Why it matters
Plenty of people never try because they take it for granted that their credit falls short. Most of them rule themselves out without ever checking.
The scores that matter
| Score | What opens | Down payment (percent of the price) |
|---|---|---|
| 580 or above | The government low-down-payment loan (FHA), on normal terms | 3.5% |
| 500 to 579 | The FHA loan is still available | 10% |
| 640 and up | More options and better interest rates | 3.5% |
| 700 and up | A regular bank loan (conventional), on good terms | From 3% |
Notice the big jump: going from 579 to 580 moves the down payment from 10% to 3.5%. On a $400,000 house that is $26,000 less cash needed. A handful of points.
With your numbers, not the example. With five questions and no credit check: how many properties for sale are within your reach and what you'd pay a month.
I want to see what I can buyThe score is not just yes or no
Two people can buy the same house and pay different amounts for thirty years, on credit alone. The score moves the interest rate, the rate moves the monthly payment, and the monthly payment enters the share of your monthly income that goes to debt (DTI), which decides how much house you get approved for.
It is all chained together. Which is why raising your credit a few points before buying often pays off more than saving a few thousand more.
What raises it in a few months
- Using less of your card limits. The fastest lever there is. Keeping what you owe under 30% of your total credit limit (your credit utilization) is what the federal agency that protects consumers in money matters (CFPB) recommends; lowering your most-loaded card also helps, though there is no official figure for that one. The new balance shows up once your bank reports it, usually once a month.
- Not closing old cards. It removes available credit all at once, so your utilization jumps even though you owe nothing new. A closed account in good standing keeps being reported, so you do not lose the history — you lose the room.
- Pulling your credit report and disputing errors. Accounts that are not yours or misreported balances are more common than people expect, and removing them is free.
- Opening nothing new while you prepare to buy.
What not to do. Paying for "credit repair" that promises to erase accurate information. What is true and correctly reported cannot be removed, and anyone saying otherwise is selling smoke.
What works is boring: bring balances down, pay on time, and wait two or three months of reports.
We tell you if your score already gets you in.
The floor is set by each lender, not by a guide, and the same score opens one door while another stays shut. Leave us your number, tell us roughly where yours lands, and we tell you which doors that opens.
These score thresholds are the common reference points; each lender applies its own and may require more. This guide orients you and is not credit advice.
Whenever you want to move ahead, we handle it with you.