The lowest credit score you need to buy a house is usually around 500, but a score of 620 is a safer general baseline to shoot for.[1] The type of mortgage you get and other personal financial factors have a huge influence on credit requirements for buying a house, so it’s best to get personalized advice from a loan officer. That said, here are some general guidelines to be aware of so you can do some research before you meet with a loan officer.
🔑 Key takeaways:
- The credit score you need to buy a house depends on which mortgage you get.
- FHA loans usually allow credit scores as low as 500 with a larger down payment (lower scores require 10% as opposed to 3.5% for higher scores).
- You can shop multiple mortgage offers within a 45-day window without harming your credit score.[2]
What are the minimum credit score requirements for different types of mortgages?
The minimum credit score you need to buy a house depends on the type of mortgage program you’re applying for.
A common mortgage loan type is a conventional mortgage that follows Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac selling guidelines (also known as "conforming” loans).[3] There are also a few government-backed home loan programs under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Veterans Affairs (VA), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
- Conventional (conforming) loans: The minimum 620 credit score requirement for automated underwriting of conforming conventional loans was dropped by Fannie Mae in November 2025. Today, the mortgage program relies on a holistic analysis of a prospective homebuyer’s credit profile rather than establishing credit score minimums, although some lenders might still require score minimums.[4]
- FHA loans: Generally, FHA loans allow a minimum 580 credit score with a 3.5% down payment. For those with a 500–579 score, a 10% down payment is required.[5][6]
- VA loans: Although the VA loan program sets no explicit minimum credit requirements, lenders dictate what the minimum score you’ll need is to buy a house with a VA loan.
- USDA loans: USDA loans don’t impose a hard credit score limit, but if your score is below 640, lenders are required to do manual underwriting or ask for additional documentation.[7]
| Mortgage type | Credit score guideline |
|---|---|
| Conventional (conforming) | No strict Fannie Mae credit score requirement as of November 16, 2025, although individual lender requirements may vary [8] |
| FHA loan | Minimum 500 or 580, depending on the size of your down payment[9] |
| VA loan | No strict credit score requirement from the VA; varies by lender[10] |
| USDA loan | No strict credit score requirement; varies by lender |
Conventional, non-conforming loans — which aren’t beholden to Fannie and Freddie standards — and niche mortgage loans are also available. Lenders set the credit score floor for these mortgage options but minimum credit requirements are generally higher since the loans are considered riskier.[11]
Since some home loan programs don’t have hard credit limits, reaching out to your lender about your credit qualifications is the most accurate way to gauge credit eligibility.
Will it affect my credit score to apply for a mortgage?
Once you submit your mortgage application, it will temporarily lower your credit score. Like consumer loans and lines of credit, mortgage lenders require a credit check to determine whether you qualify for a home loan. This process involves a soft and hard credit inquiry.
- Soft credit inquiries are used for mortgage preapprovals based on preliminary information and don’t affect your credit score.
- Hard credit inquiries are performed if you move forward with your mortgage application. Hard credit checks are a comprehensive review of your credit background, and temporarily lower your score by a few points.[12]
The good news is that you can still shop around and submit multiple mortgage applications without it severely affecting your credit score. Homebuyers typically have a 45-day shopping period to get mortgage preapprovals and loan estimates. This shopping window will begin once you give a lender permission to do a hard credit inquiry. Any additional mortgage lender inquiries within this window are treated as one credit inquiry for scoring purposes.[13]
How can I improve my credit score before buying a house?
Seeing meaningful improvement to your credit score takes time and consistency. If you’re buying a house in the near future, start practicing these good credit habits to strengthen your score:
- Dispute credit reporting errors: Check your credit report for errors regularly. For example, make sure there’s not a credit account that doesn’t belong to you or a delinquent status that’s a mistake.Immediately disputing these errors with the credit bureaus can potentially lift your score significantly. Just keep in mind that the dispute process can take 30-45 days.[14]
- Make on-time bill payments: Payment history is the biggest factor (35%) in calculating your FICO score.[15] Timely monthly payments show mortgage lenders that you have a positive track record of responsibly paying your debt and are more likely to do the same if approved for a mortgage loan. A good rule of thumb is to check when your credit card bill is due and set up automatic payments to pay your card in full each month before that date.
- Keep your credit utilization low: Credit utilization — the amount of credit you’ve used in relation to your available credit — is the next-largest slice (30%) of FICO’s credit score calculation.[16] From a lender’s perspective, what you owe on other debt accounts directly impacts how you’ll manage a hefty mortgage payment. Paying down debts, like credit card balances, is a good first step at reducing your credit utilization ratio. You can also ask to increase your line of credit on your cards to improve your utilization ratio, although this may trigger a hard credit inquiry.
- Avoid major changes to your credit accounts: This includes opening new credit accounts, like consumer loans, retail or gas cards and closing existing accounts immediately before applying for a mortgage. Opening a new line of credit might raise flags among mortgage lenders, and closing old accounts increases your credit utilization ratio since you have less available credit to your name.
How can I find out if my credit score is good enough to buy a house or not?
Consulting with a mortgage lender is the best way to definitively know whether your credit score is good enough to buy a house. Although all loans and lenders have general guidelines they tend to adhere to, there are usually a lot of levers lenders can pull to make a loan work for you. They’ll go over your exact financial situation and determine all the lending options available to you, based on your qualifications.
The home-buying process can be intimidating, especially as a first-time homebuyer. If you’re looking for mortgage loan options and a no-pressure experience, Best Interest Financial can help. Their team of experts can explain your options and help you develop a plan. Get started with a quote from Best Interest Financial today.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended as legal, financial, investment, or tax advice, and should not be relied upon as such. Mortgage rates, terms, products, and eligibility requirements are subject to change without notice and vary based on individual circumstances, credit profile, property type, loan amount, and other factors. All loans are subject to credit approval. This content does not constitute a commitment to lend or an offer of specific loan terms. For personalized mortgage advice and to discuss loan products that may be suitable for your situation, please contact one of our licensed loan officers.