People assume the answer is a single number, and that assuming it is too low means not bothering to ask.
We have pre-approved plenty of buyers who were convinced they would not qualify. It is worth finding out rather than guessing.
Which score lenders actually use
You have three credit scores, one from each major bureau, and they are rarely identical.
Mortgage lenders pull all three and generally use the middle one. Not the highest, not the average.
If you are buying with someone else, the lower of your two middle scores typically drives the file. This surprises couples where one person has excellent credit and the other does not. The stronger score does not lift the weaker one.
It also means the scores you see on a free app are usually not the ones being used. Those are often different models entirely, and mortgage scoring uses its own versions. Do not be alarmed if the number we pull differs from what your app shows.
Roughly where each program sits
Speaking in general terms, because guidelines vary by lender and change over time:
FHA is the most accommodating on credit. It is designed to serve buyers who would not qualify conventionally, and its minimums sit meaningfully below conventional standards.
VA has no set minimum from the VA itself, though individual lenders apply their own requirements.
Conventional sits higher than FHA, and both approval and pricing improve as your score rises.
Jumbo and non-QM programs generally expect stronger credit than agency loans, along with more reserves.
The specific cutoffs move, which is why the useful step is a conversation rather than a chart.
Overlays
Here is something buyers rarely hear.
Beyond the official program guidelines, individual lenders apply their own additional requirements, called overlays. So two lenders offering the same program can have different practical minimums.
This is a concrete reason to work with a broker. When one lender’s overlay puts you outside the box, another lender’s may not. A bank turning you down means you failed their overlay, not necessarily the program’s actual standard.
Score affects more than approval
Your credit score influences loan pricing, mortgage insurance costs on conventional loans, and how much flexibility you get on other parts of the file.
This is why a twenty or thirty point improvement can be worth real money, even when you already qualify. Buyers who are close to a threshold sometimes benefit substantially from a small, targeted improvement before applying.
What actually moves your score
Payment history is the largest factor. Then how much of your available credit you are using. Then length of history, credit mix, and recent inquiries.
The fastest lever for most people is utilization, because it updates monthly. Paying balances down before statements close can move a score in weeks.
Length of history, by contrast, only improves with time, which is why closing old accounts is usually a mistake.
Do not over-optimize
Buyers sometimes delay a purchase for a year chasing a higher score. Sometimes that is right. Often the improvement is marginal and the delay costs more than it saves.
Find out where you actually stand before you decide to wait. We will pull it and tell you honestly whether waiting is worth it.
Trinity Lending Company | NMLS #2762052 | Equal Housing Opportunity