Your Homebuyer Game Plan
You are already a client, so there is nothing to buy on this page. This is simply the list of what you need to do between today and closing. Follow it in order.
Accounts: what to stop and what to do
New debt moves your file backward at the worst possible time. These four rules protect the work we have already done.
Do not do this
Do not add any new accounts
No new credit cards, car loans, personal loans, store cards, or buy now pay later plans while we are getting you approved.
Do not open a secured credit card
A secured card usually comes with a low limit, and that low limit can hurt you later when we go for your new credit card after credit repair.
Do this instead
No credit card? Ask family and friends first
If you do not have a credit card, reach out to family members and friends before you apply for anything on your own.
You can be added as an authorized user (Ava)
Authorized user accounts take 2 months to show on your credit report, so this has to be started now if we are going to use it.
The four numbers that decide your approval
Score, payment history, and utilization are what the underwriter reads first.
You need a 640 FICO to be approved
That is the number the lender pulls. Every step below is built around getting you there and keeping you there.
No late payments on any installment loan
Mortgages, car loans, personal loans, and student loans all have to stay current. One 30 day late can undo months of progress.
If you have excessive late payments, we have to work on it
Bring it to me right away. Late payments that are already reporting get handled before we shop you to a lender, not after.
Keep utilization under 10%
Pay the balance down before the statement closes, not just before the due date. The balance on the statement day is the one that reports.
Order your score from myFICO
Lenders use FICO, so that is the score we track. There are two plans, and either one works for this process.
Every 3 months
$29.95
Your FICO score refreshes every 3 months.
Best if you are tracking slow, steady progress.
Every 30 days
$39.95
Your FICO score refreshes every 30 days.
Best while actively preparing to close.
Pull up your myFICO score, not the score inside your banking app or a credit app. Those scores are usually different from the FICO score the lender sees.
Get your lender lined up now
Your lender is the person who tells you exactly what you qualify for, so this starts before you start touring homes.
Featured Lender
Tapri Reid
Lender / Broker
Start here if you do not already have a lender. Tapri works with buyers who are still building their credit file.
- 1
Start the conversation early so the lender can review your file before you are ready to apply.
- 2
Ask what they need to see to approve you at a 640 FICO, then bring that list back to me.
- 3
Do not let a lender pull your credit until we have finished the repair work and I tell you it is time.
Don't have a realtor? Start with this list
These agents work with buyers who are still building their credit. Reach out to me and I will connect you with the one that fits your area.
Banx Webster
Licensed Real Estate Agent
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Palmetto
Ashley Green
Licensed Real Estate Agent
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Palmetto
Dendria McGougan
Licensed Real Estate Agent
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Palmetto
Elonda Steele
Licensed Real Estate Agent
Prime 1 Lifestyle International Realty
Shevon Robinson
REALTOR®
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Palmetto
Christian Prime
REALTOR®
Attend a homebuyer class every 2nd Thursday
A realtor and a lender join each class to walk through the process from contract to closing. These are your next six dates.
- 1
Thursday, November 12, 2026
- 2
Thursday, December 10, 2026
- 3
Thursday, January 14, 2027
- 4
Thursday, February 11, 2027
- 5
Thursday, March 11, 2027
- 6
Thursday, April 8, 2027
Realtors and lenders are on every call to explain the process step by step. Put all six dates on your calendar now and plan to be on each one.