11/04/2026
🏡 What credit score do you need to buy a home? If you're guessing, you might be aiming higher than you need to.
According to Keeping Current Matters, Fannie Mae research shows people have consistently overestimated the minimum score lenders require. As recently as 2023, the average guess was 652, while the long-standing benchmark for loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is 620.
Credit scoring is also changing. The Federal Housing Finance Agency has approved newer models like FICO 10T and VantageScore 4.0, which means the score you see in an app may not be the one a lender pulls.
The basics haven't changed, though: steady, consistent credit habits still go a long way. Not sure where you stand? Send us a message and we'll connect you with a trusted loan officer. 💬