free guide · 6-page PDF

A Six-Month Plan to Get Your Credit Ready for a Mortgage

The Credit Readiness Guide lays out what to do month by month, in the order it actually matters, for buyers whose credit needs some work before they apply.

Cover of the Credit Readiness Guide: a six-month plan for buyers whose credit needs work

What you will learn

  • What lenders look at beyond your score
  • Six things to stop doing before you apply
  • A month-by-month plan, in the order that matters
  • When to slow down and talk to a specialist about collections

PDF, 6 pages · In English · Free

The plan at a glance

  1. Month 1

    Pull and review

  2. Month 2

    Pay down high-utilization cards

  3. Month 3

    Slow down on collections

  4. Month 4

    Continue and monitor

  5. Month 5

    Stabilize and gather documents

  6. Month 6

    Connect with a loan officer

What happens after you submit

  1. Your guide opens right away. No waiting for an email to arrive.
  2. We email you the link too, so it is easy to find later.
  3. Tips only if you ask. If you checked the box, I send occasional practical emails. If not, you only get the guide.
Mary De Pinho, bilingual REALTOR in Greater Houston

Who wrote it

Mary De Pinho, REALTOR® with Dalton Wade Real Estate Group (Texas License #579203). Before becoming a buyer's agent, I spent eight years in new-home sales on the builder's side, and I work with families in English and Spanish.

Mary De Pinho | Texas Real Estate License #579203 | Dalton Wade Real Estate Group

Mary De Pinho is a licensed real estate agent and is not a lender, mortgage broker, or credit repair organization. Information about down payment assistance programs, credit readiness, and mortgage financing is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or credit repair advice. Assistance program eligibility, terms, income limits, and available funding are subject to change and are determined by the administering agency, not by the agent. Results vary by individual situation. Figures cited in this material were current as of the date of publication; verify all program details with the appropriate agency before making financial decisions.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Mary De Pinho does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, or any other class protected under federal, state, or local fair housing law.

Buyer representation is provided under a written buyer representation agreement. Representation on a new-construction purchase is provided at no cost to the buyer. Terms of representation are disclosed in writing before services begin, in accordance with current Texas Real Estate Commission rules.