2. Check your credit report to determine your ability to finance investment property. Most lenders today require 700 or better FICO (Fair Issac Co.) scores from borrowers who want to buy investment property. Also, make sure that your total debt-to-monthly-income ratio is low. Often it makes sense to pay down outstanding credit card debt or car loans in order to improve your debt ratios. You’re entitled to one free credit report per year from the three major credit bureaus (Trans Union, Equifax, and Experian), but they’ll only provide your history, and not your score. Instead, tryCredit Karma to get both.