Will a Credit Repair Service Help You Buy a Home?

The short answer is, “No and stay away from them!” Credit repair services are those companies who promise to repair your credit and remove evidence of your past credit misdeeds, even if the information they are claiming to remove is accurate. These are not to be confused with credit rescore/reseller companies who work with credit bureaus to rapidly remove mistakes and old information on a credit report.

The charm of credit repair is the idea that for just $XXX you can have your credit score miraculously scrubbed of all the residue of missed payments, bankruptcies and other imbroglios. Credit repair company (CRC) advertisements sidle up to you with all the wit and subtlety of a man in the trench coat asking, “Hey, kid, wanna buy a watch?” and wait for your greed to overcome your good sense. In today’s uncertain economic climate, many people are trying desperately to hold onto good credit, which makes ads like these extremely appealing.

The problem is that, despite what they might claim, CRCs cannot remove or repair accurate information that has been entered into the databases of the three main credit agencies. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. They also cannot do anything that you can’t do yourself to correct mistakes and address problems with any of these companies. It may take some more time and effort for you to get your credit report, identify mistakes and old information and write the appropriate letters, but you can do it for the cost of a postage stamp. Go to annualcreditreport.com for more information about getting free credit reports.

There are many signs that a CRC is not on the up-and-up. Any advice they give you about creating a “new credit identity” is most likely going to lead to multiple felonies. Watch out for people with their hand out before they provide you with any material evidence that they have performed the services for which you are paying. They are not legally entitled to any payment under the Credit Repair Organizations Act. A “service” CRCs often offer is disputing any and all negative reports, which does nothing more than waste your time and any money you are paying.

However, companies that offer to help you improve your credit aren’t all bad. There are companies, known as credit/rapid rescorers or resellers, which tend to work in private, often along with mortgage companies and the credit bureaus. They specialize in addressing legitimate mistakes in a credit report and fixing them. However, all they can do is try to remove false and old information; they cannot improve your credit score or even guarantee that it will be improved. All they can do is try.
However, when they do try, armed with letters from creditors who have admitted that they have made mistakes or that a debt has been repaid in full, the results can be very rapid indeed, which can be a bonus for home loans. What the consumer takes days or weeks to accomplish, the credit rescorer may be able to do in a matter of hours. The fees are also reasonable, especially when compared to CRC fees, which can range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

While a credit rescorer may be able to run your credit up a few crucial points that can get you a home loan at a lot more reasonable rate, don’t expect them to perform miracles with bad credit. The only sure-fire way to improve bad credit is to pay off your old debts and maintain good debt repayment habits. This takes time to affect your credit score, which can impede your progress in getting a decent home loan. However, the time you take can mean that you have time to save money for a bigger down payment, home purchase expenses and moving expenses.

Stay away from anyone who offers you a “miracle cure” for your credit woes and concentrate on improving your credit the slower, but ultimately more effective and legal way. Only use legitimate credit rescorer companies and make sure you research them with the Better Business Bureau and your state attorney general. Most of all, establish good credit habits and keep an eye on your credit reports in order to qualify for the best home loan you can.