To order your credit report there are three primary credit reporting agencies that you need to contact:

1. Equifax (800-685-1111)
2. Experian (888-397-3742)
3. Trans Union (800-888-4213)

Why should you contact all three credit reporting agencies? The main reason is that different creditors may choose to report to a single company, as opposed to all three credit reporting companies.

Once you have obtained your credit history, sit down with your real estate agent and make sure that all of the information within the credit report is accurate. Your agent should be able to guide you through the report and what it will mean to your home financing process.

As part of the home buying process, you and your real estate agent will want to make sure to evaluate your entire credit report for any discrepancies.

Credit reporting agencies are required to publish their requirements of the steps you will need to take in order to dispute any information contained in your credit report that is at issue. You need to follow these steps according to their guidelines in order to remove any discrepancies and get the information changed and updated as soon as possible.

As part of this process, you might also want to add what is called a