• Equifax
• Experian (formally TransUnion)
• TRW

These Credit bureaus keep records on your credit history. Everytime you open a new charge card, get financing on a car, open a gasoline credit account, etc, you create a "line" of credit that is available to you. Since a mortgage is a major financial investment as well as an obligation, your credit history is important.

When companies request your credit history, it creates an "inquiry". Too many inquiries within a 6-month period can lower your score, therefore it is important that you do not have your credit run until you authorize it.

What does my score mean?

The following table shows basically how your credit is graded: