Your score.The lender's version.
The score a mortgage lender sees is not always the one in your app. This page explains which scores lenders pull, what moves them, and the minimum each loan program accepts.
- Pull all three reports
- Dispute real errors
- Lower balances
- Match the program
- Shop lenders in one window
For loans sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, lenders pull all three bureaus (a tri-merge) and may use Classic FICO or VantageScore 4.0. A score in a free app may come from a different model or a single bureau, so it can differ from the mortgage score. Payment history is 35% of a FICO score and amounts owed are 30%, which is why on-time payments and low card balances move the number most. Each loan program sets its own floor: FHA starts at 580 for 3.5% down, Texas state programs at 620, and VA, USDA and NACA set no minimum of their own.
Who qualifies.
- Buyers with a score under 620 who want to know which programs still work today.
- Buyers whose app score and lender score do not match.
- Buyers with late payments, collections or medical debt on their reports.
- Buyers rebuilding after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or a foreclosure.
- Buyers who were offered paid credit repair and want to know their rights first.
- Buyers planning to compare several lenders without hurting their score.
How it works.
Pull all three reports
Free weekly reports from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion are permanently available at AnnualCreditReport.com. Lenders read all three, so all three matter.
Dispute real errors
Disputing errors directly with the bureaus is free. Paid medical collections and medical collections under $500 should no longer appear.
Lower balances
Amounts owed are 30% of a FICO score. myFICO notes some experts recommend keeping card use under 30% of limits, and under 10% with on-time payments can help.
Match the program
The score decides which doors are open: FHA at 580 or 500, Texas state programs at 620, conventional TSAHC at 640, or NACA with no score at all.
Shop lenders in one window
Newer FICO versions count mortgage inquiries within 45 days as one inquiry (older versions use 14 days). FICO also ignores mortgage inquiries in the 30 days before scoring.
Rapid rescore before closing
When a balance is paid or an error is fixed mid-process, only the mortgage lender can request a rapid rescore. Results often come in 2 to 5 days once proof is submitted, with no guarantee of a higher score.
Minimum credit score by program (Texas, as of October 11, 2026)
VA sets no minimum score; the lender sets its own. USDA sets no minimum; its automated system (GUS) decides, and 680 or higher can be a compensating factor when ratios run high. NACA uses no credit score and reviews bureau data itself. At TSAHC, scores from 620 to 639 pay a 0.25% origination charge. Lenders can set floors above these program minimums.
Direct links to the free reports, dispute and complaint portals, a program-by-score checklist, and a match with a vetted lender who can run a tri-merge.
What works
- Disputing errors with the bureaus costs nothing.
- Free reports from all three bureaus are available every week.
- Several programs open below 620, including FHA and NACA.
- Rate shopping inside the window counts as a single inquiry on newer FICO versions.
- Medical debt rules now keep paid and small medical collections off reports.
What it costs you
- Most late payments stay on a report for 7 years; bankruptcies up to 10.
- Lenders read all three bureaus, so one clean report is not enough.
- A rapid rescore is only available through a mortgage lender and carries no guarantee.
- A Fannie Mae loan after a Chapter 7 discharge generally waits 4 years; after a foreclosure, 7.
- Unpaid medical collections can still appear after one year, and the CFPB medical debt rule was vacated by a federal court on July 11, 2025.
The part nobody explains.
Since September 9, 2026, every lender selling to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac may use VantageScore 4.0 instead of Classic FICO, and credit fees were equalized on September 30, 2026. FICO 10T is approved but not yet available.
Under the Credit Repair Organizations Act, a credit repair company cannot collect payment before the services are fully performed, must use a written contract, and must allow three days to cancel. An upfront fee is a red flag.
A lender cannot pass the rapid rescore fee directly to the borrower.
Fannie Mae shortens its waiting periods with documented extenuating circumstances: 2 years after a Chapter 7 bankruptcy and 3 years after a foreclosure (with limits).
HUD-approved housing counselors review credit and budgets for free or at low cost, and many down payment programs require their education course anyway.
Get the packet.
The official links are not on this page on purpose. They come in one email, organized, with what to do with each one and in what order.
- Direct links to the free reports, dispute and complaint portals, a program-by-score checklist, and a match with a vetted lender who can run a tri-merge.
- Every official link for this program, plus the links for every guide you explored here
- A match with a Texava-vetted lender who closes this program
- A direct reply from Albert in English or Spanish
Where should I send it?
Your packet is on its way.
Every guide you explore before you leave gets added to the next packet. Keep reading below.
Programs stack.
The most direct path at 580, or 500 with 10% down.
Nonprofit / Nationwide6.5NACA Best in America MortgageNo credit score used; NACA reviews the bureau data itself.
Texas / TSAHC / Hero professions7.2Homes for Texas HeroesDown payment help that opens at 620 on government loans.
Asked most.
Why is my app score different from the lender's score?+
Mortgage lenders pull all three bureaus and use Classic FICO or VantageScore 4.0 for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. An app may use a different model or one bureau, so the numbers can differ.
Will talking to several lenders hurt my score?+
Newer FICO versions count mortgage inquiries within 45 days as one; older versions use 14 days.
Is paying for credit repair worth it?+
Disputing errors with the bureaus is free. A paid company cannot legally charge before the work is fully performed and must offer a written contract with a three-day right to cancel.
How long do negative items stay?+
Most negative information, including late payments, stays 7 years. Bankruptcies can stay up to 10 years.
Can I buy with a score under 580?+
FHA allows 500 to 579 with 10% down. VA and USDA set no minimum of their own, and NACA uses no score. Individual lenders may still set higher floors.
What is a rapid rescore?+
A lender-requested update after a balance is paid or an error is corrected. It often takes 2 to 5 days once proof is submitted and does not guarantee a higher score.
The value compounds.
3.5% down with a 580 score
Read nextNACA Best in America MortgageNo down, no closing costs, no PMI