Have you checked your credit report recently? If you have then Kudos to you! However, if you have not, I suggest you do so. Your credit can reflect you in many ways these days. For example, automobile insurance companies now quote you based on your credit score. Which means in the future there is no way of telling what else our credit could be used to determine in our lives.

So I suggest that those of you who have not seen your credit report log-on to www.annualcreditreport.com  where you may get a copy of your credit report from all three agencies (Transunion, Experian, Equifax). This sight allows you to request a copy of your report in seconds for 30 days once a year. You may want to begin by viewing one report first to see it’s accuracy. Not all reports from all three agencies will be identical. When creditors report to the agencies they can report to all or one. So it is very important that you not base your credit on one report. (Those checking your credit may pull all or several.)

If you should see anything on your report which is not yours, you may dispute it online immediately. It will then be reviewed by the agency and you wil be notified in the mail or you may check your status of disputes by securely logging back in and routinely checking for updates.

Also remember that you may dispute an item that has been on your report for well over the amount of time the are allowed to actually remian on your report.

Your report also contains your current and previous addresses. Review all the addresses and make sure that they are all addresses where you’ve lived. This will help you  determine whether your identity has been stolen or if there were items on your report accidentally mistaken with someone of the same name as you.

Your credit is very important and must me checked regularly. In a market as the one we are in, your credit report will help you get the best possible rate out here.

If you are considering trying to purchase real estate, prepare in advance and make sure your credit report reflects all current accounts in good standing, no late payments, and seasoned accounts, and low balances. You’ll thank me later.