Want to Keep Your Credit Line? Make Sure Have a Good Credit Score!

Things are getting interesting in the world of credit. It used to be that anyone could get credit — even someone with a horrible credit score. Now, though, creditors are getting a little bit jumpy about extending certain credit lines to those with lower scores. And the definition of a low credit score is changing as well. Gather Little By Little offers this observation on how creditors view potential borrowers:

During the last year or so, banks and other lenders have been gradually raising the required credit scores for certain types of credit. Two years ago, consumers could easily get credit with a score above 680. Now, there are instances of credit cards being cancelled for folks with scores of 650 or even 660. In fact, the recent trend is that consumers are considered borderline until their score reaches 740!

While you can still get a credit card with a credit score of less than 700, it may not be possible to get other types of credit — such as a mortgage or a home equity loan — without a score closer to 720.

If you are looking for more credit, you might have to consider carefully, and take steps to improve your credit score.