Equifax is one of the primary credit bureaus and is the publisher of my FICO.com. This site provides a wealth of suggestions, tricks and tips that will help you figure out the credit scoring system.

Check out the following basics:

Use your credit or lose your score: You need to get on the credit “bandwagon” if you want a credit score assigned by the credit agencies. Even if you charge a small amount and pay it off each month, you’ll be on the radar and have a score.

You Have A Friend In The Trend: The credit bureaus smile on “on time” payments. If you have a record of paying on time, you are likely to continue the pattern . If you’re late, catch up right away. This is the biggest portion of your credit score at 35 percent.

If You Don’t Use It You’ll Lose It: You need to use your credit because this is how you get an assigned credit score from the credit bureaus. You can simply charge a small amount and pay it off each month and you will have a score.

Pay Attention To History: Maintain a credit “history.” Don’t close out credit cards that you don’t use. That history will be 10% of your score.

There are more helpful hints available at the Web site so with additional credit score adjustments to mortgage rates expected later this year, the best way to protect yourself is to be proactive. Identify potential issues in your credit profile and work to improve them.

We all want the best mortgage rate possible, but are not always clear about the best way to get credit scoring formation . Please speak with your loan officer about getting the personal information that you need.

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What is a mortgage?

Home loan mortgage is the loan you make to pay off your home. If you are a first time home mortgage loan borrower, you may be asked to deposit a down payment and pay for the rest (i.e. monthly) through a mortgage loan. Establishments that can offer mortgages are mortgage specialists, building societies and banks.

What are the types of mortgage?

- Repayment mortgage – monthly payments are made within an agreed term until loan and interest are paid off.

-The interest-only mortgage – monthly payments are made for a period of time as agreed in the contract, except payments cover only the loan’s interest within the initial term. Afterwards, you are asked to make interest payments in full every month.

- Fixed-rate mortgage – requires you to pay for a fixed interest rate over the whole term. Interest rates do not change and therefore offers a feeling of certainty for most borrowers.

-Adjustable rate mortgage type – has rates that adjust after an initial term containing a fixed rate. Rates could adjust depending on the rise and fall of other economic rates. This could sound daunting for first time home mortgage loan borrowers, but those who want a lower initial rate can benefit from this type of mortgage.

What are the requirements?

1. Good credit report:

From your credit report, lenders will be able to determine whether they can grant your application or to increase the interest rates for your loan. Lenders especially want to make sure that a first time home mortgage loan borrower has the ability and willingness to make his or her payments.

2. Insurance:

Insurance can be used to pay off your mortgage if you have just been in an accident, lost your job or become sick. You might be required to use life insurance to pay off your mortgage should death occur. What are some tips I can use before purchasing property?

- Improve your credit report – Avoid applying for more credit and pay on time. – Review and correct credit information – Contact the credit bureau to correct inaccuracies – Get the best program – Choose a plan that is most suitable for your situation. – Research – Jot down your price range and find out how much you can borrow. – Do it online – Using the Internet could save you more time and money. Lenders now offer mortgage calculators online that you can use to predict which mortgage program is most suitable for you. – Choose the best mortgage specialist – Determine if the specialist works in a company that is likely to stay in business whenever rates fluctuate. – Ask for advice – Look for recommendations so you are familiar with what kind of mortgage plan you are getting into.

This is only a guide and should not be used in legal matters.

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The previous dozen years of mortgage options and financial bliss have become a memory, with every liberal mortgage program no longer available. The remaining mortgage products are quite unlike the guidelines from the past few years. Now…they require full documentation of income, strong credit, and actually proving you have a job! It’s no stretch to say that common-sense has returned to the mortgage world.

Pre-Subprime Meltdown:

Before the mortgage meltodown, 100% loan financing was available for almost every borrower. If you could prove you were a citizen, you could get 100% financing regardless of past credit. Today in late 2008, there are no longer any options for 100% financing available outside of VA and USDA loans. If anyone tells you differently, they are leading you astray. These do not exist at this time. Investors have decided that they will not buy any mortgage loans where the borrower does not have a sizable down payment or existing equity in their loan.

The Alternative A credit market, also known as Alt-A loans, which used to offer very appealing niche loan financing products catering to borrowers with credit scores from 660 and up are also gone. These lenders offered loan programs to borrowers with scores down to 620. Aggressive programs, such as 100% no doc financing, were typically not available to borrowers below a 660 middle score. Today, even these seemingly viable products made to very strong borrowers have dried up. They were a victim of the global mortgage chaos that devoured the sub-prime banks and saw even the big 3 Automobile companies suffering and on the verge of collapse. Alt-A lenders had very liberal DTI ratios, reduced and even no income documentations, and the ability to turn any loan into an interest-only mortgage!

Some examples of leading Alt-A lenders were Aurora, GreenPoint, SunTrust, First Horizon, and IndyMac. Besides these, there were literally hundreds and hundreds of lenders that emerged to fill certain niches. Many of these lenders are out of business, while others have just eliminated the Alt-A product line.

Post Subprime Meltdown:

As 2008 ends, hundred and hundreds of banks are closed operations. The aggressive loan options that arose over the past decade are now gone, and more than likely will never return. The credit crunch is making it even tougher for average customers seeking home loans to get a loan. FHA is king again, as the only program that lenders are comfortably loaning money towards is the hallmark of the mortgage business — the FHA loan from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Credit score requirements are now in the low 700’s, where before a 680 was sufficient. Cash-out refinance mortgages on single family homes are very hard to get, and for many people, impossible. HELOC’s are being reduced for millions of customers. Additionally, investor loan financing is extremely hard to obtain, no matter how strong the client.

As 2008 comes to an end, home loans are still very hard to obtain. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have imposed stricter guidelines effective December 1st, 2008. These guidelines will further restrict the ability to obtain mortgages for many poeple. There are extremely tight restrictions now placed on home loan customers — such as limiting the number of properties financed, the addition of new, more stringent credit requirements, and much to the detriment of borrowers with past credit blemishes, there are new rules and restrictions for borrowers who have had a past bankruptcy and/or foreclosure.

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Many seniors have started to tap into the equity they have built throughout the course of their life. Many seniors have decided to take out a reverse mortgage. You may be thinking you don’t qualify or that it is a complex process. Rest assured, it is a process that will have you breathing a sigh of relief and it is far easier to qualify than most people think.

The requirements are simple and straight-forward:

You must be at least 62 years of age.

You must own your residence.

You must have equity in your home.

Once you qualify, know that you are still responsible for your home. You must still maintain the residence. You also need to make sure you continue with your homeowners insurance and pay your property taxes.

Though a reverse mortgage has amazing benefits for those who qualify, it is not for everyone. A reverse mortgage is not for those who have properties in disrepair, as they are inspected to meet certain government and regulatory standards. A reverse mortgage is also not for those individuals hoping to sell or refinance their property in the next few years.

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