Credit Problems

Most people have a gut feeling about their credit – it’s either great, good or bad. But what is a bad credit score really?

First, it’s important to understand that there are many different credit scoring models out there and each may use a different scale – or numbers – to convey information. For example, all FICO score range between 300 and 850 with 300 being the lowest (or worst) possible score, while 850 is the highest (or best) possible score.

The companies that develop credit scores – FICO– do not decide which credit scores are “good” or “bad.” Nor do the credit reporting agencies that supply the credit reports that are used to create credit scores. Instead, it’s up to individual lenders and insurance companies who use these scores to decide which scores demonstrate an acceptable level of risk.

They use them in a variety of ways, too:
Determine the interest rate they will charge for a loan, or in the case of an insurance company, the discount they may offer on an insurance policy.
Decide whether to extend credit, how much credit to approve, whether to increase (or lower) a customer’s credit limit, or even to close a risky account.
In a way, then, there is no such thing as a “bad credit score,” since the number itself doesn’t mean anything until a lender decides how to use it.

In other words, a credit score is only bad when it keeps you from whatever you are trying to accomplish, whether that is to refinance a loan, borrow at a low interest rate.

But in the real world, there are some assumptions that can be made about credit scores that fall into different ranges. When you are reviewing a credit score where the range runs from 300 – 850, you can generally assume the following:

Excellent Credit: 781 – 850
Good Credit: 661-780
Fair Credit: 601-660
Poor Credit: 501-600
Bad Credit: below 500

Find Out Where You Stand

You can give us a call here at Riverview Mortgage. We can discuss with you, how your payment history, debt and other factors affect your score, and give you recommendations for steps you may want to consider to address problems.
These are very general guidelines but they are by no means set in stone! Remember, every lender is different and will decide for itself how it will use credit scores to make decisions. Also, what will be considered bad credit by one lender may be perfectly acceptable to another.