Home Buyer Q&A: Do you have questions about the home buying process? Type your question into the box on the right.


Saturday, December 15, 2007

Free Copy of My Credit Report

I want a totally free copy of my credit report like I hear about all the time on TV and radio. Where do I go to get my free credit report and score?

This is a common question about home buyers. And it's an excellent question to ask when buying a home, because reviewing your credit report is an important first step to the home buying process.

These days, there are literally thousands of websites online that offer free credit reports to consumers. But many of them come with some sort of catch, like maybe you have to sign up for some kind of credit monitoring service in order to get your free report. So in reality, it's not a totally free credit report is it?

If you've been frustrated by similar scenarios, or if you're just starting the research process into the world of credit, the following information will help you out. On of the ways you can get your reports and scores for free is to sign up for a free trial through a service like Credit.com. In fact, we have made this even easier by working with Credit.com to bring you the following offer on such a trial:


Editor's Choice

Editor's Choice - Credit Report from Credit.com




Get your credit reports today!



My Free Credit Report - A Consumer Scenario

Let's imagine that I'm a first-time home buyer, and I'm conducting a financial self-assessment in preparation for buying a new home. I've read some of the helpful articles on the Home Buying Institute website, so I've learned the importance of obtaining a copy of my credit report and reviewing it closely for errors.

So where do I go to get the totally free copy of my credit report I've heard so much about? Am I really entitled to a free report since I've never requested one? The answer is yes, everyone tax-paying citizen in this country is entitled to one free credit report per year. So as a first-time home buyer who has never requested my report before, I am entitled to my one free one for the year.

Now the next question. Where do I go to get a free copy of my credit report so I can review it for accuracy? Well, there are many places I can go online. In fact, that's part of the problem! Which websites can I trust, which ones are bogus, and which ones offer free reports only with some kind of catch?

I'm confused and frustrated by the whole process, but I stick with it. In my research, I eventually stumble across a website called AnnualCreditReport.com. As it turns out, this website is operated jointly by the big three credit-reporting companies -- Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. That's comforting. At least I know it's a trusted source.

And according to the website's home page, I can request a free copy of my credit report (or as they call it, a "credit file disclosure") from all three reporting companies at once. Well that's certainly convenient.

So all I have left to do is select my state from the drop-down menu, click the "request report" button, and fill out some brief information such as name, SSN, DOB, etc. It's also comforting that AnnualCreditReport.com is a secure website, a fact that they stress right up at the top of the page.

I've solved the free credit report mystery!

Now I have it all figured out, and I'm a happy camper. No more frustration, no more sketchy websites I know nothing about ... I just go to the AnnualCreditReport.com website and order the free copy of my credit report from all three reporting companies at once. It's safe, it's easy, it's the real deal ... and of course, it's free.

Related articles:

Labels: