"Whether you're dreaming of your first home or upgrading to your forever one, we believe good credit opens doors—literally—by turning financial confidence into real estate opportunities."

“Because Good Credit Opens Doors—Literally.”

Watch This Video To Avoid The Mistakes That Can Cost You Thousands and Create Conflict Between Family

What You'll Learn In This Workshop

Fundamentals of Credit Scoring

Understanding what a credit score is—a numerical gauge of your credit risk based on your financial behaviors and repayment history. Both FICO and Vantage Score use your credit report to forecast how likely you are to repay debts.

FICO vs. VantageScore Explained

FICO scores (300–850) are widely used by 90% of lenders and include both base and industry-specific versions

Vantage Score also runs from 300–850, but offers a tri-bureau model and can score users with less history

Why Credit Scores Matter Beyond Loans

Credit scores affect more than just borrowing they can impact:

Getting approved for rentals

Insurance premiums

Employment

background check

Utility deposits

Scoring Range Categories

Both models use the same 300–850 range, but define tiers differently:
FICO: Good = 670–739

Very Good/Exceptional = 740+

Vantage Score: Prime =

661–780

Super prime = 781+

Weighting of Scoring Factors

Both models assess similar behaviors but weight them differently:
Payment history: 35% (FICO) vs. 40% (Vantage Score) Credit utilization: 30% (FICO) vs. 20% (Vantage Score) Length of history, mix of accounts, recent activity, plus trended data in VantageScore 4.0

How to handle both models

While both scoring models aim to predict credit risk using similar inputs, they use distinct methodologies. The key takeaway: focus on healthy credit habits—timely payments, low utilization, and minimal unnecessary inquiries—to improve your score across both systems.

Hi, I'm Shonda!

Expertise Beyond Traditional Real Estate Services

Recognized as one of the top agents at Onyx Realty Professionals, Shonda Taylor has earned a reputation for her exceptional professionalism and results-driven approach. While she delivers the utmost level of expertise, she also strives to create a warm and welcoming environment, treating her clients like cherished friends. Shonda understands the importance of building trust and establishing genuine connections, ensuring that her clients feel supported and understood throughout their real estate journey!

Proudly serving Virginia!

Case Studies

🏡Jermaine & Ashley: Love, Credit, and a New Beginning

When Jermaine and Ashley got married, they were ready to build their dream life together—starting with a home. With a combined income of $95,000, they assumed it would be simple. But during the pre-approval process, reality hit: Ashley had a near-perfect credit score. Jermaine’s? A 540, dragged down by an old repossession and several medical collections. They were told he couldn’t be on the loan. It felt like a setback, but not the end.

Ashley stood by Jermaine as he tackled the issue head-on. He opened a secured credit card, disputed inaccurate accounts, and even became an authorized user on her oldest card. Slowly but surely, his credit started to recover. Six months later, they got approved—with a conventional 3% down loan in Ashley’s name. Jermaine’s name was added to the deed, and they moved into their first home as a team. Now, Jermaine is pushing toward a 680 so they can refinance together, on equal footing. Their story is proof: credit can be repaired, and dreams can still come true—together.

🏡 Deja’s Journey: From Denied to Delivered

Deja had built a name for herself in her city—everyone came to her for flawless hair and good energy. As a single mom and full-time entrepreneur, she made more than enough to buy her first home. But when she applied for a mortgage, the lender gave her a hard no.

Her credit score was sitting at 580, weighed down by old student loan lates and maxed-out cards. She felt embarrassed—how could she make this much money and still get denied?

Instead of giving up, Deja got to work. She joined a credit repair program that helped her dispute outdated accounts, pay down her balances, and open a secured card to rebuild. In just three months, her score climbed to 645—and that pre-approval finally came through.

She cried when she got the keys. Not just because she bought a house, but because she proved to herself that she could overcome anything. Deja's now owns her home, and she's working toward a 700+ score so she can invest in a second property for her business.

What our clients say...