New account activity makes up 10 percent of your FICO credit score. FICO logic considers opening several new credit accounts in a short period as higher-risk activity. Try not to do this, especially if you don't have a long credit history. If your credit history is not extensive, avoid the temptation to open a slew of new accounts quickly. Newly opened accounts lower the average age of your accounts, which in turn lowers your credit score. The impression that this behavior leaves is that of a risky borrower.
**What to Do**
Don't apply for credit you don't need. Avoid opening new accounts just to create more account diversity; this tactic will likely not raise your score. If you do apply for credit, conduct your rate shopping for a given loan within a short period. It may be too soon to start rate shopping for a home loan, but if you do, confine your inquiries to a 30-day period. FICO makes a distinction between a search for a single loan and a search for many credit lines; it does so partly by looking at the length of time over which inquiries occur.