Many people take pride in the fact that they have no credit – eg, no credit cards, no car loans, no student loans etc. However, this can be as bad as having bad credit. Lenders are as hesitant to lend to a person with no credit history as one with a bad credit history. Why? Let me explain.
When I was a loan officer (mortgage consultant), sometimes I would pull an applicant's credit and no score would pop up. This usually meant that there was no established credit history.
To illustrate, consider this: would you loan money to a stranger on the street? If someone just came up to you and asked you for $50, would you trust them to pay you back?
Now, would you loan money to a friend you've known for the last three years? This friend has borrowed from another mutual friend and has always paid back the money in a timely manner, just like she promised.
How Lenders Work: Why You Need a Credit History
The message I'm trying to get across? Lenders don't like to loan money to strangers. And, without a credit history, that's what you are to them – a financial stranger; an unknown; an unproven.
They have no background to judge you on. So, a person with no credit is in essence asking the lender to “trust them.” Lenders are not in the trust business. They assess, based on past behavior. They follow the old idiomatic expression, “the best indicator of future behavior is past behavior.”
So, how do you rectify a nonexistent credit history?
How to Establish a Credit History
Open Some Accounts: When you are applying for a mortgage, for example, lenders like to see at least three revolving accounts that are at least 3-5 years old.
If the account is younger than this, they might want to see five accounts at least 24 months old. NOTE: Every lender is different; these are just general guidelines.
What are revolving accounts? Revolving accounts are those that you pay every month, like credit cards, furniture accounts, car payments, etc.
I always advised clients to open two secured credit card accounts and another type of account, eg, furniture, jewelry, home depot (one you can really use if you're buying a home).
Why open secured credit card accounts: Because you can only spend what's in the account. So, if you put $500 in an account, you can only spend up to that amount. No one will know that it's a secured card but you, and your card will look just like a regular credit card.
CAUTION: If you are new to using credit, be careful how you spend. It is so easy to get in over your head, reaching your credit limit before you even realize it. To combat this, use your new credit card for necessaries only (eg, gas). Remember, your goal is to build credit, not destroy it.
Pay on Time: Be sure to make all payments in a timely manner all the time.
Late payments ruin your credit almost as quickly as a judgment, or even bankruptcy (which is considered about the worst that can happen).
If you consistently pay your bills late, your credit score will be consistentlylow and it will be extremely difficult for you to obtain credit. And, even if you do, it will be at interest rates much higher than those with good credit – costing you thousands of dollars over a lifetime.
In short, we live in the age of technology where a handshake is no longer the norm. You need a paper trail (eg, a credit history) to prove your trustworthiness. Establishing one – and using it wisely – will go a long way towards helping you achieve your dreams.
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