REAL TipS: BUYING

Get your free credit report

If you are thinking about buying a home, it is a good idea to find out what your credit report says before applying for the loan. And now you can do that at no cost. The Fair and Accurate Credit Act of 2003 made it possible for consumers to request a free credit report every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. This service, established by the federal government, was made available to Texans on June 1, 2005 .  

Annual access to all three credit reporting companies enables you to accurately track your financial history, spotting any errors along the way. If you do find legitimate problems in your credit file disclosure, you can work to improve your credit standing before contacting a loan officer.

To access your free credit reports online, visit www.annualcreditreport.com. The Annual Credit Report Request Service secures all online transactions, encrypting the information you provide on the request form before forwarding the request to the selected nationwide consumer credit reporting companies.

Texas Association of REALTORS®