You should avoid opening new credit cards in the months leading up to your mortgage application. If you want to ask for a credit limit increase, you must first ask your card issuer if they will do a hard credit check.

Stop applying for new credit cards

Opening a new credit card before a mortgage application can lower your credit score because of a {"term": "hard-inquiry", "text": "hard inquiry"} and because it lowers the average age of your accounts. It also raises questions for underwriters about your financial stability. Credit experts advise avoiding opening any new accounts before and during your mortgage application.

Understand the risk of credit limit increases

Asking for a higher credit limit can also trigger a hard inquiry on your credit report, depending on the issuer's rules. This hard inquiry can cause a brief drop in your credit score and act as a red flag for mortgage lenders, which could affect your chances of approval.

Ask your issuer before requesting an increase

Before you ask for a higher limit on your three existing cards, ask the issuer if the request requires a hard credit check. If it does, you should avoid it while preparing for your mortgage.