What Credit Score is Needed for a Mortgage? (2024)

FAQs

What Credit Score is Needed for a Mortgage? ›

Credit score and mortgages

Generally speaking, you'll likely need a score of at least 620 — what's classified as a “fair” rating — to qualify with most lenders. With a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan, though, you might be able to get approved with a score as low as 500.

For a $400,000 home, you'll likely need a good to excellent credit score: 740+: Best rates and terms. 700-739: Slightly higher rates. 660-699: Higher rates, may require larger down payment.

Mortgage lenders typically want to see a score of 620 or better before approving a conventional mortgage. There are government-insured mortgages if your score is lower, and if your score is 760 or higher you'll qualify for the best interest rates.

Some home loan options are specifically designed for borrowers with less-than-perfect credit — so technically, yes, 600 can be a good enough credit score to buy a house. However, you may face a few hurdles on the way to homeownership, including higher interest rates and additional costs.

You'll usually need a credit score of at least 640 for the zero-down USDA loan program. VA loans with no money down usually require a minimum credit score of 580 to 620. Low-down-payment mortgages, including conforming loans and FHA loans, also require FICO scores of 580 to 620.

The most commonly used FICO Score in the mortgage-lending industry is the FICO Score 5. According to FICO, the majority of lenders pull credit histories from all three major credit reporting agencies as they evaluate mortgage applications. Mortgage lenders may also use FICO Score 2 or FICO Score 4 in their decisions.

One rule of thumb is that the cost of your home should not exceed three times your income. On a salary of $70k, that would be $210,000. This is only one way to estimate your budget, however, and it assumes that you don't have a lot of other debts.

You'll need a down payment of $12,000, or 3 percent, if you're buying a $400K house with a conventional loan. Meanwhile, an FHA loan requires a slightly higher down payment of $14,000, equivalent to 3.5 percent of the purchase price.

How rare is a 770 credit score? ›

Your score falls within the range of scores, from 740 to 799, that is considered Very Good. A 770 FICO^® Score is above the average credit score. Consumers in this range may qualify for better interest rates from lenders. 25% of all consumers have FICO^® Scores in the Very Good range.

There is no single credit score that's considered the most accurate. The truth is, there are several types of credit scores available to lenders—and many versions of each of those scores. Scores are calculated based on many of the same factors. But thinking of these scores in terms of accuracy can still be misleading.

Why is my FICO score higher than my other credit scores? Every credit-scoring model is different. And credit scores can change based on what credit report is used to inform the model. Those variances can make some scores higher or lower than others.

FHA minimum credit score

If you put just 3.5 percent down, the minimum credit score for an FHA loan is 580. You can qualify with a score as low as 500, but you'll need to make at least a 10 percent down payment. Keep in mind that the FHA sets this limit, but individual lenders may require a higher score.

The average credit score in the United States is 705, based on VantageScore^® data from March 2024. It's a myth that you only have one credit score. In fact, you have many credit scores, because there are many different types of credit scores and scoring models.

Credit score and mortgages

The minimum credit score needed for most mortgages is typically around 620. However, government-backed mortgages like Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans typically have lower credit requirements than conventional fixed-rate loans and adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs).

Can I buy a house with a 700 credit score? Yes. Assuming the rest of your finances are solid, a credit score of 700 should qualify you for all major loan programs: conventional, FHA, VA and USDA loans all have lower minimum requirements, and even jumbo loans require a 700 score at minimum.

A 750 credit score generally falls into the "very good" range, which shows lenders that you're a very dependable borrower. People with credit scores within this range tend to qualify for loans and secure the best mortgage rates. A 750 credit score could help you: Qualify for a mortgage.

The required credit score to buy a $300K house typically ranges from 580 to 720 or higher, depending on the type of loan. For an FHA loan, the minimum credit score is usually around 580.