Check your Credit Report
I have been writing about checking your credit report to verify accuracy and obtaining your credit score. This review will not impact your score as an inquiry. Maybe you are just a little curious as a first time home buyer about how to obtain your free report. Each of the three credit reporting agencies is obligated by law to provide a free annual credit report to every consumer who makes a request. That's right; you may obtain one credit report for free from each of the three agencies. The agencies are TransUnion, Equifax and Experian.
Possibly the safest way to obtain the reports is to log on to www.annualcreditreport.com. According to www.homebuyinginstitute.com this is the only site that is monitored and regulated by the Federal Trade Commission. However, this site only provides your report. I have heard a financial radio talk show host advise couples and individuals to spread their credit reports out over the year to provide the broadest most accurate review. A suggestion that is worth consideration when you take into account the ever present threat of identity theft that is so prevalent.
Be aware of similar sites. www.freecreditreport.com offers reports and scores as part of their services. The title tells the truth, they are offering you a free credit report and you pay for the score and a monthly fee for credit monitoring. This company requires a credit card number and will provide the reports of all three reporting agencies and the scores of each for a moderate one time fee, however you must cancel the card within seven days or you will find yourself paying for credit monitoring information for your social security number each month. The name is definitely misleading and the disclaimer is quite small, but the information is plainly stated and the company does direct you to the www.annualcreditreport.com site. ---GreatSpace Man