{"id":20965,"date":"2020-12-31T08:30:57","date_gmt":"2020-12-31T16:30:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/?p=20965"},"modified":"2025-09-30T19:32:32","modified_gmt":"2025-10-01T02:32:32","slug":"buyer-how-to-improve-credit-score","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-improve-credit-score\/","title":{"rendered":"Trending Up: 18 Tips on How to Improve Credit Score and Get a Better Loan"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Television and radio ads make it seem like you should be very concerned about your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-what-credit-score-is-needed-to-buy-a-house\/\">credit score<\/a>. But is a three-digit number really that big of a deal? Yes, it really is! That means knowing how to improve a credit score is also a really big deal.<\/p>\n<p>Richard Helali of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/home-loans\">HomeLight Home Loans<\/a> knows firsthand the importance of a good credit score. He says, \u201cEvery ten-point difference in your credit score matters in terms of what <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-mortgage-rates\/\">mortgage interest rate<\/a> you qualify for.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And because interest rates impact your purchasing power, raising your credit score makes a big difference. We\u2019ll unpack 18 intentional ways to move toward credit score success.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_20992\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20992\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check.png\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"666\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check-666x381.png\" class=\"attachment-content size-content\" alt=\"learn how to improve credit score and maintain it\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check-666x381.png 666w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check-64x37.png 64w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check-192x110.png 192w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check-432x247.png 432w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check-500x286.png 500w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-check.png 700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 666px) 100vw, 666px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-20992\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: (Andrey_Popov \/ ShutterStock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>What\u2019s your credit score, and why might you want to improve it?<\/h2>\n<p>Your credit score is a number that reflects how good you are at repaying borrowed money. It\u2019s an important indicator for lenders and creditors because they\u2019re trying to determine the likelihood of you paying <i>them<\/i> back!<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/how-to-improve-credit-to-buy-home\/\">higher your credit score<\/a> is, the better deal you can get on interest rates for loans on large purchases \u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-minimum-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/\">such as a house<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/agents\/michael-slate-ca-01930656\">Michael Slate<\/a>, a top-producing real estate agent in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/palm-springs-ca\/top-real-estate-agents\">Palm Springs, California<\/a>, advises his clients to actively pinpoint the areas that will produce the biggest improvements for their credit score, especially when looking to buy a home.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou want to talk with your lending professional to see what\u2019s really impacting your score,\u201d he says, noting that the problem may not be what you think it is.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-credit-score-to-buy-a-house\/\">Not all credit scores are created equal<\/a>, but all usually look at the same elements. Take the FICO score, for example, which can be broken down into five components.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>35% payment history: Your record of timely bill payments. Developing a consistent on-time payment history is key to developing good credit.<\/li>\n<li>30% credit usage: The amount of credit you have available compared to how much you\u2019ve used. If you are maxing out your lines of credit, it could mean you are overextended. Using 30% or less of your available credit looks good on your credit report.<\/li>\n<li>15% age of accounts: The average age of all your accounts as well as how long it\u2019s been since you used each account. Generally, a longer credit history works in your favor<\/li>\n<li>10% credit mix: What types of loans and accounts you have. A mix of long-term loans, credit cards, retail accounts, and bank accounts is nice, but you don\u2019t have to have all of these to have a good credit mix level.<\/li>\n<li>10% new inquiries: Opening several new lines of credit at once will lower your credit score.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to improve your credit score<\/h2>\n<p>It takes time and effort to actively <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-build-credit-fast\/\">boost your credit score<\/a>, but a combination of knowledge and action will help get you started on that upward trend.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Know your score<\/h3>\n<p>You can\u2019t improve upon an unknown! Raising your credit score starts with knowing what your credit score is, along with what\u2019s on your credit report.<\/p>\n<p>You can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-get-a-free-credit-report\/\">request a free copy<\/a> of your credit report once a year from the major bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.<\/p>\n<p>Again, don\u2019t be concerned if the score numbers on your credit reports don\u2019t match each other exactly. Each credit reporting company works from a different algorithm, and the elements of your credit are weighed in different ratios.<\/p>\n<p>The point is to get a baseline marker of your score. After that, every positive step you make will impact all scores \u2014 just to varying degrees.<\/p>\n<h3>2. Dispute any errors<\/h3>\n<p>With fresh credit reports in hand, it\u2019s time to dig into the bits and pieces that are affecting your score.<\/p>\n<p>Your first step should be examining each line of data for accuracy. Do your accounts match? What about your balances (in round numbers; actual numbers will have a little lag)? If not, you\u2019ll need to get those errors corrected.<\/p>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ftc.gov\/enforcement\/statutes\/fair-credit-reporting-act\">Fair Credit Reporting Act<\/a>, both the credit reporting company and the reporting entity (the person or company that gave the credit reporting company your information) are responsible for correcting any errors or misinformation in your report. But it\u2019s up to you to get the ball rolling.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.consumer.ftc.gov\/articles\/0151-disputing-errors-credit-reports\">Federal Trade Commission<\/a> recommends the following steps to dispute credit report errors.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Notify the reporting company. <\/b>Clearly state the error in writing, and attach any documentation that supports your claim (receipts, letters, statements). Ask for the error to be changed or struck from your report.<br \/>\nThe reporting company will pursue your claim with the reporting entity within 30 days and provide you with a rectified report if they determine that your dispute is accurate.<\/li>\n<li><b>Notify the reporting entity.<\/b> Yes, the reporting company will also be contacting the reporting entity, but you can speed up the process by being proactive.<br \/>\nUse the same procedure here: Tell them in writing with copies of necessary supporting material. If they acknowledge the error, they must notify all three reporting companies to fix your report across the board.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>3. Deal with any delinquencies<\/h3>\n<p>On-time payments are a big deal when it comes to your credit score. Remember, payment history accounts for 35% of a FICO score, so any delinquent balances are making a big negative impact overall.<\/p>\n<p>Helali says, \u201cThe biggest thing is to make sure all your payments are on time. It doesn&#8217;t matter if you have a late payment on a credit card that had a $1,000 balance or if you have a late payment on a credit card that had a $5 balance. It&#8217;s a late payment, and that&#8217;s going to impact your score.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Missing one month\u2019s regular payment is considered delinquent, though most creditors won\u2019t report the issue until the two- or three-month mark. If you haven\u2019t always been the best at paying on time, now is the time to make it right!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_20993\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20993\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections.png\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"666\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections-666x381.png\" class=\"attachment-content size-content\" alt=\"settle collections when how to improve credit score\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections-666x381.png 666w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections-64x37.png 64w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections-192x110.png 192w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections-432x247.png 432w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections-500x286.png 500w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-collections.png 700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 666px) 100vw, 666px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-20993\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: (LittlePigPower \/ ShutterStock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>4. Settle any collections<\/h3>\n<p>Collections or charge-offs kill a credit score faster than snow boots on a bug.<\/p>\n<p>Settle up those collections! They\u2019ll remain on your record for up to seven years, but over time, they\u2019ll make less of an impact on your credit history.<\/p>\n<h3>5. Put your bills on autopay, or set up a calendar reminder<\/h3>\n<p>Life happens, and a bill or payment gets shuffled to the side by accident. We get it. But the thing is, your credit score doesn\u2019t get it. It\u2019s an algorithm that doesn\u2019t follow the news or your Facebook feed, and it unfortunately is not going to be at all sympathetic about any late payments.<\/p>\n<p>Logging a consistent record of on-time payments is the most surefire way to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-build-credit\/\">positively impact your score<\/a>. Again, payment history is weighted heavily in the credit score ratio, so developing that pattern of paying your bills on time makes a big difference.<\/p>\n<p>Use technology to your advantage. For the regular bills that you can pay online, set up an autopay feature.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t get overly worried about overdrafts on your main account! Most autopay setups include the option for email notifications. Before you get charged, you\u2019ll get an email so you can check your account balance, if necessary.<\/p>\n<p>You can also set up calendar reminders on your phone, computer, or home assistant. Put each bill or payment due date into your calendar, and turn on the reminder function. Some phones will also allow you to simply <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=int9GYt90VI\">voice-command your payment reminder<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>6. Pay down your debt<\/h3>\n<p>All outstanding debts will show up on your credit report, and a high debt-to-income ratio will make lenders less likely to give you a mortgage loan, or any other type of credit, for that matter.<\/p>\n<p>Focus on your highest-interest debt first, but always make timely payments on all accounts. For example, it\u2019s not in your best interest credit-wise to entirely pay off any single debt (such as a car or student loan) at the expense of late payments on other debts.<\/p>\n<p>Slate says, \u201cIf you think paying off the dirt bikes and the snowmobile is going to bring your credit score up, it actually may not.\u201d Instead, keeping that good credit mix and credit history can help stabilize your credit score.<\/p>\n<p>Helali mentions one disclaimer to this tip, though.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe only time that I would recommend somebody go ahead and pay something off would be if they&#8217;re trying to qualify for a home loan,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cAs a result of having too much on their credit, they may not qualify for what they&#8217;re looking for. Sometimes if you pay off an auto loan or other non-revolving credit, the payment goes away, and you&#8217;re likely to qualify for more.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<h3>7. Keep your credit balances low<\/h3>\n<p>Just because you\u2019ve got a $5,000 limit on one of your credit cards doesn\u2019t mean you should use it!<\/p>\n<p>Aim for 30% or less in credit utilization. That means keeping your balance at or below $1,500 for a card with a $5,000 limit (assuming you have no other lines of credit).<\/p>\n<p>In fact, Helali says that those who are looking to actively build their credit should really try to stay even below that rule of thumb. He recommends a 20% credit usage.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_20994\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20994\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone.png\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"666\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone-666x381.png\" class=\"attachment-content size-content\" alt=\"Get credit for your cell phone bill payment when how to improve credit score\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone-666x381.png 666w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone-64x37.png 64w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone-192x110.png 192w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone-432x247.png 432w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone-500x286.png 500w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-cell-phone.png 700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 666px) 100vw, 666px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-20994\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: (Magnet.me \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>8. Get credit for utility\/cell phone\/rent payments<\/h3>\n<p>Even if you\u2019re awesome at making your rent and utility payments, you might not get credit for that responsible behavior in your credit report. To ensure that those payments get counted toward your credit score, you have a couple of options.<\/p>\n<p>First of all, you could pay for any regular bills with a credit card. As long as you continuously pay off your credit card balance (and don\u2019t max out your credit limit!), this can help build your payment consistency and boost your credit score. Hint: Using this strategy with a rewards card can earn you extra bonus points or miles for money you\u2019re already spending. But be sure to pay it off!<\/p>\n<p>As a second option, you can sign up for services that report your utilities and rent payments to be counted in your credit score. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.experian.com\/consumer-products\/score-boost.html?bcd=ad_c_sem_427_379826966547&amp;k_id=_k_EAIaIQobChMIw7T04Jjk7QIVpeiGCh0nDANYEAAYASAAEgIZ6_D_BwE_k_&amp;k_kw=kwd-585063777506&amp;k_mt=e&amp;pc=sem_exp_google&amp;cc=sem_exp_google_ad_1651407997_65972645920_379826966547_kwd-585063777506_e___k_EAIaIQobChMIw7T04Jjk7QIVpeiGCh0nDANYEAAYASAAEgIZ6_D_BwE_k_&amp;ref=boostbrand&amp;awsearchcpc=1&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMIw7T04Jjk7QIVpeiGCh0nDANYEAAYASAAEgIZ6_D_BwE\">Experian Boost<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fico.com\/ultrafico\/\">UltraFICO<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/rentalkharma.com\">Rental Kharma<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.renttrack.com\">Rent Track<\/a> are a few options that may be especially helpful for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-build-credit-without-a-credit-card\/\">those trying to build up thin credit files<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>9. Only open new accounts strategically<\/h3>\n<p>If you don\u2019t have enough available credit \u2014 or any credit cards at all \u2014 then it might be smart to open an account in order to boost the credit usage section of your credit score. Look for a card with no annual fees and bonus reward points for purchases.<\/p>\n<p>But don\u2019t apply for too many all at once! Those credit checks could negatively impact the new inquiries element of your credit score.<\/p>\n<p>And don\u2019t open a new account if you can\u2019t commit to paying it off each month by the due date. Payment history outweighs credit usage, after all.<\/p>\n<h3>10. Don\u2019t close any unused accounts<\/h3>\n<p>It might seem wise to \u201cclean up\u201d your credit report by canceling credit cards you don\u2019t use anymore.<\/p>\n<p>But actually, keeping them open adds more longevity to your history and keeps your available credit higher.<\/p>\n<h3>11. Request a higher credit limit on your best account<\/h3>\n<p>Ask for a higher credit limit on your preferred credit card. If you\u2019ve been consistently paying your bills, the credit card company will usually grant your request, often without even asking for proof of income.<\/p>\n<p>But here\u2019s the key: Don\u2019t use that additional credit! Remember tip 6: Requesting higher credit is simply a strategy to keep your current spending below that 20% to 30% credit usage mark.<\/p>\n<h3>12. Become an authorized user on someone else\u2019s account<\/h3>\n<p>If someone close to you has good credit, you could ask them for the right to become an authorized user on their account.<\/p>\n<p>As long as they continue to pay their bill, your credit will get a boost by association. And you\u2019ll also raise your available credit, thus lowering your credit usage.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_20995\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20995\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card.png\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"666\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card-666x381.png\" class=\"attachment-content size-content\" alt=\"Get a secured credit card for when how to improve credit score\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card-666x381.png 666w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card-64x37.png 64w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card-192x110.png 192w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card-432x247.png 432w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card-500x286.png 500w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-credit-card.png 700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 666px) 100vw, 666px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-20995\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: (Clay Banks \/ Unsplash)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>13. Get a secured credit card<\/h3>\n<p>A <a href=\"https:\/\/www.capitalone.com\/learn-grow\/money-management\/how-secured-credit-cards-work\/?external_id=WWW_ZJ101_ZZZ_ONL-SE_ZZZGO_T_SEM2_ZZZZ_c_Zg__kenshoo_clickid__224349582668_358784&amp;target_id=kwd-549470015&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMI1Mawtua07QIVWDizAB07RgGyEAAYASAAEgLh7vD_BwE\">secured credit card<\/a> works much like a security deposit on a rental house or car. A cardholder puts down a deposit as collateral to open the account. Then the bank or credit card company holds that money as a guarantee in case you fall behind on payments.<\/p>\n<p>For those with poor credit scores, secured credit cards can be a great way to start rebuilding credit. As long as you make your payments, your credit history improves over time.<\/p>\n<h3>14. Aim for a mix of different types of credit accounts<\/h3>\n<p>The more types of accounts you have, the better it looks for your credit mix.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve got several credit cards, consider opening a money market account. If you\u2019re buying a car, consider financing part of it, even if you\u2019ve got the cash in savings.<\/p>\n<h3>15. Try to pay off your balances in full every month \u2026<\/h3>\n<p>Keeping a balance on your credit card means you\u2019re constantly accruing interest, which is additional debt.<\/p>\n<p>Spend only what you know you can pay off in full at the end of each billing cycle. But remember&#8230;<\/p>\n<h3>16. \u2026 Or make multiple payments in a single month<\/h3>\n<p>Not everything is that simple. Sometimes there\u2019s an unexpected health expense or a flat tire that you didn\u2019t budget for, and you end up dipping into your card\u2019s line of credit.<\/p>\n<p>In that case, be sure to make at least the minimum payment on the due date so that you don\u2019t have a late payment on your record.<\/p>\n<p>Then, at the first opportunity, make an additional payment (or several small payments!) to bring down your balance as quickly as possible.<\/p>\n<p>Don\u2019t wait until the next billing cycle! People often get behind on payments simply because of the compounding burden of interest.<\/p>\n<h3>17. Limit your hard inquiries<\/h3>\n<p>Soft inquiries, such as you or your bank looking at your credit report, will not impact your credit score. Hard inquiries, on the other hand, stay on your record for two years.<\/p>\n<p>Hard inquiries include credit checks that are tied to credit card or loan approvals. Be careful that you\u2019re not applying for a credit card while also asking for a mortgage loan!<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_20996\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20996\" style=\"width: 700px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft.png\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"666\" height=\"381\" src=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft-666x381.png\" class=\"attachment-content size-content\" alt=\"Stay alert to identity theft when how to improve credit score\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft-666x381.png 666w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft-64x37.png 64w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft-128x73.png 128w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft-192x110.png 192w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft-432x247.png 432w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft-500x286.png 500w, https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score-identity-theft.png 700w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 666px) 100vw, 666px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-20996\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: (Antonio Guillem \/ ShutterStock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3>18. Stay alert for identity theft<\/h3>\n<p>Consider signing up for a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/terms\/c\/credit-monitoring-service.asp\">credit monitoring service<\/a>, which will keep watch over your credit scores and alert you for any indications of identity theft.<\/p>\n<p>Some of these services are free \u2014 such as those that might be offered by your financial institution \u2014 but do your research regarding the scope and thoroughness of the monitoring service before signing up.<\/p>\n<p>Helali wraps up credit improvement nicely, saying, \u201cIt\u2019s mainly about keeping balances low and making sure things are paid on time. Really, just don\u2019t spend if you don\u2019t need to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Slate adds, \u201cAnd if you\u2019re thinking about purchasing real estate, don\u2019t go buy a brand-new car! For lenders, it\u2019s all about cash flow.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A higher credit score is within your reach. With these intentional money management changes over a consistent period of time, you\u2019ll see active improvement. And that high score could land you in the home of your dreams.<\/p>\n<p><i>Header Image Source: (Casper1774 Studio \/ ShutterStock)<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Knowing and understanding your credit score is only half the battle. We\u2019ll show you how to actively attain the credit score you want.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":145,"featured_media":20991,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"cybocfi_hide_featured_image":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[192,631,629],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20965","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-for-buyers","category-credit-scores","category-home-financing"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.0 (Yoast SEO v27.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Give It A Boost! 18 Ways on How to Improve Credit Score<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Knowing and understanding your credit score is only half the battle. We\u2019ll show you how to improve a credit score to get the score you want.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-improve-credit-score\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Trending Up: 18 Tips on How to Improve Credit Score and Get a Better Loan\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Knowing and understanding your credit score is only half the battle. We\u2019ll show you how to improve a credit score to get the score you want.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.homelight.com\/blog\/buyer-how-to-improve-credit-score\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"HomeLight Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gohomelight\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-12-31T16:30:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-01T02:32:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/hl-blog.homelight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/how-to-improve-credit-score.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1500\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Melissa Holtje\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gohomelight\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Melissa Holtje\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"13 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Give It A Boost! 18 Ways on How to Improve Credit Score","description":"Knowing and understanding your credit score is only half the battle. 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