Home buying

Get your credit mortgage-ready

When life gives you lemons, let us squeeze the heck out of them. If a lender said "not yet," we build the plan that turns it into a yes: disputes, collections, utilization, and the habits underwriters look for.

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How CSA helps you solve credit and debt problems before you apply

Realtors, lenders, and car dealers across Texas send us the clients they cannot close yet. Here is what we do with them.

1. Our credit services include everything

Credit bureau disputes, goodwill interventions, debt validation, original-creditor negotiations, and debt settlement. Every item that is inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable gets challenged with all three bureaus, and every valid debt gets a strategy.

2. If we cannot get it deleted, we negotiate the payoff

For accurate collections that lenders want resolved, your credit coach negotiates a settlement, and where the creditor allows it, a pay-for-delete agreement. Tell us what you can afford and that is what we negotiate for.

3. We get your score moving up

Removing errors is step one. We then work the score itself: utilization under 10%, on-time payments locked in with autopay, and new positive tradelines such as a secured credit card when your file is thin.

The mortgage-ready checklist

Pull all three reports and dispute every error. Lenders use a tri-merge report, so one bureau is not enough.
Resolve collections and charge-offs that will show on the tri-merge, starting with anything under two years old.
Get utilization under 30%, ideally under 10%, on every card, before the statement date.
No new credit for six months before you apply, and none during underwriting.
Twelve months of on-time payments on everything. One recent late payment can cost more than an old collection.
Know your debt-to-income ratio. Paying down installment balances can matter as much as the score.
Document everything. Keep settlement letters and deletion confirmations; underwriters ask.

Why start early

Each dispute round takes 30 to 45 days, negotiated settlements take time to report, and lenders want to see stability after the cleanup. Six to twelve months before you plan to apply is the sweet spot. If you are already under contract, call us anyway; rapid rescores and targeted payoffs can still move the number.

Home buying and credit questions

What credit score do I need to buy a house?

Conventional loans generally look for 620 or higher, FHA loans can go as low as 580 with 3.5% down (or 500 with 10% down), and VA loans have no official minimum though most lenders want 580 to 620. A higher score earns a lower rate, which is where the real money is.

How long before applying for a mortgage should I start credit repair?

Six to twelve months is ideal. Each dispute round takes 30 to 45 days, and lenders like to see several months of on-time payments and stable balances after negative items are resolved.

Can I buy a home with collections on my credit report?

Often, yes. FHA and VA lenders do not always require collections to be paid, but unpaid collections raise your rate and can trip debt-to-income limits. Disputing inaccurate collections and settling valid ones is the usual path.

Can I finance a home after a foreclosure or bankruptcy?

Yes, after a waiting period: typically two years after a Chapter 7 discharge for FHA, three years after a foreclosure for FHA, and longer for conventional loans. Rebuilding credit during the waiting period is what makes approval possible when it ends.

Will a new credit card hurt my mortgage application?

A new account adds a hard inquiry and lowers your average account age, and any new balance changes your debt-to-income ratio. Avoid opening credit in the months before and during your application.

Ready to get pre-approved?

Start with a free consultation. We will tell you honestly how long it will take and what it will cost.