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There is no single number: each loan type and program publishes its own minimum, and many are lower than people assume.
The belief that homeownership requires excellent credit stops many people who would qualify today. Requirements differ by loan type: FHA's published rules allow lower scores than most conventional pricing does, VA has no universal published minimum (lenders set their own), and assistance programs each publish their own floor.
Two honest cautions. First, the minimum to qualify and the score that gets good pricing are different numbers — credit affects cost, not just approval. Second, lenders apply their own overlays above published floors, which is why the same buyer can be declined at one lender and approved at another.
What to actually do: pull your own reports free at annualcreditreport.com (this does not affect your score), dispute errors, and let a counselor or lender tell you where you stand for the specific loan you want — not a generic internet number.
Source: HUD/FHA Single Family Housing Policy Handbook 4000.1
Who confirms it for you: A lender, for the specific loan type — published minimums plus that lender's own overlays decide it.
Educational, not advice — and never an eligibility determination. Program rules and loan requirements change; the cited source and the named confirmer are the authorities for your case.