Dear Liz: I am a 27-year-old contractor now working in Iraq. I’ve paid off all the outstanding credit card debt on my credit report as well as my graduate-school loans, and my undergraduate loans are current. It is taking some time for my credit scores to improve. I wanted to invest in some rental properties, but because of the current state of my scores, it is looking harder to accomplish by the day. Would you recommend placing a healthy down payment on a vehicle, making the payments on time and then pursuing my investments?
Answer: An installment loan such as a car loan can indeed improve your credit scores as long as you make the payments on time and don’t overextend yourself. Clearly, though, this purchase will have to wait until you’re back home, since any credit you get abroad won’t help your credit scores in the U.S.
While you’re waiting for your scores to improve, you can build up your savings — real estate investors need a fat cushion to cover down payments, repairs, maintenance and vacancies — and learn more about the skills you’ll need to be a successful investor. You don’t need to waste your money on expensive seminars, since everything you need to know is available in bookstores and libraries. One book to get you started is “Real Estate Investing for Dummies” by Eric Tyson and Robert S. Griswold.
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