What credit score do you need to secure a mortgage? (2024)

FAQs

What credit score do you need to secure a mortgage? ›

Credit score and mortgages

FHA loans: For FHA assumable mortgages, you'll need to meet standard FHA loan requirements. These include being able to make a minimum down payment of 3.5 percent with a credit score of at least 580.

Most mortgages, including conventional loans, require a credit score of 620 or higher. It's possible to get an FHA loan with a credit score as low as 500, but many lenders require higher scores.

Yes, you can buy a house with a 600 credit score — but it would be less challenging if your score were higher. A 600 score will not be high enough to qualify for a conventional home loan, so look into FHA loans, which have lower requirements: 500 with a 10 percent down payment, and 580 with a 3.5 percent down payment.

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.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insures FHA loans, which allows mortgage lenders to accept a credit score as low as 580 with a 3.5 percent down payment, or 500 with a 10 percent down payment.

DOWN PAYMENT AND CLOSING COSTS

FHA loans require a down payment of 3.5%. For a $500,000 home, this amounts to $17,500. Closing costs should also be taken into consideration. These include various fees and taxes and generally fall between 2% and 2.25% of the listing price.

A 620 credit score is typically what you'll need to get a mortgage for a home purchase. Although you can buy a house with a credit score as low as 500, you'll pay a higher rate and make a larger down payment.

To qualify for an FHA loan in California borrowers need to have a minimum mortgage specific credit score of 580. A credit score of 580 can qualify you for a 3.5% down payment.

How much house can I afford if I make $70,000 a year? ›

As a rule of thumb, personal finance experts often recommend adhering to the 28/36 rule, which suggests spending no more than 28% of your gross household income on housing. For someone earning $70,000 a year, or about $5,800 a month, this means a housing expense of up to $1,624.

If you follow the 2.5 times your income rule, you divide the cost of the home by 2.5 to determine how much money you need to earn annually to afford it. Based on this rule, you would need to earn $100,000 per year to comfortably purchase a $250,000 home.

That means you'd need to earn about $10,839 a month, or $130,068 per year, in order to afford a $400,000 home. Your actual take-home pay will depend on your state of residence, tax filing status, and other withholdings, Walsh says.

Highlights: Most negative information generally stays on credit reports for 7 years. Bankruptcy stays on your Equifax credit report for 7 to 10 years, depending on the bankruptcy type. Closed accounts paid as agreed stay on your Equifax credit report for up to 10 years.

Government-backed loan options, such as FHA, USDA and VA loans, are typically the easiest type of mortgage to get because they may have lower down payment and credit score requirements compared to conventional mortgage loans.

They may differ by 20 to 25 points, and in some cases even more. When Credit Karma users see their credit score details, they are viewing a VantageScore, not the FICO score that the majority of lenders use. A VantageScore has the same credit score range as FICO, and uses some of the same information as a FICO score.

You can borrow anywhere from a few thousand dollars to $100,000+ with a 580 credit score. The exact amount of money you will get depends on other factors besides your credit score, such as your income, your employment status, the type of loan you get, and even the lender.

To qualify for a conventional loan, you'll need a credit score of at least 620, though some lenders may choose to approve conventional mortgage applications only for borrowers with credit scores of 680 and up.

To qualify for most types of mortgages, you'll need a credit score of at least 620. Some loan types, such as FHA loans, accept lower scores, but a higher score will almost always get you the lowest available interest rate. And that could save you a significant amount over your loan term.

With a 680 credit score, you can qualify for mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, personal loans, and more. However, the interest rates and loan amounts you are approved for will vary by lender. Generally, you may be able to borrow between $5,000 – $300,000, depending on the type of product.