Credit and your score
What a credit check does, what lenders see, and how to look at your own file before anyone else does.
Most owners meet their credit file the way they meet a stranger at a party: someone else starts the conversation, and they hope it goes well. It goes better when you know what’s being looked at, and why.
These guides start with the difference between a soft pull and a hard pull, then walk through your own report and what pre-qualification really covers. Read them in order, or jump to the question that brought you here.
Start here
- Soft pull or hard pull? What each one does to your credit score
One is a look at your file. The other is a lender deciding on you. Here is how to tell which one you just agreed to, and what each one does to your score.
- What to look for in your credit report before you apply
A lender is going to read your file. Read it first. Here is where to get your reports, the five things to check, and what to do when something is wrong.
- Pre-qualification is not an application: what the three words mean
Pre-qualification, preapproval and an application are three different steps, though lenders use the words loosely. What matters is what was checked, and what you agreed to.
Read enough? See your own number.
One soft pull. No hard inquiry, no SSN, no obligation.