force followed by short stint as a commercial airline pilot with US Airways.  As a pilot, I honed my ability to stay focused on “the mission” while adjusting to unplanned circumstances like bad weather, equipment problems, and even enemy aircraft.  This ability serves me well as a Certified Mortgage Planning Specialist (CMPS).

Speaking as a former airline pilot, a long flight resembles a mortgage: you should start with a destination in mind, a plan for how to arrive there, and adjust your course along the way.  With a mortgage, the destination is paying off the loan and living in the right home.  You make course corrections by paying extra on the mortgage, using a home equity line or refinancing.

In a long flight, however, missing one simple thing at the beginning, like checking the oil level in the engines, or setting the heading wrong by even just one degree, could have disastrous consequences later on. Same with a mortgage.

I had big ambitions when I started my mortgage company (and still have them). I envisioned a company that would help homebuyers develop an integrated mortgage strategy that would lead to financial clarity, and a plan that would help them increase their financial security, minimize their tax obligations, and increase their net worth over time.

Read more about Tom Tousignant . . .

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Tom Tousignant, CMPS
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