How to Read Your Credit Report Before Applying for a Mortgage
Pulling and reviewing a credit report before applying for a mortgage is one of the simplest steps buyers skip, even though catching an error weeks before applying is far less stressful than catching it mid-underwriting with a closing deadline attached. What's actually on a credit report A credit report includes identifying information, account history (credit cards, loans, mortgages, their balances and payment history), public records like bankruptcies, and a list of inquiries — who has checked the credit and when. It does not include the credit score itself; the score is calculated separately from the data in the report. The three credit bureaus Credit reports come from three major bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — and the information can differ slightly between them, since not every lender or creditor reports to all three. Lenders often pull a report from all three for a mortgage application, so it's worth reviewing all three individually rather than just ...