I will be finishing with CCCS in July, who kindly closed all my accounts on my behalf when joining the program save for 2 cards. I just got a Cap1 with a 5k limit and a separate Cap1 offer for a secured card with a $400 limit. I am targeting a home purchase in September and scrubbing my reports as well. Are two charge cards and 1 dept. store card optimal, or should I grab the new Cap1 card to expand my base of available (but unused) credit for the FICO boost?
If you're applying in September you might avoid any more cards because of the FICO drop in the first 6 months of an account. I don't think the number of accounts is that big a deal. Maybe a prospective lender is a better person to ask? I've never bought a house before, but I know that I'm "prime" most of the time but "sub-prime" for six months after I open a new account.