In this challenging economic environment, Freddie Mac has implemented two new initiatives that can help strengthen renters' ability to build credit and achieve homeownership using their history of on-time rent payments.
Yet, unlike homeowners who make regular mortgage payments, renters generally do not see their on-time rent payments reflected in their credit scores.
Worse yet, the most common way rent payments impact credit scores are when missed rental payments go into collection.
After enrollment, the renter's on-time rent payments are reported to the credit bureaus each month.
Since Freddie Mac began this initiative last year, 86,000 households across more than 900 multifamily properties have enrolled.