u/Cheap-Ad2006

I finally got pre-approved as a first-time buyer, but the rate they gave me is honestly way worse than I expected. The lender basically said my income is okay, but my credit is what’s hurting me. My score is in the mid 600s right now, and I’ve got a couple old missed payments plus higher utilization than I’d like. I’m not in a huge rush to close tomorrow, but I was hoping to buy sometime this year. For anyone who was in a similar spot, did you pause and work on your credit first, or just move forward and refinance later? Trying to figure out what actually makes the most sense.