Particularly if you're planning to apply for new credit soon—in the form of a mortgage or an auto loan, for instance—keeping unused credit cards open can help protect a good credit score.
The answer is yes. A new credit card application before you close on a home could affect your mortgage application. A mortgage lender will usually re-pull your credit before closing to ensure you still qualify and that new credit was not opened.
It's best to wait until your home closes before taking out any new loans or credit. As you count down the days until your closing, you may be tempted to make big purchases or apply for new cards because you think they won't affect your credit scores or DTI until after your home loan closes.
Depending on how soon you plan on buying a house, you might be able to apply for a new credit card before. At a minimum, apply for a home mortgage at least three months after you apply for a new credit card. Ideally, wait six months. This waiting period gives your credit score time to rebound from the recent inquiry.
You may want to close inactive accounts, though, as they would show lenders that you have too much access to credit that you don't need. Even if your credit history seems in order, don't drop the ball and forget or ignore bills in the run-up to your application.
A credit card can be canceled without harming your credit score; just remember that paying down credit card balances first (not just the one you're canceling) is key. Closing a charge card won't affect your credit history (history is a factor in your overall credit score).
Payment history: Lenders also will review your payment history on credit cards, loans, lines of credit and anything else that shows up on your credit report. They want to make sure you have a track record of on-time payments that could indicate you'll be a responsible mortgage borrower.
Inquiries stay on your credit reports for two years, but FICO Scores only consider inquiries from the past twelve months—avoiding new credit applications a full year before you apply for a mortgage might be the best option if you want to maximize your scores. New credit accounts will lower your average account age.
A question many buyers have is whether a lender pulls your credit more than once during the purchase process. The answer is yes. Lenders pull borrowers' credit at the beginning of the approval process, and then again just prior to closing.
Lenders typically do last-minute checks of their borrowers' financial information in the week before the loan closing date, including pulling a credit report and reverifying employment.
Mortgage lenders will often get a single report that contains your credit reports from each of the three credit bureaus and the associated FICO® Scores. It may base the lending decision on your middle credit score or, if you're applying jointly with a partner, the lower middle score.
The Takeaway
Should you pay off debt before buying a house? Not necessarily, but you can expect lenders to take into consideration how much debt you have and what kind it is. Considering a solution that might reduce your payments or lower your interest rate could improve your chances of getting the home loan you want.
Monthly debts are recurring monthly payments, such as credit card payments, loan payments (like car, student or personal loans), alimony or child support. Our DTI formula uses your minimum monthly debt amount — meaning the lowest amount you are required to pay each month on recurring payments.
Yes, a mortgage lender will look at any depository accounts on your bank statements — including checking accounts, savings accounts, and any open lines of credit.
When assessing whether or not to grant you a mortgage lenders will be looking at how much you want to borrow; the size of your deposit; your credit history; your employment status; your income; your debt levels; any financial dependents, and your spending habits.
Conventional loans require at least three tradelines (any combination of credit cards, student loans, car loans, and so on) that have been active within the past 12-24 months. FHA loans require two tradelines. It's fine to have more, but if you have fewer, you won't qualify for a mortgage.
But generally speaking, if you decide to open a new credit card, you should prioritize paying off your existing balances before you start accruing interest on another card.
Do I need a credit card for a mortgage? If you have had at least two lines of credit, such as a phone contract and a registered bank account, then having a credit card isn't absolutely necessary. Having two lines of credit should give you enough credit history to get a mortgage.
What Is Debt-To-Income Ratio (DTI)? Taken together with your down payment savings, debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is one of the most important metrics mortgage lenders use in determining how much you can afford. Your DTI has a direct bearing on the monthly payment you can qualify for when getting a mortgage.
The standard advice is to keep unused accounts with zero balances open. The reason is that closing the accounts reduces your available credit, which makes it appear that your utilization rate, or balance-to-limit ratio, has suddenly increased.
The numbers look similar when closing a card. Increase your balance and your score drops an average of 12 points, but lower your balance and your score jumps an average of 10 points. Two-thirds of people who open a credit card increase their overall balance within a month of getting that card.
Closed accounts that have missed payments associated with them will remain on your credit report for seven years. While your scores may decrease initially after closing a credit card, they typically rebound in a few months if you continue to make your payments on time.