want to buy a home

Hi!
Welcome to the forums!
Yes, it will certainly affect your credit score in a positive way. However, don't expect that your credit score will increase immediately. It will increase with time. Much also depends on how the debt is paid off. If you pay off the debt through consolidation, then your score is less likely to be hurt further. But if you pay off the debt through bankruptcy, then your credit score will get hit by 200-250 points. But with time and careful financial planning, your score will improve.

Paying off your debts will always have a positive affect on your credit report. Moreover, your future lenders/creditors will get the idea that you will at least try to pay off the debts come what may. However, if you settle your debts, it may have some initial negative hit on your scores but with time, it will improve.

Paying a collection account will have NO positive affect on your credit score. You are paying a negative account...paying it does NOT make it positive.

I disagree wholeheartedly that paying off collection accounts will have no affect on your score. IT WILL IMPROVE IT.

Paying a collection account makes no difference to your credit score. You do not get points for paying a negative account...your rating remains the same.

I had 2 collection accounts. I paid them off through debt consolidation. My credit score increased by around 30-40 points with time. So, from my personal experience, I can say that paying off credit accounts helps to increase credit score gradually.

The key words are "with time". If you dont pay them with time your credit will go up as they age off.