Notes from ‘YP: On the Money Financial Literacy Series: Understanding your Credit’
As a new member of the Urban League of Greater New Orleans Young Professionals (“ULGNOYP”), I recently attended the event YP: On the Money Financial Literacy Series: Understanding your Credit. The guest speaker was Ms. Patricia Hightower, president and CEO of Bayou Equity Mortgage.
Ms. Hightower shared valuable information about understanding your credit score and how to improve it overall — and to meet specific goals (homeownership, business loan approval, paying off student loans, etc.).
Here are my notes from the session (including additional research I did at home):
 Understanding Credit Scores & Credit Reports
Ms. Hightower shared that credit scores commonly range from 300 to 850. Most lenders prefer FICO scores above 640. This is usually the case if you want to purchase a home. 620 is sometimes accepted but 640 and up is better. Lenders believe that the higher your credit score, the lower the risk.