Maintaining Good Credit After Buying a Home

Your credit score will take a hit after you buy a home, not surprisingly, since it's a large purchase. But you can take steps to get it back on track, just like you did to get a mortgage in the first place. Try these tips to increase your credit score and master these basics:

• Pay bills on time
• Pay off debts
• Monitor your credit report and correct errors
• Avoid signing up for new credit cards or loans

It's important to maintain good credit because you never know when you'll need to borrow a large amount of money. Lenders base decisions like approval and interest rates on your credit score. The best credit scores get the best terms. This will be especially important if you hope to refinance in the future or need to pull equity out of your home to cover major home repairs or improvements.