What to Know About Credit When Buying Real Estate

When planning a purchase of a home, it’s important to be aware of the necessity of a good credit score. As a Real Estate Broker in the Inland Empire area, I have helped fulfill homebuyers’ dreams. Here are five things every buyer should know about credit, mortgage loans, and the relationship between them.

1. Your credit score is based on your financial behavior. What does that mean? When you pay your bills on time, not incurring a huge amount of debt and use credit responsibly, all this will help to keep your credit score higher.

2. The FICO score (your credit score) is used by lenders to determine a buyer’s credit worthiness. The score will range from 300 to 850. The higher score is better and will help you get approved for a loan, as well as, a more favorable interest rate.

3. There are three credit reporting agencies: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian. They each produce a credit score and the funny thing is that they are close, but they rarely match. Your credit score is one of the top-three factors in your home purchase, next is your current debt and then your income. Mortgage lenders look at all when considering your ability to pay back a loan.

4. Prior to beginning your home search, go to AnnualCreditReport.com for a free credit report once per year. This is not your credit score, just a report. This website is government regulated by the FTC.

5. If your score is low, with some diligence, you can improve it. Reduce your credit card balances, pay all of your bills on time, and now that you have them, fix any errors on your credit reports.

Happy home searching!

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Charlotte Volsch

What’s the right way to handle an inherited property—renovate, list, or sell it as-is? I am Charlotte Volsch, an Estate Property Advisor and Probate & Trust Real Estate Specialist helping attorneys, executors, and families make clear, confident decisions when selling inherited homes. I help attorneys, executors, and families navigate inherited property decisions throughout the Inland Empire and High Desert of Southern California, including Apple Valley, Victorville, Hesperia, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Loma Linda, Fontana, and surrounding communities. Over the course of my career, I have completed 774+ real estate transactions across 24 years, including more than 230 probate and trust property sales. For the past 16+ years, I have focused specifically on estate property situations, working alongside probate and trust attorneys, fiduciaries, and their clients to guide each case from evaluation through sale. Many families are unsure what to do with an inherited home—whether to invest in repairs, list it traditionally, or sell it as-is. Without a clear strategy, estates can make costly mistakes such as over-improving a property, underpricing it, selecting the wrong sale method, or facing delays that impact timelines and estate objectives. I help evaluate those decisions early, so attorneys and their clients can move forward with clarity, avoid unnecessary risk, and choose the most appropriate path based on the property and the situation. I work directly with attorneys and their clients to determine the best path forward, whether that involves preparing a property for the retail market or facilitating a direct sale through a network of qualified investors. For properties that require repairs, may not qualify for traditional financing, or are best suited for as-is sale, I provide access to a network of more than 50 active real estate investors. Over the past 12 months, I have closed 68 transactions, reflecting consistent production and experience navigating changing market conditions. I guide each case using the C.A.L.M. Method: C — Clarify We identify what matters now versus what can wait. A — Align We define priorities—legal, financial, and personal. L — Lead I guide each step in the proper order to avoid delays and unnecessary complications. M — Move Forward Clients proceed with clarity and confidence. I am the Broker Owner of The Volsch Team at Volsch Enterprises, Inc., and hold certifications in Probate Real Estate through the National Association of Realtors (NAR) as well as Certified Probate Real Estate Advisor (Probate Biz). If you are an attorney handling probate or trust matters—or assisting a client with an inherited property—I’m available as a resource to help evaluate the best path forward.