Sign up to get new listings emailed daily! JOIN SIGN IN
(419) 520-9430 Email (419) 520-9430
Peter Haring
REALTOR®, Broker / Owner
(419) 520-9430
Test blog

Subscribe and receive email notifications of new blog posts.




rss logo RSS Feed
Area News and Information | 14 Posts
Ashland Ohio | 2 Posts
Bellville Ohio | 3 Posts
Buy a House | 48 Posts
Community | 2 Posts
Distressed Properties | 9 Posts
Finance | 2 Posts
Galion Ohio | 1 Posts
Haring Realty | 1 Posts
Home Maintenance | 11 Posts
Home Maintenance Tips | 8 Posts
Homeownership | 95 Posts
Housing Market | 32 Posts
Housing Market | 89 Posts
Lexington Ohio | 2 Posts
Lucas Ohio | 2 Posts
Mansfield Ohio | 64 Posts
Marketing | 12 Posts
Money-Saving Tips | 1 Posts
Moving Tips | 3 Posts
Ontario, Ohio | 2 Posts
Richland County | 3 Posts
Sell Home | 4 Posts
Selling Your Home | 47 Posts
Shelby Ohio | 2 Posts
Tips for Buyers | 1 Posts
Tips for Sellers | 1 Posts
Uncategorized | 1 Posts
real estate overview Mansfield OH homes realtor richland county listing selling making offer today's real estate market Sellers Market Updates First Time Homebuyers For Buyers Move-Up Buyers For Sellers First Time Homebuyers For Buyers selling sell sales homes north central ohio Forclosures Distressed Properties House sales buyers sellers Finance Mortgage New Construction Remodeling Kitchens Bathrooms Resale Area Information Community Events Local Attractions Things to do Haring Realty Buying a house Home maintenance Home improvement Homeowner Selling Your House Lucas OH Outdoor Adventures Historic properties Holidays Home Safety Home-buying tips Millennial Buyers Closing Costs Home Loan Money-Saving DIY Add Value to Your Home top realtor Seller's Market Local businesses Restaurants Bellville OH Local breweries energy savings Down payment Real Estate Agent REALTOR® Shelby OH Ashland OH Ontario OH Ohio State Reformatory Family fun Festivals Inherit a Home Education Local colleges Giving Tuesday Local charities Open house For Owners Home tech Parks Home Decor Decorating Outside Projects Entertaining Home Inspection Crestline OH Crestview OH Delaware OH Lexington OH Madison OH Fredericktown OH Galion OH Hillsdale OH Loudonville/Perrysville School District Mapleton OH Clear Fork Valley School District Marengo OH Mount Gilead OH Plymouth OH Sunbury OH Landscaping Moving Bucyrus OH Loudonville OH Findlay OH Fostoria OH Bowling Green OH
English
August
26

August 26th, 2019 by

Increase Credit Score
If you've been thinking about buying one of the beautiful Mansfield homes for sale, you'll want to get your finances in order as soon as possible. In addition to saving for your down payment and gathering up your financial documents, you'll also need to check your credit score.

Your credit score will impact the interest rate you'll pay on your home loan, and, in some cases, whether you'll get approved at all. If you're concerned that your score is lower than it should be, don't panic. The following six tips will help you increase your score so you don't miss out on the home of your dreams. 

  1. Review Your Credit Report & Dispute Inaccuracies
    The first step in improving your credit is to ensure all the information reported is correct. Start by requesting free copies of all three of your credit reports from the government website AnnualCreditReport.com. Review your report carefully. Make sure there are no accounts listed that aren't yours and check for incorrect information like late payments or defaults. If you find an error, report it to the credit reporting agency right away. It can take several months for the company to review the case and make a correction, so the sooner you can do this, the better off you are. 
  1. Set Up Automatic Bill Payments
    Late or missed payments will really drag down your credit score, so now is the time to make sure it never happens again. Almost all creditors offer payment feature that will automatically make your minimum payment before the due date. 

    Set this up and make sure you keep enough money in your bank account to cover the payments. This way, you'll never have to worry about missing a payment again. Best of all, as you start making more payments on time your credit score will rise.  
  1. Pay Down Unsecured Debts
    Large outstanding balances can pull down your credit score, especially if they're high in relation to your total available credit and/or income. Start paying down your credit card and other unsecured loan balances as soon as possible. If you don't have enough disposable income, consider selling items, working more hours, or picking up some part-time work.

  2. Minimize Credit Inquiries
    Each time a lender runs a "hard inquiry" on your credit, it can lower your credit score. Although the impact is usually small and temporary, when you're looking to buy a home, it's best not to take any chances. If possible, avoid taking out new credit cards and applying for loans. 

  3. Use Score-Boosting Programs
    New score-boosting programs are now available to help those with limited credit scores. They work by adding other accounts, like phone and utilities, to your credit reports so these on-time payments are reflected in your score. If your credit report is thin and your score is low, this could be a good option for you. 

  4. Be Patient
    Even if you follow all of the advice above, it will take some time before you start to see changes in your credit score. Start practicing good credit habits now and stick with them for the rest of your life. Your efforts will be well worth it both now and for years to come. 

Buying your first home is exciting and can also be overwhelming. You don't have to do it on your own! When you're ready to start looking for your dream home, we can help. Contact Haring Realty today to discuss your goals and get started. 

Categories: Buy a House
Tags: First Time Homebuyers, Buying a house, Haring Realty
Peter Haring
Peter Haring Office: (419) 756-8383 Cell: (419) 520-9430 Direct: (419) 520-9430 Email Me
Disclaimer: All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. All properties are subject to prior sale, change or withdrawal. Neither listing broker(s) or information provider(s) shall be responsible for any typographical errors, misinformation, misprints and shall be held totally harmless. Listing(s) information is provided for consumers personal, non-commercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. Information on this site was last updated 05/01/2026. The listing information on this page last changed on 05/01/2026. The data relating to real estate for sale on this website comes in part from the Internet Data Exchange program of Delta Media Group MLS (last updated Fri 05/01/2026 3:29:50 AM EST) or CBRMLS (last updated Fri 05/01/2026 12:45:06 AM EST) or Ashland MLS (last updated Thu 04/30/2026 10:00:42 PM EST) or Firelands MLS (last updated Thu 04/30/2026 11:11:35 PM EST) or MLS NOW (last updated Fri 05/01/2026 12:17:41 AM EST) or Mansfield MLS (last updated Thu 04/30/2026 11:47:20 PM EST). Real estate listings held by brokerage firms other than Haring Realty may be marked with the Internet Data Exchange logo and detailed information about those properties will include the name of the listing broker(s) when required by the MLS. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy / DMCA Notice / ADA Accessibility
Federal Housing Equal Opportunity Realtor
This site is hosted, designed and copyright © 1994 - 2026 by Delta Media Group, Inc. -- Patent Pending --
  

Login to My Homefinder

Forgot Password

Register

Get Pre-Approved

Pixel