Two years is plenty of time to build a solid file from scratch, and the scoring model rewards a specific mix of activity. - Open a couple of revolving lines, and secured cards count if that is where you have to start. Use them for small purchases and pay them off, keeping the reported balance low: under 10% of the limit is the target, under 30% the ceiling. The model wants to see active, well-managed accounts rather than dormant ones. - Add an installment account, since scores reward a mix of revolving and installment credit. A simple 0%-interest purchase paid off over six to ten months works well. - Make every payment on time. Payment history carries the most weight, and a single early miss sets you back. On rent: tools like Experian Boost can get on-time rent reported, though it usually lands on only one bureau's file. Mortgage lending has traditionally used the middle of your three scores (the lower of two if you only have two, and the lowest borrower's number when there are multiple borrowers), so data that reaches one bureau will not move your mortgage number much unless similar data hits all three. Those conventions are also in transition, with two-bureau pulls and VantageScore being phased in, so confirm current guidelines when you get close. Do those things consistently for a year or two and you will walk in with a real, usable score. When you are getting close, the free Roadmap conversation is where we translate that score into your actual buying numbers.