Strategies to Quickly Raise Your Credit Score for Homeownership

A higher credit score is your key to better mortgage rates and easier loan approval. At Access Capital Group, we help borrowers across the United States navigate the path to homeownership, even if their credit isn’t perfect right now.

While we offer flexible lending options (like VA and FHA loans with scores as low as 500), boosting your FICO score can only help your long-term financial health and options.

Here are proven, SEO-maximized strategies you can implement right now to raise your credit score efficiently.

The Two Biggest Factors in Your FICO Score

To raise your score, you must focus on the two most impactful factors, which account for 65% of your FICO score:

• Payment History (35%): Paying bills on time is the single most important factor.
• Credit Utilization (30%): This is how much of your available credit limit you are using. The lower this ratio, the better.

By targeting these two areas, you can see meaningful improvements within 30-90 days.

7 Actionable Strategies to Boost Your Credit Score

1. Always Pay Your Bills On Time

A single payment that is 30 days or more late can significantly damage your credit score. Consistency is vital.

• Set up automatic payments for at least the minimum amount due to avoid human error.
• Use calendar reminders or smartphone alerts for all due dates.
• If you have a missed payment, pay the outstanding balance immediately and contact the creditor to ask for a “goodwill deletion” of the late mark.

2. Pay Down Credit Card Balances to Below 30% Utilization

The fastest way to boost your score is by reducing your credit card debt. Experts recommend keeping your total credit utilization ratio (total debt divided by total credit limits) below 30%, but single-digit utilization (under 10%) is ideal for top scores.

• Make multiple payments per month to keep balances low before the statement closing date.
• Prioritize paying off cards that are close to their limits first.

3. Dispute Credit Report Errors

Errors on your credit report are surprisingly common and could be unfairly dragging down your score.

• Get your free reports from all three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) at AnnualCreditReport.com.
• Review them carefully for incorrect late payments, wrong balances, or accounts that don’t belong to you.
• Dispute inaccuracies online or by mail with the credit bureau and the information provider. The bureaus have 30 to 45 days to investigate.

4. Become an Authorized User on a Trusted Account

If you have a family member or spouse with an old credit card account that has a high limit and perfect payment history, ask them to add you as an authorized user.

• The account’s positive history can be added to your credit profile, potentially boosting your score quickly.
• Ensure the account holder is highly responsible, as their mistakes will also affect your report.

5. Keep Old Accounts Open

Closing an old, unused credit card might seem smart, but it can harm you in two ways: it reduces your total available credit (increasing your utilization ratio) and shortens the length of your credit history (which makes up 15% of your score).

• Keep old, fee-free accounts open.
• Use them occasionally for a small, recurring charge (like a streaming service) to keep them active.

6. Get Credit for Rent and Utility Payments

Historically, rent and utility payments weren’t reported to credit bureaus. Now, services like Experian Boost or various rent-reporting services can add these on-time payments to your report. This strategy can be especially helpful for those with a “thin” credit file or limited history.

7. Avoid New Credit Inquiries

Applying for new loans or credit cards triggers a “hard inquiry” on your report, which can cause a small but temporary dip in your score (typically 2-5 points).

• Limit applications to only when absolutely necessary, especially in the 6-12 months before you apply for a mortgage.
• Do your rate shopping for a mortgage or auto loan within a focused 14-45 day period, as FICO models count these as a single inquiry during that window.

Get Mortgage Ready with Access Capital Group

Improving your credit score takes discipline, but the effort pays off with better financing options and terms for your future home.

At Access Capital Group, we work with borrowers across the entire credit spectrum. If you’ve been working on your credit or were denied elsewhere, contact us. We offer credit consulting services to help you reach your homeownership goals.

Ready to see what you qualify for?

• Call Our Nationwide Team: Tel. 866-204-4288
• Explore Loan Options: Visit our website at www.loangoal.com