These days, having a less than perfect credit score ain’t all bad. If you fall short of getting a 700 on that credit report, you’ll still find lenders who’ll be willing to accept you as a borrower. Loan programs like those administered by the FHA are also more forgiving of those with blemished credit.

Legislation like the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 have also paved the way for banks and credit unions to offer financial products outside of the prescribed loan guidelines. If you are self-employed with limited documentation, you could still be granted any of the so-called ‘non-qualified’ mortgage products like stated income or no documentation mortgage loans.

Is a non-qualified loan the answer to your financing needs?

The information above should prove useful if you really need to buy a house now. However, if you can hold off on the purchase, it would be wise to work on improving that credit score first. Disputing errors on your credit report and seeing to it that bills are paid on time are just two things you can do toward this end.

To ensure that you don’t fall off the wagon while building better credit, here are three things you should avoid.

1.Moving debt around

Owing a considerable amount of debt has an adverse effect on your credit score. As such, it could be tempting to move debt around so this can be resolved quickly. However, moving debt around could lead you to owe more, which could then be more difficult to pay.

2. Opening too many credit accounts

Avoid opening too many accounts in order to have a better credit mix. This practice can pull down your credit score. What you can do instead is focus on having one or two credit cards that you can maintain.

3. Failing to update relevant personal information when necessary

Not informing your creditors that you’ve changed addresses can lead to bills not being received on time. This could lead to late payments for bills and other forms of debt. In the same manner, failing to notify of a name change could result in inaccuracies on your credit report.

Get more insights on improving your credit score from a reputable lender.