Mortgage and Insurance

FICO Scores – START (10/26/09)

EQ-617

EX-637

TU-610

 

FICO Scores – CURRENT (9/14/09)

EQ-764

EX-634 (FAKO………….if possible to figure out within a few points either way, what is the FICO equivalent to a 634 FAKO?)

TU-747

 

GOAL FICO SCORES (by 1/11)

EQ/EX/TU – 760 to 800

 

After my girlfriend & I broke up in Sept., I got mad and, I decided to take some steps to fix some issues in my life.

 

I spent 2.5 months recovering from a painful abdominal hernia surgery (this was a good time to QUIETLY educate myself about my credit reports/scores/etc.), joined a local a health club (rode the heck out of a stationary bike and lost 43 lbs. in less than 5 months), and decided I was going to clean up my finances too!

 

I am currently working hard on my cleaning up my credit reports and scores, and I need a little advice or ideas on the timing my next move.  I am not in any emergency situation, needing either an auto or home home loan immediately at this time, but I am planning ahead for the next 2 years on buying a car, then a house a 2-3 years after.  I am just looking to get my ducks in a row without any pressure when bad decisions are usually made under duress.

 

As you can see, I have made some real improvement in a little less than a year in all my reports/scores but Experian (+ 147-EQ; + 137-TU), so it can be done.  All my bills are current, and I will give you some background about my situation.

 

I had 5 different trade lines on each of the 3 CRAs when I started the process, 3-4 of which were paid in full years ago and were deleted, but the major one is a $ 2900+ charge-off through WaMu, which was turned over to Chase Bank, that was then sold to a CA (TBI) that is hanging on and making my Experian score so low (TBI had this reported on all 3 CR, but EQ & TUs have been deleted.  Yes, I screwed up financially at this time of my life, but things are better, and I am trying to take responsibilty and handle this ASAP, as I now have the $$$ to settle this.

 

I was served papers for collection a few weeks ago by TBI, but since it is being negotiated currently, it has been set aside by the district court…………….(will this show up as a judgement after I settle this debt?)

 

I offered the CA $ 2,175.00 for the debt, as I owe it, and I want to pay it, just not the full amount they are asking for as this was originally a 1000 credit limit card with 1900 of penalties/interest tacked on), as long as I could get a PFD in writing.  I am currently waiting for an answer to this offer, as TBI has agreed on the money part, I just haven’t heard an answer back on the PFD part, which is my MAIN concern at this point…………..I would have a pretty/very good credit report/score with just this happening.

 

There are a couple of other notables before I go any further:

 

I received a copy of a class action suit made against TBI by another person, claiming I was on a database list for cell phone calls made without my consent by TBI, and after I sent (through Certified US Mail & I have proof of sigs/etc.) a dated Cease & Decist letter to them.  If I wanted to sign up and be a part of it, I could (awarded amounts will be between $ 8.00 and $ 97.00 depending upon how many people opt-in) by sending in paperwork by Oct.20 (ish).

 

Does this mean they did anything illegal, and if TBI does not give me the PFD without further fanfare, can I let them know I might opt out of the class action suit and  keep the door open to possibly go after them individually and get rid of the debt altogether (through the current US Debt Collection laws), and they would then relent and give it to me?  The 2175 is sitting in my acoount right now ready to go, but I will fight to the end for the deletion, as you can see how close I am now to 3 pretty clean CRs.

 

Am I asking too much by wanting the PFD?

 

Also, I only have one major CC (Capital One-Visa) with a 2000 CL (which was raised from 500 last Nov.), but usually less than 10 % util at any time and paid in full every month.  I have never had an installment (auto or home) loan, but I have decided I would like to restore to original condition my 2002 Monte Carlo for 3300-3500 (plenty of body work is what needs to be dealt with, but nothing mechanically at all-ALL maint. has been done on internal parts). 

 

Question: Would this be a good way to get a small installment loan on my record to have a better ”credit mix” count towards making my score a little better, and for how long would I want to make the term for (18-24 months?)

 

Other things to consider………………..I would like another major CC (whichever is better between Master Card and Discover) that has 0% on purchase for 6-12 months, and good cash back rewards (especially for gas), with no annual fee, and a lower APR than my outrageous 20.4 card (the history is too long to close the account about), but I really do not want another VISA, nor do I want another CC through Capital One if at all possible.  My CU (which is where I am going to get the installment loan from for fixing my car), is also offering a VISA at a much lower APR (9.9 to 17.9) than my current Capital One CC APR (20.4)

 

I have 2 inquiries with TU, and 1 with both EX and EQ that were dated between 10-20-09 and 10-24-09 (EX has been in a stall with me since Feb…………(I guess that’s TBI’s “pet CRA”, as I think they are stalling so TBI can collect my debt easier…………I am not running from the debt at all…..I want to pay them…….I just want my report clean), and I hear that although these will stay on my CRs for 1 more year in October, they won’t count against me after………is that correct?

 

So…………….the questions are:

 

1.  I plan to WAIT until after the inqs fell off in late October/early November, then………….should I apply for the major CC BEFORE I try for the installment loan, and with what CL should I ask for?  Should it be from the SAME Credit Union (it would be another VISA, which I am trying to not have so I can have a different brand of card in wallet if possible, but it’s not mandatory) that I am going to be dealing with on the installment loan (I will not be putting ANYTHING on this new card for a while, just trying to get more credit util room before I apply for the installment loan) and keep the scores up as high as possible before the inquiries happen (I know for a fact that my CU uses TU to pull reports from)?

 

2.  Is Vollera Group (which is one of my inquiries) a mortgage lender, or part of Chase Bank?

 

3.  Am I going to be applying for too much credit in too little of time (Inqs., etc.), thereby tearing down my AAoA and bringing my score down?  I am right in the middle of the top and 2nd tiers of APRs, so every FICO point up/down is going to help/hurt.

 

Sorry this is so long, I just wanted to give as much info to help out the forum…………….this is a great place to learn and read subjects concerning credit repair, etc………..I want to thank all in advance for their help.