The information in your credit report has a huge impact on whether or not you qualify for a mortgage loan and what interest rate a lender will offer. Therefore, it’s important your credit report reflects a positive image of the way you manage your money. If you're getting ready to buy a home, checking your credit report is the best way to ensure you get the loan and interest rate you deserve.

A recent amendment to the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) mandateds each agency provid your with a free copy  of your credit report, at your request , Once every year.  To get the free annual credit report go to www.annualcreditreport.com

The 3 reporting agencies are  Equifax www.equifax.com,  Experian www.experian.com and TransUnion www.transunion.com. 

Whether you are thinking of buying a home or simply curious about what’s in your credit report,  it’s important to correct any errors you discover as soon as possible.  You don’t want errors in your credit report  affecting your eligibility for credit in the future.

If you've been denied credit, insurance, or employment because of information in your credit report from any of the three agencies, you can obtain a free credit report by contacting the agency within 60 days of receiving a denial notice. In addition, you're entitled to a free copy of your report each year when you certify in writing that (1) you're unemployed and looking for a job within 60 days, (2) you're currently on welfare, or (3) your report contains errors due to fraud. Otherwise, the agencies charge a fee for a copy of your report.

For additional fees, each agency may offer you different report variations, such as:

• A credit report with or without your credit score.
• A three-in-one credit report that lets you see a side-by-side comparison of records, from all three agencies, with or without scores.
• Notification services when your credit history is requested.
• Routine notification changes to your file.
• Subscriptions that allow you to access your report on a regular basis.

Whether you are thinking of buying a home or simply corious about what is on your credit report, you should check out your report and correct any errors you discover as soon as possible.  Errors on your report will affect your eligibility for credit in the future.