What credit score do you actually need to buy a home?

Short answer: probably a lower score than you think. The “you need perfect credit to buy a house” myth keeps a lot of qualified buyers renting.

Minimums by loan program

These are typical guideline minimums — individual lenders can set their own requirements, and other factors in your file matter too:

• Conventional: usually 620+
• FHA: 580+ with 3.5% down (some lenders work with lower scores and larger down payments)
• VA: no official minimum from the VA itself; most lenders look for around 580–620
• USDA: typically 640 for streamlined approval

So if you’re sitting at a 600 thinking homeownership is years away, it might not be. The only way to know is to have someone actually look at your file.

Why your score matters beyond approval

Your credit score doesn’t just decide whether you get a loan — it influences your interest rate, and on a mortgage, the rate compounds for decades. The difference between rate tiers can mean tens of thousands of dollars over the life of a loan and a real difference in your monthly payment. Moving your score up even one tier before you apply can be one of the highest-paying moves you ever make per hour of effort.

How to improve your score before applying

There’s no magic, but there is a playbook:

1. Pay every bill on time, starting now. Payment history is the biggest factor in your score. Set up autopay for minimums if you have to.
2. Pay down credit card balances. The share of your available credit you’re using (utilization) is the second biggest factor. Getting cards below 30% of their limits — and ideally below 10% — can move your score meaningfully within a couple of statement cycles.
3. Don’t close old cards. Length of credit history helps you. Pay them off and let them sit.
4. Don’t open new accounts in the months before applying.
5. Pull your reports and dispute errors. You can get your reports free at AnnualCreditReport.com. Errors are common and fixing them is free.

If your score isn’t there yet

This is exactly the conversation a good loan officer should be having with you. I’d rather meet a buyer 12 months before they’re ready and build a plan than have them disqualify themselves based on a number they saw in a banking app — those app scores often aren’t the ones mortgage lenders use anyway.

Want an honest read on where you stand? Get in touch. A conversation costs nothing.