Your credit score is the most important metric in measuring your credit. Banks use your credit score like colleges use a high school GPA: it is a number that tells them how well you will do with them in the future.

A study found that about 30% of Americans were being denied a mortgage because of this one metric.

Reacting to the mortgage bubble burst nearly ten years ago, banks tightened up lending standards and would only give loans to the most creditworthy borrowers. Even a 20% down payment is not enough to get approved for a 30 years mortgage for potential borrowers with poor credit histories.

The Zillow study found that people with credit scores at 720 or higher can easily get a new loan, but borrowers with credit scores under 600 did not make the grade. 600 is a common cutoff for good credit versus bad credit.

If you are looking to buy a home in the next few years, you can start getting your credit report ready today. First, understand whether your current score will get you a home or not, and then try to better understand how bankers look at your credit when approving a mortgage.

Read the full story at AOL Real Estate.