Hmm... I need to find out myself. I don't know what is the right answer to your question. I'll do some research and get back to you if I find an answer. You should email the people at Discover Card as they probably could help you..

+1. What is your wife's utilization? Ideally, it would be <10%; 1% is even better..

ETA: How many current accounts does she have that are reporting balances..

If you post more details, we can try to help..

This post has been edited by.

Jaymes.

: 06 January 2010 - 01:15 PM..

Sorry, I just jumped the gun. we only only have a truck payment for $470.00 and a Discover credit card with a CL of $375.00 which is payed and only left with a balance of maybe $28.00 (<- weird, I know) every month. There are some lates , but those are from 2006...

Apply for the Jareds/Kays, etc card. Apply for them all. I got the cards fast and they all started reporting in about a month. If she has very low Available credit than that WILL increase your score. Search for the thread about opening multiple cards in this group. BTW, my middle score jumped 16 points FICO from this.

That way you can control the credit limit with a higher deposit and help your score jump even more...

I am going to disagree with this... if you are going for a mortgage you don't want to decrease the AAOA. As always with credit what works for one doesn't work for the other...

Cool, thanks. do you think *B will help her score by knocking off some inq?..

Well, her account sounds kinda like mine. Some light baddies but the main reason is a thin file. Opening these cards may have reduced my average age of accounts, but it also bumped up my fico to the point where I am now pre-approved. Now I've just gotta sell my house...

This like a sounds good option, but I think it is.

VERY.

Risky. Having just bought a house, I know that you are going to take.

ALOT.

Of INQ hits when you start the mortgage application process, and applying for credit cards could raise a red flag, and then taking a INQ hit with the possibility of being denied is not a good option and can have the opposite effect (FICO drop! eek). I know 12 pts does not sound like a lot, but you just have to be patient, and play the FICO game. With what you have described, there really is nothing you can do..

Why not pay down your balance to 0 instead of carrying a 28.00 balance? That could be a start?.

Also, I am not sure if you are looking at your scores through MYFICO, but mortgage companies use different scoring systems. I worked so hard to get my scores to a certain point, only to have my broker pull my scores and to realize I did not have to work so hard. I asked her why my scores were different, and she said they use a different system. There is more information about this in the mortgage forum..

Anyways, my point is.... there is no FAST way to do this.... it takes time and patience... it will happen in good time..

Good Luck!!.

:-).

Lisa..

Not in your time frame. I'm on day 75 or so and no B* yet. If you have the money I suggest cct regardless to stalk your report.

(won't give you scores though)..

Second question. Her one TL.......how old is it? If it's young it will age and help your scores..

3rd question.........how long before you are actually trying to purchase a home? Don't go app crazy under 6 months away..

4th........pay off the 28 bucks. That 28 bucks on 375 makes a HUGE DIFFERENCE! Prob not 12 points but it's gonna add some. Keep that thing PIF! I gained like 4 points from paying (with Discover card) off 11 bucks so you never know..

5th....dispute some of the lates. Lates slaughter scores. I got rid of a few 30 days with a simple dispute and it helped alot..

Depends on the age of the other account, when they are buying, etc. I know everyone loves kays but I think hsbc might not be a bad idea if theres enough time. I like the fact that I'm not fighting to pay off monthly fees every month like with FP so it's easy to keep PIF..

This post has been edited by.

Clutchmastercory.

: 08 January 2010 - 08:44 AM..