What is the Highest Your FICO Score Has Been?

Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes

Does anyone track their FICO score? I know we have some competitive folks on the forum so I was wondering how high your score has been historically.

Any takers?

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Steve M.

Realtor · Gallatin, TN · Member since 2009 · 292 posts · 164 votes

15y

Originally posted by Jon Klaus:

Originally posted by Steve McVey:

Mid Score: 740 (can only get real #'s on First Union & Equifax) Experian doesn't allow users to see their "real" FICO (not FAKO) scores anymore.

With that said .... I was at 580 in early 2010.

I have zero debt (minus a personal mortgage), but my credit history is still quite young (I'm 26) I have $40k - $45k in revolving credit lines that I don't use, and my AAoA (Average Age of Accounts) is about 3 years.

I'm hoping by the time I'm 30, I'll be up to the 800's :)

580 to 740 in a year is great--you could be a guru!

What else did you do to improve it so much?

Thanks Jon ....

I was able to take everything I learned on myfico.com and apply it. With a little bit of luck, timing, and perserverance, I was able to get it done. Myfico = much like BiggerPockets except for Credit Repair. A wealth of great info.

Total Cost: $20-25 in paper and stamps and about $500 - $1000 to settle with several creditors. Nothing more. Letters were sent out weekly, and not once did I ever try and dispute anything on my CR.

DIY Credit Repair is soooo simple. It took me about 2-3 months of research before I started. Once I started, it took about 5-6 months to get all negative info off my reports.

The Things That Worked:
1) Good Will (GW) Letters
2) Pay For Deletes (PFD)

I encourage anyone who needs to clean up their credit, find a good credit information site like myfico, and get started. you'll be amazed at was a simple delete of a 30 day late can do ....

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Joel OwensBusiness Member
Moderator
Real Estate Broker · Canton, GA · Member since 2010 · 15k+ posts · 11k+ votes
15y
Yes 850 used to be the highest and then as Bryan said they changed the scoring model.

There is also supposed to be a medical credit bureau coming out making 4 agencies to deal with.

I don't know if it ever happened or not.

When I was in residential the lowest loan programs I saw was for 480 with money down. In the 500's there were no doc loans and stated loans.

The mortgage brokers would call it "cash for trash" loans.

With a great interest rate I closed some at 520 for buyers I was working with.Those days are long,long gone.

I believe over time it went from a requirement of 500 to 520 then 560,580,620 and I think now it's 640 minimum.

Anything it's over 720 or 740 is cherry now.There are lenders who over very nice rates for the elite with 780 and above but have to meet strict criteria.

I learned the tricks in credit because I would often get a buyer 20 points away from qualifying.While another agent would throw them away I told them what to do to get over the hump and then closed the sale.
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Jeff S.
Specialist · Portland, OR · Member since 2010 · 3k+ posts · 1k+ votes
15y
Right Joel, the worse the credit the easier the sale. The best customers for mortgage brokers are the ones that refi, run up credit cards, refi, run up credit cards, then buy a new house, then on and on. I would try to talk sense to them but to no avail.

Sometimes you get a couple where one's credit is so bad you leave them off the credit app and then put them on the deed.

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Rudy Butler
Wholesaler · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2011 · 73 posts · 17 votes
15y
My Aug.Update from 8/11/11

Equifax Beacon 5.0 Fico is 826
Experian FICO v2 843
TransUnion FICO Classic 04 832

I own a credit repair Company...lol Lead by example !

I also create stacked SCN numbers they all come with 3-5 seasoned tradelines and a 800+ Score.
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Bryan Hancock
OP
Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
15y
That's awesome Rudy!

Can you let us know what a stacked SCN number means? Your tradelines report on your personal report and not to the business bureaus?
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Rudy Butler
Wholesaler · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2011 · 73 posts · 17 votes
15y
Originally posted by Bryan Hancock:
That's awesome Rudy!
Can you let us know what a stacked SCN number means? Your tradelines report on your personal report and not to the business bureaus?

Bryan- a SCN is a Second Credit Number, I have the ability to add Authorized User Accounts with 5-10+ years of history and positive payments.

I have lines that can post on Personal or Business it just depends what my clients request. :mrgreen:

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Rudy Butler
Wholesaler · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2011 · 73 posts · 17 votes
15y
I'm currently looking for Personal Funding Programs upto $100k+ with Perfect Credit NO DOC.
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Greg P.
Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2009 · 717 posts · 50 votes
15y
So, did anyone reply how they had their credit scores jump so high within a small amount of time? I remember one guy saying about DIY Credit repair but he didn't go into detail. Anyone else know how to do it? Thanks.
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Carlos Flores
Commercial Real Estate Lender / Syndicator · Dallas, TX · Member since 2011 · 888 posts · 309 votes
15y
I think Rudy is talking about Secondary Credit Numbers
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Bryan Hancock
OP
Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
15y
Is there really any value in your credit score being above 800 Rudy? I haven't really taken the time to learn how to boost mine more because it requires more effort and it doesn't seem to add any value. The only thing I keep trying to do now is to keep inquiries off of mine.
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Eduardo A.
Sandy Springs, GA · Member since 2011 · 126 posts · 31 votes
15y
Once your FICO score gets above 790, there really isnt too much value. That's considered the top tier so you will get the same lowest interest rates that the 840 person gets.
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Rudy Butler
Wholesaler · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2011 · 73 posts · 17 votes
15y
Originally posted by Eduardo Austin:
Once your FICO score gets above 790, there really isnt too much value. That's considered the top tier so you will get the same lowest interest rates that the 840 person gets.

Yeah I feel you on that Ed~ But its still nice to say "I GOT 800 CREDIT"...lol :mrgreen:

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Bryan Hancock
OP
Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
15y
I'm wondering if there is a "wow factor" with the underwriter for business lines though Eduardo. I am sure they have guidelines, but they are still human and there is some variance on how they account for things. I would think the wow factor may get you some leniency on other items for loan requests like these.
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Eduardo A.
Sandy Springs, GA · Member since 2011 · 126 posts · 31 votes
15y
There could be a wow factor since, as you said , the underwriters are human but as a borrower once you get to 790 you can pretty much right your ticket anywhere.
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Rudy Butler
Wholesaler · Scottsdale, AZ · Member since 2011 · 73 posts · 17 votes
15y
Originally posted by Carlos Flores:
I think Rudy is talking about Secondary Credit Numbers

Yes. Carlos I have heard it referred to as a Secondary Credit Number as well.

But don't get this confused with a Credit Profile number or Tax ID Number or Employer ID Number.

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Yeah it is definitely a WOW factor, with the underwriters.

My Brother is a Business Banker with a Major bank and he said the same thing, any thing over 775 is considered Perfect Credit and they get the best rate.

There is nothing available after you get a 0% interest rate...lol just less you have to verify and less hoops to jump thru.
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Account Closed
SFR Investor · Kansas City, Honolulu, HI · Member since 2011 · 14 posts · 2 votes
15y
Between 790 and 805. :)
1 Reply
Andy Bankston
Investor · Kennesaw, GA · Member since 2010 · 158 posts · 61 votes
15y
Just got my credit reports. Experian uses a VantageScore on a scale of 501-990. Equifax still uses the Equifax Risk Score that ranges from 280-850.
Per the VantageScore report: "VantageScore is the credit industry's first credit score developed jointly by the three national credit bureaus." If that's the case, why are the other bureaus not also using it? If they are the only one using it and it's on a different scale than the others, it's just going to cause confusion.
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Kevin C.
Investor · McKinney, TX · Member since 2009 · 405 posts · 160 votes
15y
In the process of refinancing primary residence and scores from all 3 bureaus were pulled.

Self 784 780 785
Wife 821 792 798

Mine had been high 700's low 800's but a few hard pulls associated with refinancing a couple rentals knocked the scores down. Bad thing is, ended up not even going through with the rental refi's, too much in fees.
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Bryan Hancock
OP
Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
15y
Truecredit.com can't seem to make up their mind how they grade scores on their site. I am assuming my Transunion score is different, but my Truecredit score is 942 this evening.

We have a law firm disputing some inquires for us right now. Hopefully that will bump our score a bit and make our file look strong for future credit line underwriters.
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Cheryl C.
Investor · Reston, VA · Member since 2011 · 683 posts · 191 votes
15y
For years ours was right around 800...then Infinitity Financial caused a disaster. In late '08 they reported a skip/collection/charge-off on a personal property tax bill on a leased car. I won't go into all the details (want to keep my blood pressure down) but it was a total screw-up on their part. Our score dropped to 650ish, BOA cancelled/froze 4 heloc's and dropped a credit card limit from 50K to 14K (after a routine check). It took months for Infinity to admit the mistake and correct out report.

We have slowly climbed back to 765. There was no re-opening those Heloc's given the Market, so our % of credit used went thru the roof. Those idiots destroyed 30yrs of perfect credit and took 6 months to admit it.

I now get monthly credit updates (freecreditreport.com). I still don't understand why Heloc's are reported as "revolving debt" instead of mortgages.

I think the highest I ever had was 807. Infinity cost me (lost me?) 700K in credit lines.
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Bryan Hancock
OP
Investor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2010 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
15y
Sounds like grounds for a suit Cheryl!
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Joseph Malovich
Member since 2011 · 9 posts · 0 votes
12y
Originally posted by @Joseph Malovich:

I'm at 710 only because I'm young and don't yet have a credit card, I have one I'm going to activate and use sparingly to bump it up to around 730ish (that's what the myFICO prediction was anyways).
My parents on the other hand... 819 for my dad and my mom said around 830, they never have problems with financial institutions when asking for money. My dad go a loan for a $40k flipper when he was laid off!
782 now.
The ONLY thing I've done in the past 4 years is pay off school loans and enter new utilities contracts.
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Ed O.
Investor · Statewide, MO · Member since 2011 · 825 posts · 430 votes
12y
I hit 833 on the TU a few months ago. It said the top of the scoring model in play was 839. The scoring system is a lot like the SAT - a measure of how well you take their test, moreso than your real creditworthiness.
Of course, it does point out serious risks, but I think it's rotten at estimating from 675ish up.
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Anu G.
Rental Property Investor · Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2014 · 79 posts · 16 votes
12y
Greg P. I had a 580 about 14 months ago and now it's at 710. As often as I could I would pay all credit cards to get it below a certain percentage of my credit limit: 39% then a couple of month later down to 29% and so forth down to 9%. That seemed to help immensely. I guess I could've increased my monthly autopayment but I get lazy trying to deal with banks that require you to jump through hoops to (re)set it up. Also I was on myfico.com (the equivalent of BP but for fico scores asking questions). My next goal is to get it to 760 based on the new fico scoring method as reported in the WSJ and posted by @patrick S. Furthermore, checkout Dave Ramsey's 'snowball' method.
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Jon Klaus
Developer · Garland, TX · Member since 2008 · 8k+ posts · 4k+ votes
12y
Originally posted by @Anu G.:

Greg P. I had a 580 about 14 months ago and now it's at 710. As often as I could I would pay all credit cards to get it below a certain percentage of my credit limit: 39% then a couple of month later down to 29% and so forth down to 9%. That seemed to help immensely. I guess I could've increased my monthly autopayment but I get lazy trying to deal with banks that require you to jump through hoops to (re)set it up.
Also I was on myfico.com (the equivalent of BP but for fico scores asking questions). My next goal is to get it to 760 based on the new fico scoring method as reported in the WSJ and posted by @patrick S.
Furthermore, checkout Dave Ramsey's 'snowball' method.
Great job, Anu!
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Chance Cooper
Real Estate Investor · Raeford, NC · Member since 2014 · 137 posts · 39 votes
12y
Just checked mine, I am at 747 right now.
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