Applying for a loan will cause a credit score to take a hit. Photo: TrinityCreditServices/Flickr/CC-BY

The point of a credit score is so companies can project whether a person is a risk to extend to credit to. However, a person’s credit score takes a hit every installment loan or mortgage lenders ask to see it, meaning a person looks like more of a credit risk for trying to use credit.

Lose credit to use credit

Anyone who applies to get a loan of any kind, whether it’s a simple installment loan for personal use or a larger loan like a mortgage, is subject to a credit check. A lender gets applicants’ credit scores from one of a number of agencies. Unfortunately, the manner in which the score is requested can hurt a person’s credit rating. It’s called a “hard pull,” according to AOL News. When a lender requests a credit score from a credit rating agency with the intention of possibly lending to the applicant, a couple of points are taken off the top of the credit score.

Two-week window

One of the main incentives of maintaining a good credit score is to be able to get the best possible interest rates. Ironically, a good credit score can be negatively affected when a person applies for a loan that they worked hard to be able to get the best rate on. However, there is way to loan shop and avoid a precipitous drop. Shop for loans within a 14-day period. If all “hard pulls” are done within two weeks, all inquiries count as one. After that, don’t apply for any more loans until your credit score climbs back up.

Rating agencies not in the business of making it easy

Though credit rating agencies Experian, EquiFax and TransUnion are in the business of providing information to other businesses — not to consumers — they have come under fire for keeping so-called VIP lists, according to the New York Times. The three main credit rating bureaus have been accused of treating information for the wealthy and high-profile people in a more preferential manner and the Federal Trade Commission is currently investigating the allegations. The credit bureaus, according to Fox, deny that any such considerations are made.

Sources

AOL News

New York Times

Fox