What Credit Score Do I Need to Buy a House?

Some eligible FHA buyers with a score of at least 580 may qualify for as little as 3.5% down. A lender may require a higher score, and you must meet all other loan rules.

No. Fannie Mae's automated review system, DU, has no set minimum score. Loans reviewed under its manual rules have separate score requirements. Other programs and lenders may have different rules. Having no set minimum in DU does not guarantee approval.

VA does not set a minimum credit score. A lender may set its own minimum, and you still need to meet credit, income and VA eligibility rules.

Not necessarily. A consumer app and a mortgage lender may use different models or credit-report information. Ask which score your lender used.

No. A lender reviews the full application and may apply additional requirements. A minimum program score is only one part of eligibility.

Each home loan program has rules about who can use it. The lender also checks your credit and ability to repay the loan. It may set stricter rules of its own. These extra lender rules are sometimes called overlays. Ask which loan program the lender is considering and how it will review your application. Ask which credit score it uses and whether its minimum comes from the loan program or its own rules. Not every lender offers every option described here.

For a standard FHA home purchase, a score of at least 580 may allow the lender to finance up to 96.5% of the value used for the loan. That usually means at least 3.5% down. At scores from 500 through 579, FHA generally limits the loan to 90% of that value, commonly requiring at least 10% down. Exceptions and other loan rules apply. These are FHA rules, not a promise that a lender will approve the loan or offer it. A lender may require a higher score. Your credit history, debts, income, the property and other loan requirements still matter.

Fannie Mae, which sets rules for many conventional home loans, has an automated review system called Desktop Underwriter, or DU. DU reviews the full application without a set minimum score. This does not mean every low-score application will pass or that a lender has no minimum. When a lender reviews a loan under Fannie Mae's manual rules instead of DU, the usual minimum is 620 for a fixed-rate loan (the interest rate stays the same) or 640 for an adjustable-rate loan (the interest rate can change). Exceptions and other program rules apply. Other conventional programs and lenders may have different requirements. Ask which rules apply to your application.

VA does not set a minimum credit score for its home loan benefit. Lenders may set their own credit rules. You still need to meet the loan's credit, income and eligibility rules. A Certificate of Eligibility shows your VA benefit status; it does not approve you for a loan. When comparing VA lenders, ask about their credit rules and how they review your full application.

The score displayed by a consumer app may differ from a mortgage lender's score because models and credit-report information can differ. Ask your lender which score was used before comparing numbers. Review your credit reports for errors and discuss the findings before making financial changes during an application. A personalized review is more useful than assuming that one score tells the entire story.

Prepare information about your income, monthly debts, available funds and homebuying plans. Troy can help you discuss potential programs and the lender requirements that apply to your situation. Educational guidance reviewed October 23, 2026. Rules and lender offerings can change. No score, program threshold or conversation described here guarantees eligibility, approval or a particular rate.

Move the slider to see loan rules at an example score. FHA rules can change how much you need down. Fannie Mae's automated review system, called DU, and VA do not set a minimum score. Lenders may still set their own minimums. This tool cannot tell you whether you will be approved.