The Importance of Credit Score When Getting a Mortgage

By Misty Darling

Professional service with an emphasis on guidance, planning, and dedication to my clients’ needs are my top priority.

On this episode of the ‘Central Iowa Real Estate Scoreboard’, we’re discussing the importance of your credit score when getting a mortgage. Chuck Simmons from Motto Mortgage joined us to offer his expertise.

Right now, everything revolves around credit in the mortgage industry. Your interest rates, the types of loans you qualify for, and your down payment amount will all be affected by your credit score. With the pandemic, lending requirements have tightened.

Typically, the best rates you’ll see are with a credit score of 740 or above. Below that, there are programs in increments of 20. From 720 to 739, there’s an adjustment to your rate. There’s an additional adjustment for rates between 700 and 719. Once you get below 700, your credit score will start to negatively impact the loans you qualify for.

If your credit isn’t quite where you want it to be, that’s OK. Chuck and his team focus on finding solutions for borrowers who just aren’t quite there. They take a look at buyers’ credit, give recommendations to improve that credit, and show them what they would be able to qualify for if they did. In one instance, a buyer just had to remove themselves as an authorized user from an account, and their score went up by 100 points. Chuck and his team always find little things like that to take borrowers from barely qualifying to qualifying for a great, long-term loan.

If you have any questions for Chuck about mortgages, feel free to reach out to him at (515) 778-8519. If you have any other real estate-related questions for me, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.