How We Raised Our Scores From the 400s — And Helped Others Do It Too

by Brian and Sandi Crews

How We Raised Our Scores From the 400s — And Helped Others Do It Too

If your credit score is keeping you from buying a home, we get it — because we’ve been there.

Years ago, both of us had scores in the low 400s. Life happened, and we made some hard financial mistakes. But we turned it around — and raised our scores into the 660+ range to buy a home. Since then, we’ve helped dozens of others do the same.

Some people we’ve helped boosted their scores in a week. Others took 6 to 18 months. But whether it’s fast or slow, we have the patience (and the strategy) to walk you through it.

Here’s what we’ve learned and what we share with our clients every day.

1. Pay Down Revolving Credit — First!

When it comes to improving your credit score, the biggest wins often come from your credit card balances.

Revolving credit (like credit cards) makes up about 30% of your score. Brian raised his score from 660 to 789 just by paying down credit card debt before buying a home.

Tip: Keep your credit usage under 30%, ideally under 10%. And don’t close your old cards — your credit history length helps your score, too.

Want to better understand how credit impacts your mortgage loan?
Read: Debt Ratios Explained

2. Use Authorized User Accounts (It Really Works)

This strategy is fast and effective.

A trusted family member can add you to their credit card as an authorized user — giving you access to their credit history on your report. Sandi did this for our daughter, and it helped her start building credit fast.

No card use required. Just the history showing up on your report can boost your score.

3. Add Someone to a Loan You’re Already Paying On

This is another great way to help someone establish credit safely.

Sandi added our daughter to a car loan she was already paying on. Since the loan was in good standing, it began reporting on our daughter’s credit — giving her a jumpstart without risk.

It works in reverse, too. If you’re the one with no history, a trusted person can add you to an installment loan they’re already paying, like a car or student loan.

4. Beware of Credit Repair Companies

We’ve seen too many people fall for this trap.

Credit repair companies often negotiate lower payments on your behalf — but they rarely explain that this can lead to rolling late payments being reported to the credit bureaus.

You think they’re helping, but behind the scenes your credit is tanking and you’re paying fees monthly.

We’ve worked with clients who’ve come to us after months of these services, only to find their scores have gotten worse. Always read the fine print and get a second opinion before signing up for anything that charges monthly fees to “fix” your credit.

5. Track Your Score + Dispute Errors

You’d be surprised how many people have credit report errors they don’t know about — accounts that don’t belong to them, incorrect balances, or late payments that were actually paid on time.

Use AnnualCreditReport.com to get your free reports from all three bureaus every year. And consider apps like Credit Karma or your bank’s built-in credit tools to track your progress.

We’ve Walked This Road — And We’ll Walk It With You

Raising your credit score doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Whether you need fast results or a longer-term plan, we’re here for it. We’ve helped others get there — and we’ll help you too.

We’re not just Real Estate Agents — we’re people who’ve been in your shoes.