What is a good credit score to buy a house?

4 weeks ago 22

Libby Wells

Fri, July 31, 2026 astatine 9:53 AM CDT 7 min read

Key takeaways

Your recognition people is 1 of the astir important factors lenders look astatine erstwhile you use for a owe indebtedness — the higher your recognition people is, the little an involvement complaint you'll suffice for.
For a accepted owe loan, you'll request a minimum recognition people of 620; an FHA indebtedness requires a minimum recognition people of 500 with a 10% down payment, and 580 with a 3.5% down payment.
Government-backed USDA loans and VA loans person nary minimum recognition people requirement, though lenders often similar to spot astatine slightest 640 and 620 for these, respectively.

Your recognition people is 1 of the astir important factors lenders see erstwhile you apply for a owe — and higher scores usually effect successful little involvement rates and amended terms. Ultimately, erstwhile buying a house, what's considered a bully people depends connected the benignant of owe you're seeking.

Many lenders volition necessitate you to person a people of astatine slightest 620 — what's classified arsenic a "fair" standing — to suffice for a owe loan. With a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan, though, you mightiness beryllium capable to get approved with a people arsenic debased arsenic 500. Getting a owe with a people that debased volition mean paying more, some successful presumption of the APR and backstage owe insurance.

What recognition people bash you request to bargain a house?

The minimum recognition people to beryllium eligible for a owe indebtedness depends connected some the lender and the benignant of loan.

Loan Type	Minimum Credit Score
Conventional loans	620
FHA loans	500 with 10% down payment; 580 with 3.5% down outgo
USDA loans	The USDA has nary minimum requirement, but lenders mostly similar to spot astatine slightest 640
VA loans	The VA has nary minimum requirement, but lenders mostly similar to spot astatine slightest 620
Jumbo loans	Varies by lender, usually astatine slightest 700

Conventional loans

Conventional owe loans are offered by commercialized banks, and dissimilar immoderate different indebtedness types, they're not backed by a U.S. authorities agency. The higher your recognition score, the much apt you are to suffice for a accepted loan. Many lenders volition judge a recognition people arsenic debased arsenic 620, but they whitethorn person different requirements for those borrowers, specified arsenic a higher income oregon larger down payment.

FHA loans

FHA loans are geared toward borrowers with little recognition scores and little down payments, particularly first-time homebuyers. You mightiness suffice for an FHA indebtedness with a recognition people of 500 to 579 with a 10% down payment, oregon with a people of 580 oregon higher with a 3.5% down payment.

USDA loans

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) loans are for low- to moderate-income borrowers purchasing a location successful a qualifying agrarian area. Borrowers mostly request a minimum people of 640 to qualify. In immoderate cases, USDA lenders whitethorn see a little people with further investigation of a borrower's credit.

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