How your credit affects your mortgage approval

Lenders use credit to judge reliability. The score matters, but so does the detail behind it: how much of your available credit you are using, how long your accounts have been open, whether payments have been missed, and how many recent applications you have made.

Two habits help most in the year before you buy. Keep balances well below your limits, and avoid opening or closing accounts or financing a car right before you apply.

Also check your report for errors. Disputed items and duplicate accounts are common, and correcting them takes weeks - time you will not have once you are in an offer.