Credit Repair - Remove Derogatory Items
One of the major hurdles a lot of my clients face when purchasing a home is their credit score. I think at some point everyone has made mistakes with their credit. Their creditors have a zero tolerance and work with the credit bureaus to keep their scores low for 7 years!
Well there are laws against this! I have some actionable tips and strategies for cleaning up your credit. These tips are for educational and information purposes. You can do these strategies yourself there is no charge. Discover how to repair your credit. Following these steps will help you repair your credit easily.
I wrote about credit repair in the past, how some of the credit repair companies were charging four figures and a monthly fee, but producing little results. I recently saw where a company was charging a fee just to discuss your credit!
I am Wesley Howard; I am a Realtor, I help buyers get into homes with little to no money down through the use of 1st time home buyer programs.
We all know the benefits of buying a home:
- Increased financial stability and equity
- Greater control over living space and customization options
- The potential for long-term investment and appreciation
- Tax advantages and deductions
- A sense of pride and accomplishment
I hope this guide puts you a step closer to home ownership. Most of you only need to raise your score a couple of points in order to purchase, so you may not have to use some of the more aggressive strategies.
A major myth that many people believe is that you need a high credit score to purchase.
You don’t need a 700 or 800 score to purchase a home. You only need a 580 credit score to purchase a home.
If you have a 580 credit score or better, give me a call so that we can get started on your home search today.
You can receive down payment assistance and purchase a home with a 580 credit score or higher.
When you combine down payment assistance with closing help from the seller you come to the table with little to no down payment.
You don’t need to try any of these strategies if your score is 580 or higher. Call, Text, Email me today so that we go over your options with my lender. We will get your in position to buy before your next lease renewal.
I will be your realtor; I will help you find the home. My commission is paid by the seller of the home. There is no charge to you the buyer. All I ask is that you tell your friends and family about my services so that I can help them find their dream home also.
You can buy a home if you have derogatory items that appear on your credit report (bankruptcy, foreclosure, short sale...etc) if they are 2 years or older. You just have to provide an explanation for the event. My lender will determine what will and will not be allowed.
I have had many of my clients improve their credit before purchasing.
Creditors do not want you to use your credit. When you use your credit they hold it against you, they keep your score down and say your Utilization rate is too high. They want you to stay at 30% of your total balance.
If your credit limit is $500, they don’t want you to use more than $150.00 a month. They want your balance to be $150 or lower when you pay on your statement.
After you raise your score, please remember to purchase your Home before you purchase a Car. A Car purchase will limit how much home you can buy. Purchase your home first, and then get the car for the driveway.
I wanted to keep this letter short, below are some actionable tips and strategies for cleaning up their credit. These tips are for educational and information purposes.
Your credit score affects how much you pay for a loan or credit card and even your insurance rates. Having a higher credit score will benefit you in so many ways.
I discovered some excellent tips on how to better manage your credit and improve it quickly. I can't wait to be able to get you your dream home and move your family to the next level.
I am sure you may have tried a few of these strategies, select the link below that applies to you.
When to pay your Credit Card Bill
Correcting your Personal Information - First Step
I have attached some videos under “more information.”
I only did this to give you more explanation of the strategy. I don’t suggest that you buy, consult, or click on any links that the video makers may suggest. Also “The Law” is an explanation of the Cfpb law that you will be using to clean up your credit. Please read the do’s and don’ts before you start.
The law
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1666b
The law
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/15/1681
CFPB
https://www.consumerfinance.gov/
Copy of your Credit Report
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/requestReport/landingPage.action
Do's and Dont's
WHEN CONTACTING THE CREDITOR:
1. Do know your states SOL (statute of limitations) to avoid being sued.
2. Only contact them directly via mail if you are sending a goodwill letter or are trying to settle the account by sending a Pay to Delete letter and be prepared to pay if they agree — BUT they don’t have to agree to either option.
3. Do NOT send a copy of your DL or SSN (it’s their responsibility to keep up with all documents that verify your identity)
4. Do NOT call them. Do NOT discuss payments over the phone. (No paper trail + could reset debt time clock if you agree to payment and don’t and now you’re back at square one and the account stays on your credit longer)
5. DO NOT DISPUTE ACCOUNTS ONLINE -- by doing so you give up rights to arbitration and agree to a 3 day investigation. You can dispute personal information online.
6. DO NOT RESEND THE SAME DISPUTE LETTER OVER AND OVER - get more firm with each letter and always follow up. You have a right to know what information the bureaus have about you, the right to know who furnished the information and the right to know the procedure used to verify the information that is being reported.
When the Bureaus use Stall Tactics
The bureaus will send you a letter in response to your dispute requesting more ways to validate your identity even after you’ve sent your 2 forms of ID don’t fall for their tricks! Demand an investigation of your dispute.
More information
https://youtu.be/grnrUmL_KdE
If a creditor fails to validate your debt:
• They can’t collect on the debt.
• They are NOT allowed to contact you about the alleged debt.
• Per the FCRA, they are NOT allowed to report the debt. You can get up to, $1,000 per violation of the law according to the FCRA.
CREDIT BUREAUS ADDRESSES:
Equifax Information Services LLC PO Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0256
Experian
PO Box 9701
Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion Consumer Dispute Center
PO Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016
The credit bureaus have 30 days to respond to your disputes. If you dispute or call in about an account currently under investigation you grant the bureaus an additional 15 days to investigate.