 TITLE: Is Getting a Home Improvement Loan Worth It? CONTENT: What Credit Score Do You Need for a Home Improvement Loan?\n----------------------------------------------------------\nQualifying for a home equity loan, cash-out refinance or HELOC generally requires good to excellent credit (a FICO® Score☉ of 670 or more). If your credit is fair (a FICO® Score of 580 to 669), you may still be able to get a loan, but it will likely have a higher interest rate, so you'll pay more over time.\nBefore applying for a home improvement loan, check your credit report and credit score. If your credit score needs a boost, try these steps to improve it:\n*   **Pay down credit card debt.** Your credit utilization rate should be well under 30% of your available credit.\n*   **Bring any late accounts current.**\n*   **Make all your debt payments on time.**\n*   **Don't apply for any other new credit.**\n*   **Sign up for Experian Boost™†** This free service adds on-time utility, cellphone and streaming service payments to your credit report, potentially giving your FICO® Score an instant boost.\n*   **Dispute any inaccurate information** in your credit report. END