Credit Reports and Scores - Information for Consumers

What every home buyer should know about credit reports and scores, and how they influence the mortgage approval process.

Credit reports and scores play a big role in the mortgage shopping process. Your ability to qualify for a home loan will largely depend on your credit score, a three-digit number based on information found within your credit reports.

As a home buyer and mortgage shopper, you need to understand how these things are related, and how they can affect you.

There are several pieces to this "puzzle," and they can all affect your ability to qualify for financing. The two most important pieces are your credit reports and scores, and you'll find plenty of information about them below.

Information on Credit Reports and Scores

We have created a library of information on credit reports and scores. We add new tutorials every week to better serve you. Here are some of the most recent, and most popular, articles in our collection:

What Is a Credit Report?
Your credit report says a lot about you, for better or worse. It can also have a major influence over your financial life, affecting everything from interest rates to whether or not you can qualify for a loan. Here's an in-depth look at what you'll find inside your reports.

How to Get a Good Credit Score
You wouldn't think a three-digit number could have such a big influence over your financial life. But if you're in the market for an auto or home loan, your credit score becomes very important. Here are some steps you can take to build a better score.

How to Fix Credit Report Errors
In a perfect world, you would never be penalized for somebody else's mistakes. Unfortunately, the world of consumer data collection and reporting is far from perfect. Mistakes in your credit reports can actually lower your FICO score, making it harder for you to qualify for a loan. Here's how to fix them.

How Identity Thieves Steal Your Information
Identity theft can damage your credit score and make it harder to obtain mortgage loans, auto loans, and other types of financing. So it's important to shield yourself from it on all fronts. This tutorial explains five of the most common techniques used by identity thieves.

Update: Check out our consumer credit blog for even more information on this subject. The consumer blog offers useful tips and strategies for dealing with debt, improving your credit score, and more. New articles are added on a daily basis, so check back regularly.