I have never read that they have. It shows that you're aware of the debt and reducing the expense. It is just a personal loan that will probably save you 300 to 400 a month on interest payments.

So the 5 factors for good credit scores:

Credit utilization...keep revolving below 30% of limits Payment history (recency is a big factor so the 2016 missed pays arent as heavy)

Credit history...keep that cc from your early 20s.

Applications & declines....jumping around a lot or getting failed approvals are red flags for good lenders/interest rates

Credit products...cc, loans, and LOCs help, but not as important as the other ones.

So I understand the urge to see the score go up. But just pay your debts, save some cash for the renovations and your retirement and before you know it you will be above the 700 range.